One Prof's Ponderings, Predictions, and Proclimations

I have a trend, I tend to post a few blogs early each semester and then stop.  Not enough time. Nothing interesting to write about. etc etc etc.

I’ve also said it before that I would do better to write a bit m ore often.  Once again I’ll make this ‘resolution.’  Maybe this time I’ll actually follow through.

For now, I’ll just share what I am looking forward to this spring semester.  I am looking forward to what looks like an excellent  student make-up in my experimental psychology course.  I’m changing up some of the ways that I relay material (less direct instruction, more ‘constructivist’ methods) and I am hopeful that this will make the course more engaging for the students. Strangely, each spring I look forward to teaching stat.  It’s a class not loved by most students, but I do get to have a lot of student contact with the activities and worksheets.  I’m looking forward to finalizing my sub-committee’s section of our HLC self-study.  This is a task that though extremely important, I would love to have off my plate! I’m looking forward to ‘hopefully’ having a good solid draft of a new curriculum by the end of this semester.  It’s been a bit of a slog this year, this semester we MUST make some decisions and get this concrete.  I REALLY look forward to when the revision of the curriculum is over!  Again, important work – don’t get me wrong – but it is mentally and emotionally taxing because of the political nature of curriculum reform.

Perhaps more importantly though I look forward to working with my research students on their senior thesis projects.  This is one of the great joys of my job and I love the point when the student gets to the end of the process, presents his or her research to others, and I can see that they can see the great accomplishment that they have made. I am hopeful that many will chose to present at a regional conference this year.

So what am I not looking forward to…well the usual: grading homework, giving detailed feedback on writing, long hours,early mornings, meetings, college politics, problem-child students.  In my mind this is actually what they pay me to do…..the rest I would do for free if I were independently wealthy.

I guess one last thing to look forward to.  For the new semester I get a new haircut and color.  I also plan sometime to add a bit to my wardrobe with the gift cards I received for Christmas.  Pretty things are always something to look forward to sharing!