... on the deck.
Once Hubby comes home with the Jeep, I'll buy a table :)!! YEA!!
The big question is what kind of plants to buy?
I'll have some flowers, and at least one tomato plant, some basil and chives.. but, I have a lot of pots out there.
I'm thinking about more green plants, catnip, cat grass, extra chives and other stuff that doesn't flower, but is just green. I could also get some spiky stuff, some ferny stuff and other things that are green. The advantage to this plan is that they don't need to be deadheaded, they generally use less water and will survive my neglect more easily.
I like the idea of having a little green patio... hmmm.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Peer paper reviews..
... were a really good idea tonight.
My class tonight wrote some pretty good drafts. I suspect it's because they're writing on a topic they had to research for presentations, so they've been thinking about the topic for a while and have sources to use.
I went out of my way to make a good number of comments because the final paper is worth 25% of their grade. I also had them do a total of four rounds of paper exchanges.
The first round was an experiment -- I paired up students according to their grades on the draft... high/high and all the way down. They may or may not have had similar topics. Their task was to read the paper and tell the other person what it was about. The idea was that hearing another person's reporting the paper would help them to see what the ACTUAL focus of the paper is, not what the author thinks the paper is about.
The next three rounds were paired by a variety of means -- similar topic and position on the topic, complimentary topics and then just people who would give one another good feedback.
Each pair had 45 minutes to read, make comments and discuss. Next time I think I'll reduce the time a bit -- maybe 30 minutes per rotation.
At the end, more than a few students looked at me with some admiration... they actually appreciated the time and effort it takes to read and comment on a paper. When they realized that within 10 days I read about 70 drafts -- they came to appreciate the kind of effort and concentration that takes.
It really was nice to have them recognize the effort -- especially on a night when I'm pretty fried from reading so danged many drafts :).
I think next semester I'm going to do peer paper exchanges earlier in the semester.. I'm not sure how that will work, but I think that reading another student's work is very helpful enough to make time to put it in earlier rather than later.
I'm also toying with the idea of doing a very early, short, argument paper -- with a minimal research requirement. The paper would be pass/fail and I could use it to get students writing help earlier in the semester -- before it's too late.
My class tonight wrote some pretty good drafts. I suspect it's because they're writing on a topic they had to research for presentations, so they've been thinking about the topic for a while and have sources to use.
I went out of my way to make a good number of comments because the final paper is worth 25% of their grade. I also had them do a total of four rounds of paper exchanges.
The first round was an experiment -- I paired up students according to their grades on the draft... high/high and all the way down. They may or may not have had similar topics. Their task was to read the paper and tell the other person what it was about. The idea was that hearing another person's reporting the paper would help them to see what the ACTUAL focus of the paper is, not what the author thinks the paper is about.
The next three rounds were paired by a variety of means -- similar topic and position on the topic, complimentary topics and then just people who would give one another good feedback.
Each pair had 45 minutes to read, make comments and discuss. Next time I think I'll reduce the time a bit -- maybe 30 minutes per rotation.
At the end, more than a few students looked at me with some admiration... they actually appreciated the time and effort it takes to read and comment on a paper. When they realized that within 10 days I read about 70 drafts -- they came to appreciate the kind of effort and concentration that takes.
It really was nice to have them recognize the effort -- especially on a night when I'm pretty fried from reading so danged many drafts :).
I think next semester I'm going to do peer paper exchanges earlier in the semester.. I'm not sure how that will work, but I think that reading another student's work is very helpful enough to make time to put it in earlier rather than later.
I'm also toying with the idea of doing a very early, short, argument paper -- with a minimal research requirement. The paper would be pass/fail and I could use it to get students writing help earlier in the semester -- before it's too late.
A day of hope and panic...
.. all in my logic class.
Some of them are finally getting a clue, or perhaps just now figuring out that they've had a clue all along.
Others are seeing that I wasn't kidding when I told them to come to class, do the homework and ask questions.
The differences are amazing -- they've all been in the same class, but the differences betwen their abilities are akin to the differences between a native language speaker and my (terrible!) ability to speak any other language.
Tonight Bioethics will get their drafts back. I've decided to take some mercy on them and devote the next two weeks to working them over...
Of course, that's kind of a trap -- as I'll also expect more of their final product.
We shall see... one way or the other, next week is the last regular week of classes --- then finals and SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some of them are finally getting a clue, or perhaps just now figuring out that they've had a clue all along.
Others are seeing that I wasn't kidding when I told them to come to class, do the homework and ask questions.
The differences are amazing -- they've all been in the same class, but the differences betwen their abilities are akin to the differences between a native language speaker and my (terrible!) ability to speak any other language.
Tonight Bioethics will get their drafts back. I've decided to take some mercy on them and devote the next two weeks to working them over...
Of course, that's kind of a trap -- as I'll also expect more of their final product.
We shall see... one way or the other, next week is the last regular week of classes --- then finals and SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anybody want a Congres person...
... because I'm officially kicking one of ours out of the state.
She's just made a correlation between the current Swine Flu epidemic and the last one -- namely, that they've both happened under Democratic Presidents....
1) Umm.. no, the last one was when Ford as President-- he's one of your guys.
2) What do you really mean, that God hates Democrats and is trying to punish us for electing Obama?
3) If that's your theory... then 9-11 happened under the Republicans --
Really, she's too stupid to remain a citizen of my state.
I'm embarrassed that she went to the same high school my nieces and nephews will all graduate from.
I'm sad that she went to the same college as one of my favorite former colleagues.
She doesn't list her law school on her website -- but, according to Wikipedia, she has a law degree from Oral Roberts (no shock there!).
Every one of those institutions should demand their diplomas back.
Her hometown is a really cute little town over on the river -- can't we just move her onto a sandbar in the middle?? Maybe, just maybe, technically she'd be without a state (I don't want to foist her on cheese state, they don't deserve her).
She's just made a correlation between the current Swine Flu epidemic and the last one -- namely, that they've both happened under Democratic Presidents....
1) Umm.. no, the last one was when Ford as President-- he's one of your guys.
2) What do you really mean, that God hates Democrats and is trying to punish us for electing Obama?
3) If that's your theory... then 9-11 happened under the Republicans --
Really, she's too stupid to remain a citizen of my state.
I'm embarrassed that she went to the same high school my nieces and nephews will all graduate from.
I'm sad that she went to the same college as one of my favorite former colleagues.
She doesn't list her law school on her website -- but, according to Wikipedia, she has a law degree from Oral Roberts (no shock there!).
Every one of those institutions should demand their diplomas back.
Her hometown is a really cute little town over on the river -- can't we just move her onto a sandbar in the middle?? Maybe, just maybe, technically she'd be without a state (I don't want to foist her on cheese state, they don't deserve her).
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Another pile of drafts -- today.
I have at least 25 drafts in my bag and I haven't started yet -- so, why not blog??
I hope this pile of drafts is better than the last one... I have some hope, but I'm also concerned...
I'm working at home today with the windows open -- and the frogs in the wetland outside my window are going nuts... it must be some kind of frog orgy out there.
Other stuff..
I had to go around and beg someone to be the 'second' name put forward for department chair. We have an odd contract provision that says that administration selects chairs from among two names. The problem is, it isn't usually the case that two people actually WANT to be chair. This year we tried to put someone up who will be on sabbatical next year --that didn't fly, so I had to ask the next qualified person I saw. She accepted, with the provision that she didn't want the job and I should make that very clear when I put both names forward.
Also -- I love my department... Yesterday we discussed the 'who votes' question. One of my brilliant colleagues suggested part-time folks get a vote that corresponds to their teaching load. So, if someone is teaching 80% of a full-time load, they'd get a vote that is a .8 of a vote.
This solved the problem of having someone who isn't particularly vested in the college having a vote that equals the vote of someone who is at BNCC forever.
So -- yea them!!
I hope this pile of drafts is better than the last one... I have some hope, but I'm also concerned...
I'm working at home today with the windows open -- and the frogs in the wetland outside my window are going nuts... it must be some kind of frog orgy out there.
Other stuff..
I had to go around and beg someone to be the 'second' name put forward for department chair. We have an odd contract provision that says that administration selects chairs from among two names. The problem is, it isn't usually the case that two people actually WANT to be chair. This year we tried to put someone up who will be on sabbatical next year --that didn't fly, so I had to ask the next qualified person I saw. She accepted, with the provision that she didn't want the job and I should make that very clear when I put both names forward.
Also -- I love my department... Yesterday we discussed the 'who votes' question. One of my brilliant colleagues suggested part-time folks get a vote that corresponds to their teaching load. So, if someone is teaching 80% of a full-time load, they'd get a vote that is a .8 of a vote.
This solved the problem of having someone who isn't particularly vested in the college having a vote that equals the vote of someone who is at BNCC forever.
So -- yea them!!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Department votes -- who gets to?
First of all, my "Department" at BNCC is comprised of several disciplines. We are all grouped together under one department chair (me, oddly enough). As a result, we don't have to make many decisions as a group. Each discipline is so unique that they all have different ways of conducting business and I try not to get too involved... which is probably what makes me a decent department chair.
But, in case two folks actually WANT to be department chair, we'll need to have a vote. It is also possible that we'll have to make decisions as a group... I'm not sure why, but we could.
The question is, who gets to vote.
The way I understand it, only full-time (tenure track) folks voted last time. This doesn't seem quite right to me, as the department chair's actions impact the adjunct folks as well.
Also, we have some folks who are full-time in other departments (English etc..) who teach one class per semester in my department. Do they get to vote? They are full-time elsewhere, but -- kind of -- adjuncts in our department.
I think now is a good time to talk about this, as I'm pretty sure I'm the only candidate for department chair -- so, there's no need for a vote.
So -- for those of you in departments with a variety of kinds of positions -- how do you decide who gets to vote?
But, in case two folks actually WANT to be department chair, we'll need to have a vote. It is also possible that we'll have to make decisions as a group... I'm not sure why, but we could.
The question is, who gets to vote.
The way I understand it, only full-time (tenure track) folks voted last time. This doesn't seem quite right to me, as the department chair's actions impact the adjunct folks as well.
Also, we have some folks who are full-time in other departments (English etc..) who teach one class per semester in my department. Do they get to vote? They are full-time elsewhere, but -- kind of -- adjuncts in our department.
I think now is a good time to talk about this, as I'm pretty sure I'm the only candidate for department chair -- so, there's no need for a vote.
So -- for those of you in departments with a variety of kinds of positions -- how do you decide who gets to vote?
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The end of another era...
...or, at least the end of another kind of odd period in my life.
I've learned never to say "never" about Red State City...
When I finished my BA, I said I'd never regularly be back to that campus again -- except, that I was... both as a student and as an instructor.
When we moved out of base housing here, I said I'd never be back on base -- except, the next quarter I was teaching down there (best class, ever -- by the way. They were all in technical jobs in the Air Force and could follow directions!!).
So -- I figure it's best not to tempt Red State to suck me back again.
For now, what I can say is that I've probably had my last visit for love... at least for a while. I may end up back here for dissertation meetings, but for the next three years Hubby will be the one kissing me goodbye and staying home with the Queen and the Minion.
This has been a good weekend... the highlights:
Answer Me This is clearly not intended for young kids (they'd learn way too many words for male private bits.. for one), or for playing out loud at work. If you like the British sense of humor -- try it. I subscribed to it on itunes and downloaded most of the free back episodes. Each one is about 25 minutes, so if you're driving, you don't need to fiddle with your ipod every 5 minutes... which can get very irritating.
I've learned never to say "never" about Red State City...
When I finished my BA, I said I'd never regularly be back to that campus again -- except, that I was... both as a student and as an instructor.
When we moved out of base housing here, I said I'd never be back on base -- except, the next quarter I was teaching down there (best class, ever -- by the way. They were all in technical jobs in the Air Force and could follow directions!!).
So -- I figure it's best not to tempt Red State to suck me back again.
For now, what I can say is that I've probably had my last visit for love... at least for a while. I may end up back here for dissertation meetings, but for the next three years Hubby will be the one kissing me goodbye and staying home with the Queen and the Minion.
This has been a good weekend... the highlights:
- Indian food -- YUM!! Enough for dinner on Thursday night and leftovers for lunch yesterday.
- Good meeting with Dr. Advisor -- it put me on a writing path that should make my summer productive.
- Good dinner at our favorite brew-pub place Friday. Hubby had leftovers yesterday.
- Great visit to the zoo. It was rainy and cold, so it wasn't crowded. The zoo here is pretty spectacular for a city this size. It's compact, has several really good ecosystem-based exhibits and is one of the great things about this city.
- Lovely afternoon/evening longing about reading books -- followed by Hubby getting take-out from our favorite barbecue place.
Answer Me This is clearly not intended for young kids (they'd learn way too many words for male private bits.. for one), or for playing out loud at work. If you like the British sense of humor -- try it. I subscribed to it on itunes and downloaded most of the free back episodes. Each one is about 25 minutes, so if you're driving, you don't need to fiddle with your ipod every 5 minutes... which can get very irritating.
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