Reflecton LSC SP09 first day

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Willow Chase facilities for adjuncts are fine, and their administration are prepared -- all my keys, codes, etc., were ready. Only technical problem was the very poor PC monitor resolution, which made all my graphics look lousy. Have sent a msg to someone there who I hope can change that. Class went well enough, but it's only a 50 minute class. Got what we needed to accomplished. Some of the students seem to be slackers, but they'll be weeded out soon, or my perceptions are incorrect.

Tomball was different -- IDs not ready, no copy codes, no keys ready. Adjunct office apparently has no printer (though a copy room seems to be nearby and possibly I can print there). Classroom equipment better, but chalkboards instead of whiteboards, and I don't do as well with chalk. These are two longer classes, 80 minutes. Some more mature (read:older) students, and usually the older students are more confident and committed.

Used the same ice-breaker "most embarrassing moment" strategy, but these two Tomball classes seemed flat. Have one cerebral palsy student in one and he's very talkative. I'm not used to working with severely disabled students, and this one will be my first time to consider significant time modifications to in-class assignments, etc.

Also used the War in Iraq as my topic for a rhetorical triangle, and one student insisted that there in fact were WMDs in Iraq, because his Air Force brother found some. I could tell he was getting frustrated, but he warmed up again later in the class. Ironically, Bush gave his last press conference where he "regretted" the fact that no WMDs were found online.

I don't like any of these classrooms (Willow Chase or Tomball) because there are no student computers. I hate dealing with paper.

Evaluation of presenation and demeanor: confident, but perhaps shallow. Need to let them learn more than let them hear me speak. Started on some group activities with one class, behind in others. Even with group activities, I need to make them more challenging, or more directed, so that they're learning more than mimicking.

I'll be spending more of my off hours reviewing instructors' supllemental materials to improve my classes. Just tired tonight.

Had a phone interview with Kaplan tutoring, and it went well (I interview well; know all the pedagogical jargon). They invited me for an audition on Thursday, but once I saw how little they really pay, and plenty of negative comments about their program on the Web, I've decided to cancel. I think I can manage with the money I'm making now -- three courses at LSC, four at HCC.

Will start rewriting my syllabi for HCC tomorrow.

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