Head of a Class

So, I've been trying to decide how to write about my first teaching experience. The chances of my students finding this site are pretty high, seeing as I'll probably share the link with them this Thursday when they provide me with URLs to their flashy new Blogger blogs, and I'm worried about what they'll think of a professor who has to take deep breaths and whisper Stuart Smalleyisms like "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me" to herself in the bathroom before she can put on a happy face and introduce herself to impressionable young vessels thirsty for knowledge.

However, the class is about blogging, and part of blogging involves being honest with your readers, so I decided that truth trumps dignity. Lucky for you.

The class went much better than I expected, though I really did give myself a pep talk beforehand. I left work after lunch that day and spent my afternoon hours tweaking handouts, flipping through books, and mentally trying to estimate how much time each activity would take. Since the class'll wrap up the week before Thanksgiving, I'm already shortchanging them three sessions' worth of Frema-style wisdom, so I was totally paranoid about my notes only getting me through the first twenty minutes of class and sitting there twiddling my thumbs while I figured out what to do next.

And it almost happened! For the first half of class, I had planned to introduce myself, take roll call, get a feel for everyone's expectations for the course, and read through the syllabus. That'll get me through the first hour, I thought, no problem.

I made it to 6:35.

FUUUCK.

I called for a quick break while I ran to the bathroom once again to collect myself and repeat all the deep-breathing exercises I'd relied on forty minutes earlier. Turns out I was the only one who left the room, because who really needs to stretch their legs after a half-hour of what was essentially academic small talk?

The second half of class involved reviewing basic blogging terminology, surfing some Web sites, and going over how to set up a blog on Blogger.com. I held on to my handout for dear life and pointed out various features on sites like Dooce, Amalah, and PostSecret (you guys, I would've never forgotten about PostSecret). I opened my Google reader to demonstrate how RSS feeds and newsreaders work, and we all enjoyed a good laugh at seeing the black-barred, boobalicious picture featured in one of Carrisa's entries. And suddenly it was ten to eight, and I was breathing a sigh of relief over making it through my first night on the job.

I wouldn't call myself polished just yet. I stumbled over my words at times, jumped onto a second train of thought before completely riding out the first one, and I repeated myself some. But overall I accomplished what I set out to do, which was to give students a clear picture of what my class would entail (lots of reading, lots of discussion, lots of presentations) and a brief introduction to the world they'll be spending so much time in over the next thirteen weeks. I'm glad I did, too, because several of my twelve (TWELVE! Do you realize how impressive that is for a small, private college? And an adjunct course at that?) students envisioned a workshop format with in-class writing exercises and computer lab time and all that creative jazz. Which, no, but that sounds pretty cool, too.

After class I ordered dinner at the campus's snack shop and invaded the home of my good friend, Maia, the English professor who asked me to teach the class in the first place and once served as my mentor while I interned and directed the college's publications department. She and her husband have been kind enough to offer their guest bedroom to me on the nights I teach so I don't have to drive ninety miles home in a state of bleary-eyed exhaustion. Freka and I are forever in their debt.

Getting through my first class relatively unscathed makes it easier to think about the next one. In the meantime, I'm trying to create a schedule for my non-day-job hours that provides the least amount of chaos to my household and mental well-being. The weekend was spent visiting with family (and sitting on the expressway for, oh, TWO AND A HALF HOURS, thank you Chicago traffic and northwest Indiana flooding), and I was adamant about returning to Indianapolis at an hour that would allow me to give the apartment a good once-over. I updated my Parents blog last night, and this evening I intend to hash out the majority of Thursday's lesson plan, but not before enjoying an early dinner and (Blockbuster) movie with Luke. Specifically, pork chops and The Lake House, the latter demonstrating the true depths of my husband's love. In return, I've allowed the first disc from the first season of 90210 to remain at the bottom of our online queue.

What can I say? I'm a giver.

Comments

[PaintingChef]

You are FAR, FAR nicer a person to be married to than I am...

I'm so glad the first class went well, I'm quite certain there will be many more just as, if not more, Fremalicious!!

[David McNelis]

I'm already envisioning the first student comment on here. I see it being something along the lines of "Hey Prof. Frema, I found your blog today and your writing it so fantastic, can I have an A now?"

[Carrisa]

I am honored that I could be a part of your first class. I do what I can to help out my lady friends.

[Operation Pink Herring]

Just reading about your life makes me tired. can I get some of your fabulousness over here please?

[daddy d]

Good job on the start of your class. It will get to be easier and easier as time goes on. Concepts and ideas will come to you as you move through the preperation for class lessons. At times during class, ideas will come to you as to how to put it together. The job will become even more fun as time runs into the future

[mjd]

Good work Professor Frema.

[Molly]

So glad everything went well for you. I knew it would.

Also, you guys were in that traffic? Me too. Nothing like re-routing the already long Saturday morning Ikea drive, as we sat in six lanes of bumper to bumper. We even cancelled Sunday's city plans. Holy hell.

[Becca]

I am so interested in your class! If I lived in the area I would totally audit it. It sounds like you are doing great and two hours is a nerve racking amount of time to fill!

And, I, um, would love it if you stopped by my site sometime and gave me some pointers.

[Angela]

It sounds like it went really well!!! I can't imagine how cool it would have been to have seen sort of the "inner thoughts" of my professors when I was in college. I think they'll really appreciate your forthrightness!

[VirginiaGal]

So, do we, your loyal readers (typo: royal leaders) also get to comment on the student blog attempts? Just kidding. Well, maybe not.

I'd love to have some of your organizational skills. Will trade for 30 minute recipes.

[TasterSpoon]

Ooh, I'd pay $$ for some of your motivation, too. You're a dynamo. I had to keep re-reading the line, "I was adamant about returning to Indianapolis at an hour that would allow me to give the apartment a good once-over." I hope to have priorities like that when I grow up.

[Rachel]

I am so glad your first class went well, although I knew it would!

Professor Frema has a nice ring to it.

[Audrey]

Congrats on a successful first class! If you were my professor and I found your blog, it would just make me think you were that much cooler. You should make TLF required reading.

How fun that you get to have sleepovers every week!

[Professor Art Nerd]

It's funny, but I have the same experience almost every class. I look at my phone (do they even MAKE watches anymore?) (kidding, of course!) and it's only 14 minutes in. Then I relax a bit, start just talking a lot, and it's a minute past the end of class. Luckily, at one school there's no clock in the class, so I'm not talking to an empty room.