Teaching Journal: Week 8

Well, we are officially over the half semester mark! Only 6 weeks of classes left (not including time off for holidays)! I am not sure if I am excited or terrified...probably a mixture of both! The fall semester always seems to drag on and on, and it is at about this point when everyone really wished there was a break! But alas, we have another month before Thanksgiving, so we will just have to push on until then!

This was a rather interesting week--campus was disrupted by President Obama on Wednesday--and so quite a circus gathered Monday through Wednesday to prepare for his visit. Monday and Wednesday class was held, again, in the 3rd floor library computer lab for group work. As I did last week, groups had set goals for the day, I checked in with each group, answered questions about project two, performed one on one conferences with a few students, and collected written work at the end of class. On Friday, groups came prepared with "rough drafts" of their projects. I divided the room in half and each group presented to another group their work thus far. Each person was expected to take detailed notes of the projects and ask questions. Group members supplied digital information/locations of their projects so that peer reviewers would have additional access to the projects over the weekend.

I have nearly met with all of my students for one on one conferences--it has been great to give them back their project one and have the opportunity to go through their papers with them. I have given each student very detailed comments on this project as they will all be expected to revise this project for project four. By and large, my students have done well with this project--there are a few who missed the mark, but I am very pleased overall with the work--I am especially proud of my high school students! They really worked hard on their first college projects and it showed!

This coming week we go back to normal classes with readings prepping for project three (ethnography), large class discussions, and group work! I am looking forward being back in my class room :)