first day of school, again...

[tinyshel]

Spent 5 hours on the bus and 1 hour on the Tube today. Why? To commute to Coventry to give some new postgrads an introduction to Warwick Uni. I was asked to give the 'international perspective' on how it was to adjust to England, and Warwick Uni specifically. It was hard to remember those days, and lots of me didn't want to. But I was honest

Comments

[cliosfolly]

I've been doing the same re: flocking posts--mostly because I am just not interested in my students potentially finding the lj and having that much access to my personal life.

Good luck with classes! I'm sure you'll do well.

[tinyshel]

Yeah, I suppose you kinda have to filter a bit when you're teaching, eh?

BTW, isn't it at the MLA that you'll be speaking on a sponsored panel? I was telling my friend Alice, who will also be speaking there. Whenever you get a chance, email me the details and maybe you guys can go to each others sessions and offer some postgrad support!

[cliosfolly]

I'm not presenting at MLA (it's the RSA instead), but I do plan to be there--so feel welcome to pass contact information along to her, or the details of her talk/time to me; it would be lovely to meet her, and I'd definitely plan to attend her talk!

[mealymel]

Just walk in and be yourself. Don't try to be something you're not... they can smell that a mile away (although, having said that, I will backtrack and say that if you feel insecure, fake security-- do not give it all away and tell them its your first time teaching. Lie about your experience if you have to... best advice anyone ever gave me about teaching. Some people don't agree with that, but I've seen a lot of my first-time teaching friends be completely honest with their students and then subsequently spend the semester gettting walked all over). Tell them what you expect of them, ask them what they expect from you-- begin to negotiate the community you hope to create in your classroom. I'm not sure how different your system is, but I usually explain my policies and syllabus on the first day as well.

Most of all, remember to breathe and have fun. Good luck!!!

[tinyshel]

Thanks for this. I was wondering if I should admit to them that I haven't taught before, but I think you're very smart to say that I shouldn't.

I think the biggest problem out here is the complete lack of preparation and support. I can't really explain the policies and syllabus because I don't even know what the hell they are myself!! Like the first assignment due in a couple weeks? Have no clue what they're meant to be doing... One of my course convenors has been amazingly supportive, but the other is being a real ass. Fingers crossed that this gets better. At least there are a couple other first time teachers on this course and we're all feeling equally lost and supporting each other.

[novawildstar]

I still get shocks once in a while, trip to the post office yesterday was one of them.

Been here that long now that I some times wonder if I'd actually fit in if I went back home.

Will be thinking about you tomorrow and keeping my fingers crossed for you. But I know that you'll do fine.

[tinyshel]

Being in London has changed my English experience in a lot of ways because it is truely so international. I remember feeling similar shocks like you described when I lived in Leamington Spa, but at London almost no one has a British accent anyway!!

[novawildstar]

I don't know if I'd like that to much. I enjoy being an idividual, even if I do get nasty shocks once in a while.

The best be is that people at work are starting to forget that I didn't grow up here :P

[indielass]

Best of luck for the first day!

I understand too the need to fliter things - I filter my posts much for the same reasons you are...

Once you get settled into your routine, drop me an email and we'll sort out going for coffee/catching up. :)

[tinyshel]

I would love to meet up with you once I fall into a routine a bit more!! I was actually just thinking yesterday about all the people I really need to be in touch with now that I'm going back to Coventry.