The Semester That Was

Last night marked the end of my first semester teaching, it was exciting, confusing, overwhelming and unbelievably rewarding. If I were fortunate enough to have the stars align so that I could teach (English, writing, etc.) full-time and not have to hold down another day job, I would jump at the opportunity in a flat second. And while I'm sure there are countless things I've learned over the last four months, some of the key lesson are:

Don't overassign (or underassign). Don't overestimate (or underestimate) student's abilities. Even if you don't remember saying it, your students will. Stick to the syllabus (it'll get you through). Don't be afraid to reach out to colleagues and peers with questions or for opinions. Don't be afraid to challenge or be challenged. There is always room to do better, grow, what have you (for both the instructor and the students).

So now (well, after I submit grades that is), I have a little more than a month off (from teaching, not from the 8-to-5) to recuperate, gear up for the next semester, and get some writing done (see my last post for details).