Week Two--DREADED assignment :(

I am still here :) Grading bad PowerPoints as we speak. But that is not the worst of it!

This week is the week in which students pick their topic (from a list provided by the school--not me) for their final project. It is something he/she will have to live with until the end of the course and hopefully build a great philosophy project around. It is a question which they explore and research theories about in order to build their own answer (build upon the ideas of the greats of course).

Unfortunately, too many students DO NOT DO THIS. They pick a topic they feel they know ALL about and proceed to "preach" (literally) to me in their OVERLY personalized pieces without citing any sources. CHECK THAT! They actually include one citation if I am lucky. To guess what?



THE BIBLE.

I know I know. It is a source of infinite knowledge and wisdom and....well...sorry to say, blah blah blah. THIS IS NOT a Bible study course. This is not a Christianity course. It is not even a world religions course. It is a PHILOSOPHY COURSE in which they should be demonstrating their new found knowledge on the topic of...you guessed it! PHILOSOPHY.

I dread this topic-picking assignment because most students pick the hardest topic to do and never do it justice. There are so many interesting topics, but too many students feel "oh, I know ALL ABOUT THIS" and then fail to recognize the purpose of the assignment---or the numerous, VERY visible and spelled-out, REQUIREMENTS.

I get that many are very good Christians who feel compelled to share this knowledge with me or anyone else, but when did school become the place for that? When did requirements become optional? When did students start writing EVERYTHING in first person and talking to me like a buddy they are emailing? Since when did "research" become reciting memorized passages from the bible to back up your own ideas?

This is tough for me in some ways because I GET where they are coming from (in their personal lives and experiences and their obvious conviction for their religion), but I am also an educator. I am there to do a job and disregard for MY purpose and clear instructions PISSES ME OFF!

I bitch about this every time I teach these courses and my husband gets an earful, so I thought I would take my annoyance elsewhere for a change!

There. I feel better. :)

Good news and bad news

Thank goodness I survived week one! I now only have nine more weeks of grading for this course! :)

I got offered two more classes that overlap with these and I don't think I can handle it. I love the idea of the extra cash, but it is HARD staying on top of grading.

It is one minute to midnight here and I am ready for the week with one hour to spare. It took a LONG time to get things ready between eating meals, going to church, feeding my milk loving baby and trying to talk her out of her screaming fit earlier. UGH it was a loud, long evening!

I have managed to survive the first week without falling behind. Good news is that I did it. Bad news is that week one is always the easiest week! I have high hopes that I can balance things and keep moving forward this way!

The other bad news is that I have time for little else. I think of the fun summer things I want to fit it and it is hard when the majority of my work falls on the weekend. It is hard to squeeze family stuff in when Saturdays and Sundays have to be set aside for working. I have grading to get done and the week of posts to prepare but also, this is the best time for working since hubby is around to watch the kids while I work! I do work during the week, but because of due dates and when our week begins (Monday), the weekend is the best time for working!

I knew this was coming and I just hope that we are still able to fit in some fun stuff along the way, either during a really slow weekend or after these classes end. It all depends on if I get a break before starting new courses or if I overlap the next set with these.

The other good news that my little girl is changing! She really is starting to come into her own in the looks department and it is facinating to watch! :)

MORE bad news is that my eldest is making life hard sometimes. She wants to go run and do constantly and with classes and an infant in tow she is HATING how things are slowing down. Things cost money too and she is oblivious to that. "Just go to the bank" she tells me. IF ONLY it were that easy! It must be great being four!

She doesn't think it is so great though. She is in a rough spot being that she thinks she is a teen most days. She knows what she wants to wear (regardless of the weather, if its clean, if it fits, etc) and I don't know anything. She knows what she wants to do, and again, I know nothing! :( It sucks being so stupid! ;)

I look into my little one's innocent face and wonder if I am in for more of the same or if she will be dramatically different. Don't think I can handle TWO divas!

I am tired so no more news for now. Look for pics on the other blog! About to put some up!

Hi-ho, Hi-ho...Off to Work I Go (errr...STAY)!

BLAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay I love what I do, but honestly, doing it NOW is the furthest thing from my mind. I do NOT feel like dealing with the grading and stress right now when I have so much else going on. DANG ECONOMY is not leaving me much of a choice though.

I start work next week and I am dreading it.

The worst part is that I do not have a regular job where you drive there, work there, then leave it there. I work AT HOME and never get to leave it. I have to fit it in between feedings, diaper changes, play dates and trips to the grocery store or park and naps! It is hard to get the work done, especially when I am not good at keeping my comments to students brief. I need to work on that and keep saying I will, but it is so hard when the classroom is a virtual space.

The best part is that this job allows me to avoid day cares or babysitters. I am with my children 24/7 and I realize how blessed that makes me.

There is no such thing as a free lunch though, so it is a huge sacrifice and a blessing all in one!

The things we do for money! :(