We had our annual University and College Faculty Meetings yesterday--I was present for the former, but left before the latter began because, well, let's just say I had a little fuzz-related problem to clear up.
While conspicuously absent from the meeting, I received an award from the College of Humanities and Fine Arts:
Outstanding Junior Faculty Member of the Year
Naturally, I was not there to accept the plaque. Got it on my wall now, though! I did get the "matter" dismissed as well.
8.20.2007
"You'll get more of these"
When I got the skin cancer removed from my face a couple of years ago, the dermatologist said, "ooh, you're young to be getting these. . . you'll get more of them."
And sure enough! I have to have a basal cell carcinoma removed from my scalp in a week. Yeee heeew!
And sure enough! I have to have a basal cell carcinoma removed from my scalp in a week. Yeee heeew!
8.17.2007
Adventures with Faculty, Vol. 3
Yesterday, during our department meeting, we had a "Come to Jesus" about grade inflation. Our department chair had been looking at numbers and reading some papers that didn't seem to match up with gpa figures, etc. So we had an exercise.
The dreaded grading exercise.
Shades of Grad School! Well, I'm game--it's worth reminding ourselves of the nature of our work, of the responsibility we have to give proper feedback, and so on. As the exercise wore on, though, I began to wonder about its usefulness:
First, grading in a controlled setting where the outcome is hypothetical has no relation to the work we actually do, where we have certain pedagogical goals for the grades we assign, where we have the long view, where we have to look these students in the eye and, let's face it, do course evaluations and have our names up on ratemyprofessor. What I put on a hypothetical paper in an exercise has no consequence or outcome.
Second, particularly in a case where one has a wide range of professorial generations present, these exercises become muddled by instructors declaiming loudly the reason for their oh-so-pure standards:
I think I was pretty much grouchy and stone-faced for the whole six hours yesterday. I know, you're all amazed that such a thing could happen.
The dreaded grading exercise.
Shades of Grad School! Well, I'm game--it's worth reminding ourselves of the nature of our work, of the responsibility we have to give proper feedback, and so on. As the exercise wore on, though, I began to wonder about its usefulness:
First, grading in a controlled setting where the outcome is hypothetical has no relation to the work we actually do, where we have certain pedagogical goals for the grades we assign, where we have the long view, where we have to look these students in the eye and, let's face it, do course evaluations and have our names up on ratemyprofessor. What I put on a hypothetical paper in an exercise has no consequence or outcome.
Second, particularly in a case where one has a wide range of professorial generations present, these exercises become muddled by instructors declaiming loudly the reason for their oh-so-pure standards:
- "I gave it an F! Because the sentence structure could have been better!"
- "Oh, horrors! This student totally misread this passage from Blake's 'Infant Sorrow'! You know, when I have taught this poem, I've made sure to . . . ."
- "This student used 'consequently!' Clearly, that's a D! At best!"
- "The first thing I do when I start a class is tell the students that they must not ever use the first person pronoun!"
I think I was pretty much grouchy and stone-faced for the whole six hours yesterday. I know, you're all amazed that such a thing could happen.
Apreso Classroom
Well, at our department meeting yesterday, we discovered that one of our department's classrooms has been designated an "Apreso Classroom"--a system that automatically records classroom activity. In theory, this makes lecture material available over a system like Blackboard so students can review or catch up.
Woweee! Being recorded automatically when we start a class! And here's the thing--this is a big-time instructional issue, a big time privacy issue, and evidently an issue that no one thought to consult our department about. It has just appeared. I don't know about the rest of my teaching friends, but I'm not at all comfortable with the idea of my classes being automatically recorded. I'm also not at all comfortable with the idea that a change like this can be made with literally zero faculty input, at least no faculty input that any of my colleagues know anything about.
(feel free to make your own "Big Brother" / Patriot Act / NSA / J.J. Abrams jokes)
Woweee! Being recorded automatically when we start a class! And here's the thing--this is a big-time instructional issue, a big time privacy issue, and evidently an issue that no one thought to consult our department about. It has just appeared. I don't know about the rest of my teaching friends, but I'm not at all comfortable with the idea of my classes being automatically recorded. I'm also not at all comfortable with the idea that a change like this can be made with literally zero faculty input, at least no faculty input that any of my colleagues know anything about.
(feel free to make your own "Big Brother" / Patriot Act / NSA / J.J. Abrams jokes)
HP 7
I read the last four chapters to W last night, so we now know that Dumbledore cast down the Balrog, Harry and Hermione took the ship from the Grey Havens, and Hagrid remained the keeper of the Golden Compass. My favorite part was when Ron met Peter, Edmund and Lucy after stepping through the door of the stable.
Seriously, we're done. I think we both felt a bit of loss--there's not any more to look forward to, except the moment when our children discover the books. Hey, that's not so bad!
Without providing details, I will say: I felt most vindicated re: Severus Snape. I didn't foresee the details, but I did more or less peg his place in the story correctly. W and I both really enjoyed the fact that little details throughout this last book referred backward through the previous six--even to Year One.
Seriously, we're done. I think we both felt a bit of loss--there's not any more to look forward to, except the moment when our children discover the books. Hey, that's not so bad!
Without providing details, I will say: I felt most vindicated re: Severus Snape. I didn't foresee the details, but I did more or less peg his place in the story correctly. W and I both really enjoyed the fact that little details throughout this last book referred backward through the previous six--even to Year One.
8.09.2007
All Hail the Pigskin
I'm sitting in my chair, watching Dallas play Indianapolis. Praise the Lord, the long walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Baseball is over, and we can finally watch a sport worth watching! A sport in which every game is an event!
And yes, I know, some of you college football snobs will sniff that it's "only" the NFL--but hey, at least the NFL has, you know, a playoff system.
FOOOOOOOOOTBAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!
And yes, I know, some of you college football snobs will sniff that it's "only" the NFL--but hey, at least the NFL has, you know, a playoff system.
FOOOOOOOOOTBAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!
8.08.2007
Shades of Allen Hill
Every once in a while, I come out with a phrase that sounds so much like my father that W and I both stop and say, at the same time, "that's an Allen Hill!"
The most recent one I've been blurting out without thinking about it:
"Golly Moses!"
(the 'golly'--pronounced 'gaaaa-leeee' is the foundational Allen Hillism; various secondary epithets get added as necessary). Those of you who know will laugh; those of you who don't will wonder why the heck I bothered to post this. Ah, well.
The most recent one I've been blurting out without thinking about it:
"Golly Moses!"
(the 'golly'--pronounced 'gaaaa-leeee' is the foundational Allen Hillism; various secondary epithets get added as necessary). Those of you who know will laugh; those of you who don't will wonder why the heck I bothered to post this. Ah, well.
8.07.2007
Sorry
In the midst of major revisions to an article, hoping to get it placed. Plus, it's hot. Oppressively hot. Will-sapping, energy-draining hot. Not much to say for a few days yet.
8.02.2007
biking update: 26 miles into the week
I'm getting good. I changed a tire yesterday. Went out this morning at 6:20 or so. 35 minutes into the ride . . .
. . . lost the other tire. Well, didn't lose it as much as have it punctured and go flat.
That means, if you're counting, I'm 2 for 2 this week on getting flats and having to call W to shoehorn the (not so) Little Boy into the car to come rescue me.
Maybe I'll take a different route on Saturday morning.
. . . lost the other tire. Well, didn't lose it as much as have it punctured and go flat.
That means, if you're counting, I'm 2 for 2 this week on getting flats and having to call W to shoehorn the (not so) Little Boy into the car to come rescue me.
Maybe I'll take a different route on Saturday morning.
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