Return to Ghetto School

I got a last minute call from Ghetto school. They need me. Apparently some other adjunct got switched around at another school and now can't teach. Whatever. I asked about the class - let me at first know what I'm getting into... 7 students; last time the course is to be taught; could care less what I do. Hmm. Okay. Let me sell more of my soul to the devil for a bit more cash.

He sends me the syllabus. At this point, I've never taught this class, it's been taught by this other guy for a while, I'll just keep as is. I open the syllabus basically to change dates and semester and I'm reading it...um, WTF?!?! Seriously, there's talk of homework problems for one class then back talking about case studies for this class. It appears that he taught finance first and didn't change the syllabus well. And how long has it been like this??? So I delete, and delete. Fix this, fix that. Whatever... I'm still going to use it.

I get an email telling me I can come pick up the book Wednesday (class starts Thurs). I go Wednesday and apparently the other guy had lost the book. (Really...cause I'm thinking I can find it on ebay or Craigslist if I look....oh, let's not beat around the bush - this is where adjunct whores make extra cash flow - selling freebie textbooks). So, literally I go to class Thursday with nothing but a half-ass syllabus and an activity to sort of start discussions.

I arrive to class. He's there - literally his office is just outside my door. Now, I know he's teaching adjunct at the community college where I teach...which starts at 6:30, which means you need to be there by 6:00. So I ask....he said he told his class not to show up until after 7 that night!!! REALLY?? This after we had our faculty convocation where they came down on adjuncts to ensure we hold our office hours and to hold classes for the full length of time?!?! Oh, wait, he didn't come to faculty convocation.....my bad... Yeah, there's a reason he's not teaching in my dept anymore. Apparently the English dept is still desperate, though.

So he hangs around and students are coming in. Odd, but okay...you can stand around and chat with me. I mean, we are in an annex building, so I think he just likes having people to talk to - not sure. Anyway, students are talking about books, etc. One says to the guy that she's got the old edition and the guy says that's fine, Mrs X will make it work. Oh, okay, I will. Turns out that the edition is like #2 out of #18. And other students have books from different authors/publishers. Whatever. Really? One person had the right book. Then another person tells him that she has to leave an hour early every week and if it's okay. Um, hello - I'm right here. He says oh, it's fine... He tells me again - in front of these few students - that this is the last time this class is being taught and they just need these credits to get their bachelors degree...blah, blah... the new curriculum doesn't have this course, don't care what you do, just finish this out....blah, blah.

I wait, I wait. 7 students? I have 5. I wait. People are eating chicken from down the hall. (Apparently this school has food ALL THE TIME. Add in the free backpacks and daycare, it freaks me out. Explains why the tuition is through the roof!!). We're now past the 15 late mark (6:45), he pops his head in one last time to tell me I should just let everyone go early since another girl has to leave early too. Her story is that it was just that night, but I'm thinking the students will rotate this leaving early thing. Anyway, the guy finally leaves for his 7 pm class down the road...good luck getting there in 15 minutes. Whatever. I'm thinking about ratting him out.

I ask the students if they know of the other students in class that aren't there. Yep. So and so comes to class about an hour late each week. So and so never comes the first day since you never do nothing. Okay....we'll let's begin. I do introduction pictionary. Now, I've done this with 37 students before. It took some time, we it was fun and we did it. This, however, was the longest event ever. I swear I think they got that if they stretched it out that's all we would do... I finally had to speed it up. Really, don't draw your life story....only draw one thing about yourself - we guess - you explain - you sit down. That's it. I had people seriously providing oral and pictorial histories of multi-generations. Kill me.

Passed out syllabus. Discussed syllabus. Gave them the activity to do in groups. They asked if they could do it at home. I said fine. They left. I went shopping. Retail therapy works wonders.

I'm selling my soul one class at a time....

funk, funk, and more funk

I feel like a failure this semester with my masters students.  Did I not teach them or are they thick-headed?  Students from our program are okay... some are better than others.  But the other students aren't getting it.  Frustrating.  Really frustrating.  

I rec'd an email that I've made it past the preliminary rounds for a position in MN.  Great job, but MN?  Really?  Um, cold, very cold.  At this point though, I'm ready for a change.  Hubby is up for the move.  We'll just be poor, cold, and well, poor and cold.  Nothing brings a family together like being poor and cold, right?

There's a job here with Big University that I applied for a month or so ago.  It's fairly low level - not tenured.  It's sort of an instructor position. I'm completely over-qualified, but I think I would actually like it (at least for a while).  I had a friend of a friend inquire and apparently they have a TON of applications.  I've emailed the head person and never got a response.  I know they have my app b/c I got the postcard.  I at least want my cv to be seen!  rrrggghhh.

I finished writing a grant this weekend. I should be working on my dissertation, but I guess a grant would be nice to add to my cv (even if it is itty-bitty).  

I love big text book companies....

As a student, they suck....I mean, paying $130 for a book only to have a new edition the next year so you couldn't sell it back???  However, now that I'm on the flip side, yeah expensive textbooks! :)  I don't actually think I have to teach ACCT after all....of course they have prepared PowerPoint slides, but now they have AUDIO enhanced PowerPoint slides!!!  Oh, yes, I get to just play them!!!  Let's add in the additional "video clips", course activities, and discussion questions, and there is quite little I need to do!  Yeah resources!!  Of course, I do need to dumb it all down, but hot damn, this is a time saver!!  Looking forward to testing it all out tomorrow!  Woop-woop!

Kill me now...

Class project/paper. 5-7 pages. Had all semester to work on it. Reminded them. Let them out early to work on it.....

This student text messaged me to tell me she wasn't coming to class because she was sick. Also wanted to know how late she could email it to me and it still be "on time". Uh, that would be the minute class starts, like those turning in their papers! Late papers are 25% off first day, 50% second day, not accepted after that ---She sent hers at 11:44 at night. Sorry, 25% off.... Anyway here is her email...

Professor G, I fell asleep waiting for your text. It's the medication. I am attaching my homework problems and sending them to you but, I am not a great typists so my paper is taking a while. I will submit it tonite. I really haven't been focusing cause of my sickness. I have had to extend all of my assignments with my other instructors. One class I am averaging a D in so I really need this grade. Please bare with me. I have bronchitis on top of everything that I have been going through not to mention I am menustated for the second time in two weeks. One of my children are falling behind in his studies as well. I'm not having the best of luck.

*Another student, one currently getting an A in the class, completely forgot about the project and emailed me the night before and asked what grade she would get if she just didn't do it. Considering it's a test grade, that would mean a D. She came to class & turned nothing in then emailed me three pages of something around 11 pm. 25% off whatever grade those three pages would get you....

*Another student emailed his to me in an email. No, not as an attachement, an email.

Just when I think I've got it going on. Are you kidding me??

On other news, I got a call from another "school" asking me to adjunct. They want me to come in and do a 10-15 minute teaching demo. I was pretty much told that they are not a "diploma mill", but they strongly encourage their instructors to consider multiple ways to assess students to ensure strong passing grades. Also stated that, for example, you may only actually cover 4 chapters in Acct 1 and that would be just fine. Goodie. Let me see what I can come up with for my demo. How would I teach accounting to fourth graders? hmmm......

I think I'm selling my soul.

More coordination, please...

25% of class is out tonight due to "family emergency" or other non-descriptive reasons. I'm a pretty hard ass about emailing me ahead of time. I plan activities, etc. It's not just for my own personal amusement. I actually did have a somwhat boring class prepped. PowerPoint and lecture for the first half, case study for the second half. I'm now wondering how I can reward the troops that will show up tonight. Class is in an hour...must think....