Annotations and conversations

The break was amazingly refreshing.

I cannot wait for Tuesday’s classes to start.

The hectic pace.

The students.

The energy.

The work.

The criticism.

The teaching.

The learning. 

So the semester has been over for a while…but I am still spending at least several hours a day working on academic-related matters—from catching up with my own research to documenting my activities for my faculty annual update. My friends have heard me complain about different things ever since I moved to TX and the one question I have been asked by almost all of them (and I am guessing it is because of the complaints) at the end of the semester was: “So do you still like teaching? Is it what you expected? Are you switching to professional practice?” My answer was Yes, No and No. 

I know I ‘complain’ but who does not. It’s a cycle…you feel horrible for a few hours, you complain then you feel better and move on. Complaining is human nature and it very complex (maybe blog post about the psychology behind complaints coming up)…

Anyways…

Yes, I still love teaching. All my life, I have worked for this moment. Every night I spent in high school studying for tests, every distraction I fought and resisted (having studied at one of the top party schools in the U.S.) in undergraduate, all my projects I worked and re-worked on as many times as needed until I reached perfection—a scratch on my project was unacceptable, a stroke weight of 1 pt that looked too heavy required that the whole poster be reprinted—every single second I stayed up during graduate school and all the spring breaks, fall breaks, thanksgiving breaks, easter breaks, summers, all the relationships and friendships I gave up so I can be here today…It was worth it. 

No, It is not what I expected it to be. Everything is 100 times more difficult…maybe challenging is a better word…People assume that teaching 2 to 3 classes a week is not that demanding, but this is an assumption that needs to be crumpled and put in the trash can. 2 to 3 classes a semester is a lot of work. If what you aim for as a professor is the best from your students, for your department and for your own research,then teaching 2 to 3 classes is not NOTHING. Of course your teaching experience depends a lot on what you are teaching, who you are teaching and who you are working with. My colleagues are amazing. They are the most supportive team I have ever been part of and they make a challenging task more approachable. 

No, I am not transferring to professional practice. This is strange actually. I love problem solving and designing. Even if I am not in the ‘real world’ designing, I can problem solve through teaching. I can design classroom conditions for experience. I can design through my research. To me that’s very rewarding. I am currently in NYC at Siegel and Gale where my graduate school friend Valentina currently works. The place is amazing. Open, filled with intelligent brains, and an environment where I might actually enjoy working…but as much as I cherish my friendship, I don’t see myself giving up my dream for the city or for professional practice…

—end—-

Fine, I am a slacker when it comes to this. Actually, let’s think this over…I might not be a slacker. I am a perfectionist…I have been waiting for the perfect blog post (really!) And, I have been waiting for someone to invent the magic ice cream scoop that would let me scoop out the different thoughts sitting in my brain onto this blog.

Anyhow…

This blog post is a summary/response to a meeting I had last week with the Special Assistant to the Provost, David Schwarz, about first year seminars the school will be offering to incoming freshmen.

First, let me say that it was a great meeting. There is nothing more refreshing than meeting people that are eager to not only talk about ideas they have but actually act on them. The point of the meeting was for David to introduce me to the first year seminar initiative they are starting next year. The seminars will be taught by two faculty members from different fields. It is up to the faculty members to decide what the content will be. The faculty members could decide to hold two different approaches to semiotics and have the whole semester revolve around a debate on the subject. Or, the faculty members could enlighten the students about the ways say design and ethnography work hand in hand through different projects assigned. You get the gist of it…

Now, this is fabulous.

Some students most likely consider such a seminar torture…others will be bright enough to see how such a class could benefit them, make them better thinkers that borrow, read, acknowledge and appreciate (or not) the research and theories from the other fields. 

Being a new faculty in this new institution, I am delighted that I have been approached and asked to participate. However, I am not sure if I can be part of the effort becauseI live teaching and research at this moment…but!! there is a possibility that I can turn the first year seminars into a research endeavor…*wink, smile wink*

I am pondering and will be consulting my wonderful colleagues about the matter.