Every day I come home from my rockin’ ENGL 101 class totally exhausted (haven’t even gone to 102 yet…that’s in the evening) and yet totally exhilarated. I want to write about it, but don’t know what to say that would be interesting to others. So I thought I’d toss this to my readers (all two of you, of which only one is probably interested in education): What do you want to know about teaching English comp in a prison now that I’ve got about a year of it under my belt? I won’t disclose my students’ identities (obv.), but if you’re curious about anything, let me know.
Today ends the three-week “vacation” that people think teachers get during holidays. While a considerable amount of time was spent with family and their screaming progeny as well as preparing for and partying in the new year, a significant amount was spent getting ready for this new term. And Internets, I am frightened: I have never taught full-time before, never three different classes with three different preps and sets of students and assignments and work and OH MY GOD I’M NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.
Well, I probably will make it: I’ll probably meet the challenge, if barely, because that’s what I do: when I was taking three graduate school classes and teaching two and commuting from here to there, I managed. But last quarter, teaching only one class — it almost kicked my butt. Not because it was hard, but because it was so different, and I had to start anew on so much pedagogy. This quarter is the first time in my entire three-year teaching career where I’m finally teaching the same class twice in a row, and I hope to reach the point where my class prep is at an absolute minimum — reusable assignments made ahead of time — and I can instead focus on my students and their writing.
Here are my goals for the quarter:
- Minimal daily assignments — less busywork and less for me to grade
- Return to rubrics so students have clear goals and I have a clear framework for assessment
- Delve more deeply into readings
- Focus on pragmatic writing skills, including grammar (oh, I can imagine the gnashing of teeth from some comp people!)
- Convey the idea of research to a population unable to actually conduct research
I say the following honestly: I am often a mediocre teacher, and I want to be a good teacher. I will never be inspirational, I’m sure, because that gene doesn’t grow on my family tree, but if I can provide clear, straightforward instruction and advice that my students use, and if they go on to write well and think clearly, then I will have done my job.