In his famous "Diario Minimo" Umberto Eco relates how professionals like dentists are credible when they say they don't have time to attend to us, but when teachers say it, they are not believed. "Surely, you have time. After all, you only teach 3-4 classes a week." Eco does the math for the critics of the teacher as he includes all his activities besides teaching, down to the 3 packs of cigarettes he smokes per day. His conclusion is the typical, slightly absurd one: he needs to quit smoking because it accounts for more than 182 hours a year.
Let me be equally absurd by saying that if Eco had quit smoking, he would have won the Nobel Prize for Literature (instead of Bob Dylan) and he would have had 182 more hours to devote to teaching, his periodical, travel, book reviews, and of course diario minimo.Now that we have set the Nobels straight on who should have won the prize, and given the fact that they do not award the prize posthumously, let's get back to the real issue of the teacher and how little time he has on his or her hands.
We teach 5 to 6 courses per semester (yes, we earn overtime pay for the 6th class but it is the part time instructor hourly rate, not our hourly salary rate), with 3 hours of office time, plus 2 of contact time per week, we are already at 30 hours a week. This does not include our committee time, which may be a couple hours a week, with prep time. So far we have not included correcting papers, including essays, quizzes, and Canvas. The latter is the course management system, which requires at least 5-6 hours a week to use. This includes adding assignments, calendars for each class, announcements, grades for students. Next comes answering student, faculty, staff, and admin emails. This is at least 2 hours a week. Nor does all this include travel time which could be 2 hours a day.
This does not include my union duties, which are from between 2-7 hours a week. Meetings are twice a month and go on for 2 hours each minimum. Then comes adding to the curricula: I am creating 2 new courses (Sci Fi and Mystery Fiction); nor does it include adding to the Journalism curriculum and submitting that to my department and then the committee. I am also developing curriculum for Basic English with Computers. This will require some research, plus gathering information from colleagues.
Now comes my own publications. I am working on finishing a paper of Summer Bridge programs. I need a block of time each week--ideally--to focus on and develop an article.
This still does not include department and division meetings; nor socializing with my beloved department.
Can I stop at 40 hours a week, please? Can I really take Christmas and summer off? Not a chance.
Sunday, September 3, 2017
The Saga of Moderately Tall People...
Tall people get the sympathy as we watch them try to enter the door. Short people get all the benes by having everything well within reach.... While moderately tall people get neither sympathy or accommodations.
Moderately tall people are between 6 foot and 6 '2" 3/4. Six foot three is considered tall. If someone who is 6'3 or 4" even if they are 300 pounds, they are forgiven for their girth. Take William Howard Taft, for example. Yes, big, "barrel chested" but "He was tall first." Moderately tall people don't fit into the regular chair or desk or computer station; nor do they fit into a designer slim fit. Then they are called overweight or out of shape for not fitting into the typical desk or toilet. These items are set up for people well under 6' and have the specs drawn up by the State of CA as official for the greatest good for the greatest number.
On typical coach flight, my body is in a permanent state of rigor mortis. When I stand to stretch, the steward or stewardess tells me to go sit down. They don't care if I became stiff and die--just die in your seat so we can get our cart of garbage down the aisle.
The typical sedan is no relief--especially for the person sitting behind my seat. They better be a little person. Otherwise, if I have to move my driver seat toward the front, I won't be able to drive safely.
The hotel room standard queen bed is another horrible inconvenience. We moderately tall have to sleep not just in the middle of the bed but diagonally. My body becomes the perfect geometry assignment, separating a rectangle into two perfect right triangles. I may have earned an A in geometry but I earn an F with my spouse for taking up "the whole bed."
Thus, in any typical situation at work in a desk, chair, plane, car, hotel, etc. we moderately tall people get the abuse: "If you weren't so overweight or out of shape... or if you were taller... or did you drink your mother's milk--why are you sort of tall but hunched over... oh yes, your Dad was hunched but not tall nor overweight..." they say, "Look in the mirror. You are getting fat."
I look in the mirror but it is too short: all I see is my neck. Even the mirror was placed on the wall for shorter people. The criticisms are continual, the solutions few, and the sympathy nonexistent.
Moderately tall people are between 6 foot and 6 '2" 3/4. Six foot three is considered tall. If someone who is 6'3 or 4" even if they are 300 pounds, they are forgiven for their girth. Take William Howard Taft, for example. Yes, big, "barrel chested" but "He was tall first." Moderately tall people don't fit into the regular chair or desk or computer station; nor do they fit into a designer slim fit. Then they are called overweight or out of shape for not fitting into the typical desk or toilet. These items are set up for people well under 6' and have the specs drawn up by the State of CA as official for the greatest good for the greatest number.
On typical coach flight, my body is in a permanent state of rigor mortis. When I stand to stretch, the steward or stewardess tells me to go sit down. They don't care if I became stiff and die--just die in your seat so we can get our cart of garbage down the aisle.
The typical sedan is no relief--especially for the person sitting behind my seat. They better be a little person. Otherwise, if I have to move my driver seat toward the front, I won't be able to drive safely.
The hotel room standard queen bed is another horrible inconvenience. We moderately tall have to sleep not just in the middle of the bed but diagonally. My body becomes the perfect geometry assignment, separating a rectangle into two perfect right triangles. I may have earned an A in geometry but I earn an F with my spouse for taking up "the whole bed."
Thus, in any typical situation at work in a desk, chair, plane, car, hotel, etc. we moderately tall people get the abuse: "If you weren't so overweight or out of shape... or if you were taller... or did you drink your mother's milk--why are you sort of tall but hunched over... oh yes, your Dad was hunched but not tall nor overweight..." they say, "Look in the mirror. You are getting fat."
I look in the mirror but it is too short: all I see is my neck. Even the mirror was placed on the wall for shorter people. The criticisms are continual, the solutions few, and the sympathy nonexistent.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Blogger instead of Canvas for today!
Welcome to EDGE and my blog. Here is a tentative schedule for today, Monday, June 26, 2017...
1. Introducing our staff...
2. Roster
3. Rules: A. Attend every workshop. No excuses. B. Listen for instructions. C. Participate. D. Put phones away until break. E. Take notes and study them. F. Work together. G. Be prepared (sleep at night, eat right, etc.). H. Have fun and have a sense of humor... Meet new people... Keep an open mind. I. No fried foods in class, please.
4. SQ3R...
S= Survey or scan. How long is the passage? Author? Graphics?
Q= Question.. Write down 3 questions you have about material BEFORE you read it.
R= Read... step 3, not step 1. Keep reading and don't stop.
R=Recite. Answer questions you asked. Also speak your answers.
R=Review. Go over your answers and study them.
Now apply this to our article of the day.
5. On Course. Stay motivated. Your instructors are here to help you, but unlike high school, we cannot read your minds. Ask questions. Come to office hours. Ask for help. Study together. Use TASC on online tutors for help. Ultimately, you are responsible for your success.
6. Accuplacer study skills. Test-taking cheat sheet.
7. Games...On a small piece of paper, write down: 1. Favorite food 2. Favorite TV show or movie. 3. Favorite band or music.
8. Using Canvas...
9. Questions?
10. Let's get started on getting you ready for College of the Desert, on improving your reading and English skills for Accuplacer and beyond, and on becoming a professional person.
11. Databases... Go over process. COD lib guides. Now practice searching for _______.
12. Journal writing--100 words about when you should have been responsible about school....
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Reoccurring dreams...
One aspect that reoccurs is "flying"... I am able to move my arms and legs and fly, almost like swimming. No one seems to notice that I am flying, just me. I am able to see things that no one else can see from my flying heights.
Another reoccurring dream is looking for my son.In fact, when I woke up this morning, in real life, I went to my son's room to see if he was here. No luck. Window open. Blinds open. Bed made but no one in it.
In my dream I was talking to an AA reading teacher, who had an outdoor reading camp set up. I saw my son go by and go into a bar. He had a straw hat on, that was mine of course, and shorts, walking around alone as usual.
Later, I spoke to Denzel Washington, to whom I was explaining about my son. Searching for my son. Then a voice told me, "This is the story that you have been searching for." Meaning about searching for my son, playing detective. Same as in real life when I had to search for my brother, but he was already dead.
Then later, back to dream, I was in Joe's house, talking to his kids and wife. She was speaking of a tradition in their neighborhood when they could not have visitors, " in this white and brown" neighborhood." We were playing games, push a plastic button and a movie and song would play.
What does flying represent? Simply like swimming? Or the power of reason, by being able to see things clearly?
The story? Yes, searching for the graffiti artist, who keeps wandering off and getting in trouble. But there is no secret code in his writing, so it is a mystery or detective story after all.
Another reoccurring dream is looking for my son.In fact, when I woke up this morning, in real life, I went to my son's room to see if he was here. No luck. Window open. Blinds open. Bed made but no one in it.
In my dream I was talking to an AA reading teacher, who had an outdoor reading camp set up. I saw my son go by and go into a bar. He had a straw hat on, that was mine of course, and shorts, walking around alone as usual.
Later, I spoke to Denzel Washington, to whom I was explaining about my son. Searching for my son. Then a voice told me, "This is the story that you have been searching for." Meaning about searching for my son, playing detective. Same as in real life when I had to search for my brother, but he was already dead.
Then later, back to dream, I was in Joe's house, talking to his kids and wife. She was speaking of a tradition in their neighborhood when they could not have visitors, " in this white and brown" neighborhood." We were playing games, push a plastic button and a movie and song would play.
What does flying represent? Simply like swimming? Or the power of reason, by being able to see things clearly?
The story? Yes, searching for the graffiti artist, who keeps wandering off and getting in trouble. But there is no secret code in his writing, so it is a mystery or detective story after all.
Friday, January 20, 2017
In-Augur-ation 2017
A student asked me yesterday in class, "Do we get extra credit if we watch the inaguration?" I responded tersely, "No, you lose points." Instead of watching the inauguration, I have decided to reflect on some of the best of America: no, not Obama, or Reagan, not Kennedy, no, not FDR or TR. One of the few Americans who understood it was... Samuel Langhorne Clemens, yes Mark Twain.
He understand better than anyone how religion is used in the US; how hypocrisy is such a HUUUUUggggge sin here. Allow me to pepper you with a few good quotes.
"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
This business about "coming together as a country" and showing unity during a peaceful transition of power that is the American project is all phony elitist beltway provincialism. Don't put me in with the majority rules thing--otherwise, Hillary Clinton would be president, right? I am an American; I don't have to accept the president; he needs our approval; it's not the other way around.
Furthermore, as part of the majority, that 3 million more Americans who voted for her, we need to reflect: on how we got cheated; how the election was tainted. To return to the voting machines, America is still using a mish-mash of different voting systems, even within certain states: the old voting machines, yes those that in 2000 were manipulated, are still being used and were used in key swing states. Check North Carolina, Penn, Michigan, and Ohio. Check into sites that discuss voting methods used in different states.
This is after all our second tainted election in sixteen years. That was 2000 (not to mention 2004 as well). Every sixteen years now? That's often; I only get sick every twenty-five years. Trouble is: American public and media have no memory; it is a collective Alzheimer's disease about our own recent history. It's called long term memory, but we do not have one in terms of politics.
Another Twain quote:
"The best of us would rather be popular than right." How does that apply to today?
To end it all:
"I have no race prejudices nor caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. All I care to know is that a man is a human being, and that is enough for me; he can't be any worse."
That to conclude this post about using one's time well on this "historic" criminal day. America has become THE BANANA REPUBLIC that we have criticized in other countries. It is time to reflect but also to do something.
One immediate call would be to overhaul the election system. Use standard machines in all 50 states. Create nonpartisan federal election commission. This is a basic first step that should have been taken in 2000 after that international embarrassment. This does not even include discussions about doing away with the Electoral College....
He understand better than anyone how religion is used in the US; how hypocrisy is such a HUUUUUggggge sin here. Allow me to pepper you with a few good quotes.
"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
This business about "coming together as a country" and showing unity during a peaceful transition of power that is the American project is all phony elitist beltway provincialism. Don't put me in with the majority rules thing--otherwise, Hillary Clinton would be president, right? I am an American; I don't have to accept the president; he needs our approval; it's not the other way around.
Furthermore, as part of the majority, that 3 million more Americans who voted for her, we need to reflect: on how we got cheated; how the election was tainted. To return to the voting machines, America is still using a mish-mash of different voting systems, even within certain states: the old voting machines, yes those that in 2000 were manipulated, are still being used and were used in key swing states. Check North Carolina, Penn, Michigan, and Ohio. Check into sites that discuss voting methods used in different states.
This is after all our second tainted election in sixteen years. That was 2000 (not to mention 2004 as well). Every sixteen years now? That's often; I only get sick every twenty-five years. Trouble is: American public and media have no memory; it is a collective Alzheimer's disease about our own recent history. It's called long term memory, but we do not have one in terms of politics.
Another Twain quote:
"The best of us would rather be popular than right." How does that apply to today?
To end it all:
"I have no race prejudices nor caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. All I care to know is that a man is a human being, and that is enough for me; he can't be any worse."
That to conclude this post about using one's time well on this "historic" criminal day. America has become THE BANANA REPUBLIC that we have criticized in other countries. It is time to reflect but also to do something.
One immediate call would be to overhaul the election system. Use standard machines in all 50 states. Create nonpartisan federal election commission. This is a basic first step that should have been taken in 2000 after that international embarrassment. This does not even include discussions about doing away with the Electoral College....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)