Cookies & Classmates

Tomorrow is my last class with my students from this semester. Being a TA for History of Western Dress has proven to have its challenges. First of all, the history of dress doesn't do a whole lot for me -- in fact, just in the past few years have I even become remotely interested in history period. But because this course was writing intensive, I took the approach of having my students have the goal of becoming better writers throughout the semester. I challenged them when I started to see improvement. I guided those who were willing to accept the help, and lost a few through the cracks who were just looking for a "C" to fly by on. Overall I have been extremely proud of the progress that they have all made in these past 14 weeks. They are a wonderful group of students and I will miss them dearly!

I just finished baking around 4 dozen cookies for the students to enjoy tomorrow, and I'll be ordering them in Gumby's pizza. Perhaps going a a little far, but who doesn't like to have a pizza party on the last day of class? No, I can't afford it, but they deserve it. So I'll make it work!

I recently had to fight to be in the classroom during the Fall semester to be a TA for another course in our department. My advisor had hoped that I would work on a planning a convention for her, but I have my heart set on teaching and it looks like it is going to work out in my favor. Unfortunately, it caused my advisor some heartache when I told her that I would rather be in the classroom than work on her project. She spoke some words that were so harsh that I haven't been able to let them go since our altercation. She said, "You're not a teacher yet...and you have the rest of your life to teach." If I'm not a teacher, what have I been doing with my students for the past 3 years? I was so hurt by what she said that it has made me even more determined to push for staying in the classroom for the duration of my assistantships as a graduate student.

The smell of cookies in the air and the warmth of my laptop is making me sleepy. Making it past 11:00p.m. is a feat for me these days. Time for some much needed rest.