Señora Cummins' Reflections

 It's important to take time to reflect.  Fall 2020 is starting off with quite a bang.  The week before class began I was told that due to social distancing I needed to divide my hybrid class into 2 groups.  I considered making my lectures available via Zoom so both groups could "attend" the classes, but a colleague wisely pointed out that Zoom might not be able to handle it if all classes were offered that way.   He was very wise--Zoom crashed the first day of classes and I'm so glad I went a low tech option instead.  I chose to essentially make this class a 75% online and 25% face to face class but I'm being very careful not to overassign lots of work.  I'm also promising that their time with me will be the very best it can be. I'm backing up my class slide shows.  I hadn't thought to do this in the past, but I'm making a point to do it.  I have all my slide shows on a flash drive and if I lose it so much work would be gone. I'm making...

I have a temper.  I can fly off the handle very quickly.  I've read before that when under stress different personality types "lean" a certain way.  Some withdraw and others, like me, attack.  Being one who is prone to attack mode is difficult in polite society. As I write this, classes will begin tomorrow.  I had everything completely set and ready to go for my online sections a week ago.  I could rest easy knowing I had everything done.  Well, somehow the gremlins that I'm convinced live in computers have messed my sections up in Canvas and all is not ready for tomorrow.  Boo.  Our tech people are on it, but I'm nervous.  I don't like things pending and I want them fixed 2 minutes ago. Hurricane Laura is an actual thing, possibly making a huge storm.  We joked in our family that with classes about to start I'm also Hurricane Laura, ready to blow up with very little provocation. This time is so hard on so many levels.  I'm wor...

I have taught Spanish 2311 once.  Last August I found out the full-time Spanish instructor position was available and at first I wasn't sure I wanted to apply.  My husband worked full-time and I enjoyed the flexibility of being an adjunct.  However, right around the time that the position came open my husband chose to leave his job and work from home as a writer.  All of a sudden the realization hit me that if I were full-time I could provide benefits for my family so my husband wouldn't have the stress to continue doing it.  Happily, I got the job. My position was finalized the day before class began.  I had already built an online 1411 and had taught face to face 1411 many times previously as an adjunct so that wasn't such a big deal.  2311 was another story.   The outgoing instructor had left a syllabus but that was all.  I didn't even have the textbook that the syllabus indicated.  I went to the bookstore and the few copies they...

I love using Quizlet.  I began using it because my own sons talked about how great it was in their 5th grade classes.  Students in my 1412 class were using it and enthusiastically talked about how much it helped them study.  I began looking at it and realized in fall of 2019 that it could be a great asset to my classes. I love games.  I try hard for class not to be boring.  I used to use Jeopardy and found that some classes loved it but many students became frustrated when their teammates didn't know the information.  Quizlet Live is a better modality and easier to use. Yesterday I presented at the 2020 Quizlet Unconference.  I specifically spoke about how to use differentiation using Quizlet sets, but I was billed as Quizlet in higher ed.  234 people attended my session and I was pleased that I shared the big idea that we can differentiate instruction in an efficient manner by using Quizlet. I didn't anticipate having tech issues but in my prepar...

I'm reading yet another book for professional development.  One reason I'm drawn so much into reading for PD is because I want to be more efficient.  If I could develop systems to help me get the yuck parts of my life under control I think I would live a life more abundant.   So, now I'm reading The Productive Online and Offline Professor by Bonnie Stachowiak.  I listen to her podcast, Teaching in Higher Ed, pretty regularly and I like how the topics challenge me to grow. The book begins with goal setting.  My husband is laid back.  I'm not.  His term is that I'm "reactionary."  I tend to wig out at the drop of a hat.  It's not his favorite quality in me and I have worked to get better at it. I like goal setting because it reminds me of the big picture.  I love teaching, but the little details of lesson planning, grading, organizing, etc can be hard to remember.  Getting bogged down by the annoying details makes me even more "...

Group work is tricky.  I like social interaction very much, but in learning situations even I can get laser focused on wanting to learn the information and become irritated by slackers.  However, I see the benefits of learning from others, especially in a language class. I love the jigsaw idea in which students are experts on one particular element and when they work in groups they are the expert of that element.  In my hybrid classes I'm considering using this idea during face to face time for: 1- pronunciation practice.  Spanish vowels can be tricky, especially the Spanish /i/ & /e/ because they are similar but different from English vowels.  Student A is listening for Spanish /i/ pronunciation and student B could listen for /e/.  It would be a good practice with this tricky skill. 2-writing practice.  All write sentences based on a prompt.  Student A looks specifically for one writing element while student B looks for another.  They sw...

I'm currently reading a book called The Productive Online and Offline Professor by Bonni Stachowiak.  I listen to her Teaching in Higher Ed podcast regularly and I like that she talks about being our best in our profession while also being our best in our lives.  That resonates with me. After reading Ch 1 she suggests reflecting on 3 thoughts:  1-the meaning of productivity, 2- the purpose of productivity and 3-If I can achieve maximum productivity what will it free me from?  #1:  Productivity means getting things done.  As I'm writing this, I'm switching back and forth to grade student projects.  While they load with my super slow internet access I process my thoughts here.  I like checking things off.  I learned a while back that somehow I've ingrained "work first, then rest."  I can't really rest if I feel there's work to be done.  My husband doesn't have this imaginary nag tapping him on the shoulder.  He can just take a b...