Professor Sharon

100 Day Project – Day 14 – 12:26 p.m.

A wonderful family weekend  results in Monday morning moments of “Should I feel regretful?” because all of the homework and planning I was going to do over the weekend remains undone. A never ending challenge to my own commitment to good teaching is brought on by weekends when I choose to enjoy my family and home; and end up with a lot to do on Monday to be prepared for the week’s classes.  (I suppose I also ought to be thankful I don’t teach on Mondays, but, then again, don’t think I will go down that road!)

In beginning to think about how I’ll approach some topics that I’d like to write about, I came across this blog entry this morning:   Andy’s Teaching and Learning Blog While you can go there and read the whole entry of course, I’d like to quote a section here:

“Some have mentioned that I’ve gone over to the Dark Side, and in fact, that phrase has come up frequently. Dark Side, implying that the faculty role is one of the positive, good-feeling, health, innocence, the way of the Tao, one of righteousness, virtue and Truth and Justice.

On the other hand, as George Burns said, “Too bad all the people who know how to run this country are busy running taxicabs or cutting hair.” Those who are managing college budgets, processes, reporting requirements, scheduling and providing feedback do not speak with one voice. They work in an environment characterized by ambiguity, compromise, and negotiation while attempting to balance conflicting goals and interests. Their dedication to the core mission of the organization, serving students well and helping them achieve their goals and opening the doors of opportunity, trying to do things right while trying to do the right thing, in the face of some severe constraints is admirable. They are decidedly human. Dark side? I don’t think so.”

This morning one of the first emails I received was the news that our Dean of Faculty and Students (don’t think that’s the correct title, but I’m not one for keeping track.) is stepping down from his work to return to the classroom.  And, this semester, I begin working in a reorganized division with the fifth Dean I’ve had in ten years.  There’s a lot of reasons to be a little unhappy about all this – okay, some days a lot of reasons.  But as Andy mentions above, those who work in the insituttion I work in, have an incredible dedication to their mission and to the students we serve.  Somedays it’s amazing to me.

So on the Mondays where I think, jeesh, I really should have done more college work over the weekend, I know I’ll figure out the week ahead.  I always do.  I always will.  Most of my students will eventually work with our youngest citizens:  I have no choice.  The future of young people is my passion.  I am decidedly human and will work with that!  Today I’m thinking about dedication.