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Saturday, March 26, 2011

Opportunity

Many have heard the saying, "When opportunity knocks, open the door."

But I think this quote by Louis L'Amour says it better: "Some say opportunity knocks only once.  That is not true.  Opportunity knocks all the time, but you have to be ready for it.  If the chance comes, you must have the equipment to take advantage of it." 

So I am always on the lookout for opportunities, whatever they may be.  Usually, I am looking for opportunities of the writing or editing variety that I can squeeze in to my already hectic teaching schedule.  There aren't many legitimate opportunities posted on Craigslist, but every so often something interesting shows up.  Earlier this week, I was hunting around the writing gigs section and there was an ad for someone to create an office procedures manual using existing memos.  I sent email inquiry email (no resume, just to find out if it was actually legit).  I got a response - email my resume or fax it.  I looked up the name of the sender and cross-checked the fax number.  Yep, legit!  I updated my resume and emailed it.

I got a call the next day to come in to the office and fill out an application and take a test.  I asked what kind of test they wanted me to take.  A DISC personality test..... o-k.  I wondered if I should save them trouble and just let them know that I'm a C-D (and have been the past few times I've taken it). Nah, I figured I'd take it again and see what came up.  So yesterday, was my appointment.  I showed up on time, looking professional, ready to impress. 

After filling out the standard job application and taking the test, making sure I chose all the C-D answers I could (oooooh subversive...), I took another test - word use, patterns, math, etc.  It made me sympathize with my students for a moment.  Then I got to the good part - reviewing the binder of memos they want turned into a manual.  So far so good.  Thank goodness for my brief foray into medical assisting - I still remember terminology and abbreviations.  Finally, they asked me to prepare a proposal, so they could make a decision that day between me and another person.  They never did tell me what I scored on the DISC test, but I'm guessing it's the same as usual (exacting, systematic, and likes rules and procedures with a mix of assertiveness and determination).

This is where the other part of Louis L'Amour's quote comes in.  I had a solid chance of getting this job and bringing in some extra cash to help us with our financial goals.  And I knew I had the equipment to take advantage of it.  I drove home wondering how I was going to write a proposal, then realized I spent nearly 6 editing then writing proposals at the old job.  And I knew that I could do the job because before I left the old job, I put those nearly 6 years of job duties into a reference manual, just like the one this company was asking for.  I got this.

The response to my proposal? "Would you like to start Monday?"  Yep, I got this.  I answered the door.

More opportunity quotes at Quote Garden.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Why I Despise Grading

Most of us love what we do. Teachers, I mean. We do love teaching - most of the time. But then it comes time to grade the papers. Those who can run all their tests through the Scantron machine have it easy, of course. But I'm talking about those of us who have to read and respond to nearly every assignment because it's our job to make sure these students can string words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs together in a way that makes sense and includes correct punctuation (seriously? OMG, yes correct punctuation).


With every red mark on the page, I am amazed by the lack of understanding of the concepts I just went over in class. I can't help wondering what exactly I did wrong:

"Did I somehow not explain what I was looking for in this assignment?"

"Did I just need to explain it a different way for this student to understand?"

"Should I even be teaching?"

And then, I get to the "good" papers in my stack. I employ a method of grading whereby I reward myself with the "good" papers after I have dragged through all of the "bad" ones. The good ones are those students who make it all worthwhile. Some of them started out in the bad part of the stack, but have actually worked to understand the material and use what they've learned. Others have natural ability and just get it. They are my reward because they take way less work to grade, and it's a joy to read when a student actually thinks about the assignment and responds thoughtfully. And it's a reward to know that I didn't totally botch the explanation because someone got it.

Does it make me a bad teacher that I resent having to wade through all the bad ones? After beating myself up about it, I realize that most of those students just don't care to improve. They're perfectly happy doing half ass work the night before the assignment is due to get a mediocre grade that will allow them, just barely, to pass the class and move on to the next class, where I will again have to deal with their unwillingness to improve themselves in a way that will positively affect their entire professional careers. (And yes, before you get all up in my case about that sentence, it is gramatically correct). Is it too much to ask for them to care at least half as much as I do about their grades?

Monday, March 14, 2011

Confessions of a Farmer

I am a farmer.  I grow green roses, lilac daffy, and nachos.  I have orchards of trees, a beehive, and a winery.  I raise sheep, cows, horses, pigs, and chinchillas.  There's an enchanted forest, a beanstalk, and a bridge with a troll on my farm.  You can even see the Eiffel Tower.  Yes, I am a farmer.

I got hooked on Farmville quite a while ago.  I didn't go into it expecting to become addicted, but there's just something about the time limit of the crops that challenged me to come back, to not let those innocent crops wither in my negligence.  Then Farmville added special shops where you could take those crops and make special products to sell to your neighbor farmers.  Hence, the winery.


I now have a 5-star winery.  I'm working on Green Rose Water right now.  There are only 23 days left to gain mastery of this product, so of course, I am planting Green Roses and White Grapes as often as possible to get enough bushels to make the rose water.  Seriously, is this what I think about?

The answer is yes.  I think about farming.  Not all day - I'm busy enough with other things.  But when I come home from work, I want to relax and to not think about writing assignments, students' problems, and grading.  So I farm.  And I make my farm look pretty.  I harvest crops and cross-breed seeds and collect eggs from chickens.  And I work to win the challenges to win special prizes.  Because I can.  Because it's fun.  Because in what other game can I get a princess tower, a beanstalk, a bridge with a troll under it, and a leprechaun tree house?  Thanks Farmville.


Yes, I farm.  I am a fairly intelligent, educated woman and teacher, and I farm.  I am not ashamed.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

The Sunday Evening Blog

This makes the third Sunday in a row that I've written. Could this be a habit in the making?  Let's hope so.

I've been thinking of something to write this week, and because my life is not as eventful and wildly interesting as I would like, there are limited topics to discuss: bad students, good students, my kids, Farmville.... See, not all that extensive.  Or exciting, for that matter.  But then I remembered the nifty little gadget that I got for Christmas and have just now put to use - my Nook.

I love my Nook.  I have tons of books at my fingertips.  Currently, I am reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett for the book club meeting this month.  It's a great story so far.  I'm not that far in, but I have a feeling I am going to greatly enjoy this one.  I long for the days in high school when I could read a 500-page novel in a day because I had the time.  I may just make it in time for the meeting with this one.
The Help

This is also my first experience as being part of a book club.  I was invited to join by one of my colleagues at the business school, and my supervisor and another director are also in the group.  The women, who have been together for many years, were very welcoming to a newcomer.

So far this year, we've read "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier and "Devil's Bargain" by Jade Lee. When school gets busy, I usually just read Harlequins because they're all the same formula and don't require any deep thinking.  They're a good escape after reading textbooks and student papers all day.  But the book club reading list is taking me out of that zone and getting me back into real reading again.  I didn't realize how much I missed finding new books and reading different things.  Thank you book club!

And I have to thank Howard for getting me a Nook because without it, I would have to add to our already overloaded giant bookshelf!  Did I mention that I love my Nook?