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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by llrrrpp on August 28, 2006, at 21:13:11
I am so silly! This time of year rolls around, and I feel a primal urge to buy new notebooks and hiliters!!
I exercised extreme restraint and bought only a memo pad to write my daily goals on (it has polka dots), and a few yellow legal pads.
I'm only taking 3 classes this semester. None of them are for credit- my attendance and participation is voluntary and will be rewarded by professors who don't ask me to "vacate" my office, as they will forget that I am an advanced grad student. Proximity to 2nd and 3rd years is often enough to trick the human mind into placing me in their category... ha!
One is a seminar on education, policy, and related empirical research. I will be expected to present my dissertation stuff at least twice, I imagine.
Another is the departmental seminar. Outside speakers, paper-airplane throwing, and the mad pizza rush 5 minutes before commencing. Funny how profs seem hungrier & greedier than students nowadays. Academia apparently does not provide a living wage. I should contact the food bank.
The last is an intensive workshop on university teaching practices. I get to hone the fine art of syllabus preparation, the teaching portfolio, and lecturing without allowing my anxiety-ridden voice to cause me to go into coughing spasms. I might need to sign up for extra psychotherapy to deal with the human rights violation that is considered "constructive criticism" in these parts. The best part is organizing a "discussion section" HAHA! I've never spent more than an hour prepping to lead my discussion sections. And for this workshop I won't even be paid. (grumble grumble...)
So, no grades, just a lot of public speaking and oppourtunities to embarrass myself in front of the people who I'd like to help me get a job next year.
-ll
Posted by Poet on September 4, 2006, at 18:12:01
In reply to September september!, posted by llrrrpp on August 28, 2006, at 21:13:11
Hi llrrrpp,
More than an hour to prepare for a discussion section and not get paid? That doesn't seem fair. Frankly, I've had many classes that I should have been paid to take.
I took four classes at a college that has no grades for any class. I loved it. I still had to do alot of work, but no feeling like a failure if I didn't get 100 percent right.
The public speaking you have to do would scare the pants off of me. Just pretend everyone in the room is naked doesn't work for me- it's my pants I picture falling down.
Good luck.
Poet
Posted by llrrrpp on September 4, 2006, at 20:17:01
In reply to Re: September september! » llrrrpp, posted by Poet on September 4, 2006, at 18:12:01
Public speaking:
I divide into two kinds of engagements- one kind matters, like a presentation to my dissertation committee; the other one doesn't, like a presentation to my department.
The ones that matter- I might take an inderal, and I prepare the hell out of it.
The ones that don't matter- I try to look casual, and not overprepare. This helps the audience to get involved, which I like.
No matter what, I always find at least one friendly face- the ones that nod. And then I just speak to them and pretend that everyone else is dozing off. They usually are, anyway.
-ll
Posted by Racer on September 5, 2006, at 17:51:07
In reply to Re: September september! » llrrrpp, posted by Poet on September 4, 2006, at 18:12:01
I used to be horrible about Public Speaking -- and I felt as though I'd either throw up or cry the first time I found myself in front of a class. (Mind you -- when I used to give oral presentations in classes at college, I would get really weird reactions. In fact, I had to wear turtlenecks if I had to stand up there -- because I got hives all over my chest! Huge red welts, that everyone could see, and I'd start rubbing or scratching at them because they were so uncomfortable. So, turtlenecks...)
After about three weeks, though, I wasn't even there -- my mouth was moving, of course, but that's only proof I'm breathing, right? ;-} Nowadays, what gets me through, even when I *need* to be invisible, is concentrating on my students. As long as I focus on the class, I don't even notice I'm there.
But I'm pretty sure Lurpsie does more important things than I did. There's a difference between adult ed and graduate school...
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