Thou Shalt Not Compare

Author

Kelsey Smith
November 03, 2023

Husband Jon thought it would be a good idea to have our boys, Ben and Zach, count how much candy they got trick-or-treating. Yesterday Ben announced that he probably still had 90 pieces because he had only eaten about 10 pieces.

In a private moment, I told Jon to never ask them to count their candy again: Ben is likely down to 50 or 60 pieces, maybe even 40! Yes, I steal candy from my children! I can’t help myself! It’s so tasty!

Also, in my defense, I’m grading inquiry papers. Candy helps. The end.

The truth about waitlists

Sometimes you just can’t help but notice that some faculty’s and adjunct faculty’s waitlists are looooooooong. And once you notice, you start wondering why—and then before long you’re in full compare mode.

Ah, isn’t technology the best?! Not.

Here are some things to remember when you’re judging your worth as a teacher by waitlists:

  • You have value as a person and as a teacher, regardless of your waitlist status.

  • Adjunct faculty are assigned to classes last, sometimes after registration. All of those seniors and juniors who are registering first are looking for a class with a name—a good name!—attached to it.

  • Looooooooong waitlists = obnoxious emails from students begging to get into your class and expecting a reply.

  • A class of 17 instead of 20 crammed into one of those Harry-Potter-Bedroom-under-the-Stairs classrooms in the JKB is a true blessing.

Perhaps the important thing to learn, remember, and occasionally chant is that teaching is a cooperative, collaborative profession. Our job is to help students learn, think, and write—and we get to do the same right alongside them. Focusing on our students’ growth* and our own is better and more helpful than focusing on what Gold Star Teacher is doing.**

*You may experience some semesters when you may need to just focus on survival and professionalism.

**What you imagine Gold Star Teaching doing is surely waaaaay better and more awesome than what they’re actually doing.

Covid protocol to the tune of “Deck the Halls”

Deck your hands with sanitizer, Fa la la la la la la la!

‘Tis the season to get covid, Fa la la la la la la la!

Your students are sure to get it, Fa la la la la la la la!

We have no covid policy, Fa la la la la la la la!

So if a student tells you they have covid, consider letting your class know that they may have been exposed and should keep an eye out for symptoms. (Of course, do NOT divulge any names!)

Now if your class struggles with attendance, the desire to not say anything may be too strong to overcome.

Stuff for your calendar

NOVEMBER

November 16: Writing Teacher’s Workshop at 11 am in B106! Come learn some ways to teach advocacy from fellow adjunct faculty Alisa Brough, Ansalee Greenwood, and Holly Wood!

November 24: Student Ratings Start! Be sure to encourage, and bribe your students to complete one for your class! The more students who complete their student ratings the better picture you can get of what’s working and what’s not working in the classroom!

Last Week of November: The Adjunct Faculty Book Club. If you signed up, watch for an email to vote for the day and time!

DECEMBER

December 1: Withdraw Deadline. Be sure to have conversations with failing or close-to-failing students before December 1. Struggling students often feel like they can’t withdraw, so a conversation with them about their options can go a long way.

December 1: The English Reading Series—featuring Darlene Young, a Fellow Adjunct Faculty Member!—@ 12 pm in the HBLL Auditorium.

December 15: Student Ratings End

December 15: Adjunct Faculty Annual Review Prep @ 11 am in B032 JFSB! Make sure your annual review—due February 1!—hits all the right notes with help from Amy Williams, UW Coordinator. And fear not—hitting all the right notes does not mean more work and stress! Just come! It will be a good time!

December 15: English Department Christmas Lunch (aka You Survived the Semester!) @ 12-1:30 pm in 4088 JFSB. Fa la la la!

December 29: Grades DUE by noon

Our makeshift website

As I’ve noted before, Ansalee Greenwood, Greyson Gurley, Kelsey Smith, and I are hard at work writing content for our Adjunct Faculty Website (and we are continually surprised at how much stuff we need to cover!). Until this website is up and running, here are links to some helpful Google docs (which you can also find in your “swag” folder that’s sitting in your mailbox right now):

Observation Opportunities—sign up to be observed or find someone to observe!

Syllabus Requirements: I just added another option—the RWC’s official syllabus statement that you’re welcome to customize!

Write NOW!—want to get some of your own writing done? Write NOW! can help!