Semester Fall 2005: fourth week of teaching

I've entered my fourth week of teaching and am thoroughly enjoying this semester. Unlike last semester, I have the class all to myself and can put a more personal emphasis and structure to topics. My first semester teaching was a learning experience and enabled thoughts about future planning for this semester. I especially began to look back on how teachers who I have had in high school and college managed their classes and the variety of teaching styles that they brought forth.

Placing ones' own personal touch and passion for the subject really makes a difference on whether or not the students get involved with the class and if I can enjoy each class, since I have to give the same presentation seven times per week. Some teachers say that it's the different faces that get them through each class, yet as much as I can attest to some of that, I also have to change the sequence of the presentation from day to day, so I don't get bored with myself. I find that the more intrigued and excited I am about a topic, the more time they spend genuinely thinking about it. I become excited and encouraged when I can see students being attentive (seeing their "inner-cogs" working) and I love it when they ask questions related to the topic during their time in discussion groups or when the few bold ones ask questions and make comments at the end of class.

I am currently grading a set of news article reviews that I assigned on the topic of synthetic engineering from the Financial Times. I have been very impressed with the level of written English competency that the majority of the students hold. I see that while most may not be comfortable with speaking in class, they can understand what I present to them, verbally and in the handouts that I distribute. Analytical skills vary from student to student. Few seem to run with the topics, touching on broader themes, while others state the obvious. On their own levels, they are all curious about the rest of the world.