In the middle of January

It is the second week of classes. Funny how much it feels as though we are much farther into the semester than just two weeks. I guess it's easy to get back into this routine. Well, hell, I've been in school longer than I haven't by now, so I suppose it ought to feel fairly familiar, even though I'm on the other side of the desk.

My creative writing class is more fun than any number of adjectives I could use to describe it to you. It is wonderful to teach students so interested in learning. My 1102 class is also quite good; they are more willing than most composition classes I have taught to engage in class discussion. I'm not sure why this is, and it puzzles me because last spring (2009), I taught in the same classroom I'm teaching in now. That class was one of the least responsive I have ever taught. I thought that this was due in large part to the way the classroom is set up.

It's a computer classroom with attached desks arranged so that two people sit facing me and two sit facing away; a square cut into four parts. This works well mostly, except for the students in the back who face me, but who also face computer screens that I can't see unless I hike back there and peer around their desks to find out what they are looking at (or who they are friending on Facebook).

So last year when my class wouldn't talk, when I had to basically beg them to discuss, I blamed the room. The unfettered access to Facebook. My inability to monitor them. The fact that half the class was facing away from me.

But, apparently this was not the case. Because my comp kids this semester do not suffer the same room related malaise. This is fantastic, but it also makes me realize how much the composition of a particular class affects how and how much students learn and interact. A quiet, distracted bunch will encourage each other to remain quiet and distracted. A loud, passionate group will also affect (and infect? Like with passion? Is passion communicable? I'm arguing yes, I suppose) each other. Huh.

I guess I knew this, but it still seems strange to me. Next up for mediation: how classroom dynamics are changed by putting everyone in a circle. Sounds exciting, right?

As a brief note, the soup I made was quite okay. It was even quite possibly good. Thank you for your interest in my culinary (lack of) skill. Also, Bobby is better. I think he got better, ps, by infecting me with his cold.