I think I like blogging again...

Although when I used to do it it was called posting an entry. Just a thought. I guess I have lots of them.

Finished writing and proofing my midterm today, 8 pages of bliss for my 27 students. I'm sure they'll all love it. I really felt proud at the end of the whole experience, especially when I finally printed it off, double sided, saw how all of the Bold and Italics made it just super sweet. I guess I've rekindled my enjoyment of the teaching experience. At least until I have to grade all 27 midterms, an enjoyable use of 4 hours of my life this weekend. I have to get back on track with my grading or else I'm going to find myself in a BAD way at the end of the quarter. I have trouble prioritizing (sp?) my school work when the best thing in life (a.k.a. Amanda) is waiting for me at home (actually I'm waiting for her tonight, she's working until 8pm at least). Nevertheless, tonight will be a date night of sorts because we'll be going to see Brasilera, the Brasilian Dance band that played at our wedding, tonight at 10pm at Dick's Den on High Street. Although I call it a date night, if you happen to read this and realize that you have nothing to do tonight, you too can be a part of our date night.

The first student just finished my exam. She had to take the test early because she will be taking part in an "Athletic event" this afternoon during my regular class hours. I still don't understand why people prioritize atheletics over academics. Perhaps I was just never a part of the jock mentality, although I remember once getting out of class early to go run a track meet in high school. I also remember being rather worried about what my teachers would think of me leaving early. perhaps my being on the other side of the student/teacher coin has just made me more aware of what we as a society value in life, and it appears that I don't quite fit the mold.

It isn't academic ability.

It isn't having a simple, normal, non-high profile life.

It isn't being paid a regular wage.

Well, there go my chances of being a millionaire sports star with my own reality show. I'm weeping right now. Really. If I only had a web cam I could record it for you and play it on the internet.

Well, time to go and check in on the news for today.

A+

Andrew

PS. For those who wonder what A+ means, in French, a plus means "until later" and the techie abbreviation is A+. I'm a nerd, I know, but at least I'm a French nerd.

Okay, something less cantankerous

I love that word, cantankerous... although I'm not positive I'm spelling it right. I'm currently sitting in my office in 308 Hagerty Hall waiting for students to trickle in to discuss tomorrow's midterm (which I wrote myself!). Today has been, and this week in general has been, good. That's all I can really say. I am happy about the way my life is going at the moment. I don't think I really saw myself in this building, with this job the way it is going at the moment, but I'll take it. I guess I don't really have a choice do I?
I'm learning to play the bass at the moment. Thank God I have a father in law who rules the bass like nobody else, and lots of friends who know the bass as well. I'll be playing like a minor league Seth Jewett in no time.
Well, students are trickling in and asking questions now, so I'll be off.

A+

Andrew

Just a thought

I have these thoughts througout the day that just persist and persist. Most of them are of the "Where did I go wrong with Christian Literature?" It's not that I'm not interested in thinking about Christianity, because I do debate it and read blogs all the time trying to get a handle on the way people who are around me (at least around me blogwise) are thinking about the world. Plus, the passing of and re-election of a Pope has had me tied to news services for weeks now. So indeed, I am interested in Christianity, but somehow have yet to find a book about Christianity that really fascinates me.
I can think of only one, "A revolution in world missions" -- or something to that effect-- a book that was given to me by... either Casey B. or John C. (Seth, you know who I'm talking about). I loved and hated the book at the same time, because the man inside was so blatent in his criticism of the Church that has become stagnant and status-quo in the US, and has become so revolutionary internationally. Americans can simply say, "Yes I'm a Christian" and do nothing with that statement, and they fear nothing. When the citizens of other nations say, "Yes I'm a Christian" they had better believe it and act on it, because merely saying it is an invitation for persecution and government investigation. That's what it boils down to, the church in the United States has reached a point where being associated with it means less and less.
Understand me here, I'm not saying that I wish we lived in a country where our belief in Christ could get us imprisoned, but I wish we did live in a country where just saying that you are a Christian really means something. I don't mean to judge in any way, but I do mean to say that if being a Christian wasn't so associated with being "popular" or "deep" or "spiritual" but more associated with just being a Christian, believing in Christ and doing everything possible to live out a Jesus lifestyle, it would make me feel better about the church in America.

Wow... I must have eaten something disagreeable for breakfast. I don't usually rant like this. I did this on my last post too didn't I... just a sec, I'll go check...

(sound of typing and clicking, and mumbling)

yep, I seem to be rather cantankerous in my last post as well. I should watch what I eat from now on.

Well, it is getting late. I should go now. And get into a better mood.

A+

Andrew

People can't possibly...

I can't believe that it's actually been over five months since my last post on this site. I feel strangely ashamed, as if I'm shirking a duty I agreed to several months ago that I have not fulfilled. In reference to the title, can anyone seriously still be interested in this blog anymore? My English skills continue to deteriorate, and yet... and yet...

So a brief overview of the last five months for those who care to know ;)

1. I finished the first quarter of Masters at OSU
2. I finished the second quarter of Masters at OSU
3. Christmas happened somewhere in there
4. I'm currently teaching a French culture class that has me reexamining my desire to teach this language because it becomes progressivly more difficult to accept the fact that I am teaching an advanced language course to students who have no desire and for the most part, no where close to the ability to actually communicate in an advanced manner.

Perhaps I should explain (since I haven't explained anything for the last several months)... I appreciate the reasons that OSU has for requiring language study but very much disagree with the methods used to teach it, and the requirements themselves for that matter.

Students could theoretically begin in the fall of their freshman year in French 101.01. This is a class for absolute and total beginners who have never tried to speak or perhaps have never understood the concept of the French langauge. Good for them. Bravo. Fast forward to the spring quarter of that same year. The same student who only five or six months ago spoke no French at all is now expected to read a 90 page book and make compelling statements about this particular book.

You do the math here. 4 hours a week for two quarters (perhaps 24 weeks total with a Xmas break in between) is a little less than 100 hours of French, in a classroom environment and no pressure or need (or ability I might add) to use the language outside of the classroom. So what someone might say? 100 hours is roughly equivalent to 4 days. And this isn't even as intensive as immersion training.

Perhaps I am being unfair to the academic abilities of my students, but I do believe that this type of academic environment does little to stimulate students to continue academic study in the language field (especially when very few of them were interested in the language in the first place).

Well, this is quite impressive for a first post after a long hiatus. Enjoy this and I will try to blog again before the end of 2005 ;)

A+

Andrew