Friday, January 16, 2009

Overwhelmed!!

I knew that once school started I would become very busy - and I was afraid that my precious blog time (more like my time to read your wonderful blogs rather than writing my own) would suffer. Well, it has suffered indeed. I am going through a withdrawal of sorts by not reading your daily posts, and I am feeling very guilty for not keeping up with mine. I am hoping that this weekend I might be able to find the time to do a bit of browsing.....but for this entry I thought I would explain why my time is so limited.

Due to my husband's current unemployment status, I decided to take another part time teaching job. This University Model School meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which fit my schedule nicely. Also, this is a start-up school, so while I have added 3 classes to my roster, I only have a total of 8 students -- so grading should be kept at a manageable level. It is, however, the literature classes that I teach that have kept me beyond busy. For example, here is the list of books that I must read by next Tuesday/Wednesday:
  1. Pride and Prejudice - Volume I chapters 17-23
  2. Lion, Witch and Wardrobe - chapters 5-13
  3. The Hobbit - chapter 1
  4. To Kill a Mockingbird - chapters 5-8
  5. Walk Two Moons - chapters 1-8
  6. Old Man and the Sea - first 25 pages
This may not seem like a lot of reading, but I feel that if I am going to TEACH the material, I had best really KNOW the material -- so I usually read slower and take detailed notes as I read. I have read all the books a minimum of 2 times, but I always feel the need to refresh before class. I have attempted to work "smarter" rather than "harder" this semester - so the majority of the books I have taught before - and I have a comfort level in teaching. There are two novels, however, Walk Two Moons and Old Man and the Sea that I will teach for the first time and I have yet to develop discussion questions, vocabulary lists, vocabulary assessments or final exams. That is what this long, 3-day weekend is for :)

Anyway, this required reading is definitely keeping me from making any dent in my TBR pile - but I keep telling myself that it is only for a finite period of time. In the meantime, I will try to post when I can - read your wonderful entries when I can - and be grateful that I have a job that I love which allows me to read and re-read wonderful classics.

8 comments:

  1. I hope you're feeling less overwhelmed soon.

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  2. Wow!! What a schedule. At least the books are interesting.

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  3. You are very blessed to be in a job that is so suited to your passion!

    I reckon you would be an excellent teacher because of your love of literature...

    You have your hands full, and we will be gracious with you if you don't post as often, lol :)

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  4. the way things are going you are lucky to have a job let alone one you like!

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  5. Work really gets in the way of real life, doesn't it. :) The books you are teaching are wonderful. Your students are lucky to have you.

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  6. Hang in there, tootsie!

    I chatted about you in my sunday salon post today.

    check it out, if you can keep your eyes open, poor baby!

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  7. I can very much identify, my job keeps me from keeping up with all the players in the book blogosphere too, in fact I'm barely even able to make a dent, but unlike you I have to read programming books in my spare time, so you're one up on me! ;)

    Best of luck with it all :)

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  8. I totally understand. I feel like that often. Take care of yourself. I think that's what I forget to do most of all.

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