Two steps forward, one step back.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Price of Technology
A flat screen monitor takes up less space on the desk, but it also affords no flat surface on which to store papers.
Two steps forward, one step back.
Two steps forward, one step back.
Recommendation
Feeling stressed out? Need some soothing background music to play while you try to dig out from under the paper pile in your office? Want a break from "Sleigh Ride" and "Silver Bells"?
This original music is guaranteed to solve these problems and more. Let the creator know what you think!
This original music is guaranteed to solve these problems and more. Let the creator know what you think!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
A Lengthy Post, Part I
Maybe my wise readers will have some input for me about Seminary. Of course, many of you have already given input, for which I am truly appreciative.
Background: I teach the juniors and seniors--twelve of them when they all come. Sister Fabulous (and I mean that in the most sincere way) teaches the freshmen and sophomores. The younger class has a class presidency who conduct class business, assign prayers, etc., and two students assigned to lead Scripture Mastery* activities. Students write in their journals every day and Sister Fabulous reads and responds to the journals every weekend. Each student is going to take a turn teaching a class lesson next year and Sister Fabulous is administering a semester final next week for which each student is writing a talk on a gospel topic, incorporating Scripture Mastery scriptures.
My class: I have one, or sometimes two, students in class at 6:15 when it's time to begin. I have two lovebirds who spend class wrapped up in each other, sometimes literally, with Mr. Lovebird keeping up a steady monologue directed at Ms. Lovebird. I have several bright, smart young men who can (and will) come up with an extraneous comment or riff for anything we're talking about in class. Two students are keeping up with their personal (Old Testament) reading. I have one student who attends 50% of the time and rarely has a word to say when she is there. I choose the opening hymn and play the piano, I beg people to sign up to give a devotional thought, I choose who will say closing prayers, I often have to ask students to get out their scriptures at the beginning of class(!), I take down the tables on Fridays and put them up on Mondays...
Now, that was of course the pessimistic view. They are actually good kids, and I like all of them, most of them very much. Also, I have never been in Sister Fabulous's class to hear how all their activities go over. I know many of her students are also not doing any personal reading, and of course, every class period is not picture perfect.
When we started today, with about four students, I told them I am concerned we aren't doing enough to stretch ourselves and make good use of the opportunity we have in seminary to learn the gospel, build our testimonies, etc. I mentioned all the things the other class does, and told them that truthfully, I didn't think we could do those things in our class because I don't think we would be willing to do them. No one disagreed. I ended up with nine students by the time everyone drifted in, and we spent the entire class period talking.
I did elicit some honest comments from the students, and we came up with a few suggestions. Well, I came up with some suggestions based on what the students were saying, and they seemed to like them or agree to them. I also came up with specific ideas about things I need to change or improve upon. I'll tell you about those in the next post, and perhaps it will spark an insight you want to share.
*Scripture Mastery involves 25 specific scriptures each year that the students are encouraged to learn, memorize, and be able to locate and apply in practical situations. Typically, one day a week or a part of each class day is devoted to scripture mastery activities. The kids love it when it's upbeat and fun, and I'm terrible at it.
Background: I teach the juniors and seniors--twelve of them when they all come. Sister Fabulous (and I mean that in the most sincere way) teaches the freshmen and sophomores. The younger class has a class presidency who conduct class business, assign prayers, etc., and two students assigned to lead Scripture Mastery* activities. Students write in their journals every day and Sister Fabulous reads and responds to the journals every weekend. Each student is going to take a turn teaching a class lesson next year and Sister Fabulous is administering a semester final next week for which each student is writing a talk on a gospel topic, incorporating Scripture Mastery scriptures.
My class: I have one, or sometimes two, students in class at 6:15 when it's time to begin. I have two lovebirds who spend class wrapped up in each other, sometimes literally, with Mr. Lovebird keeping up a steady monologue directed at Ms. Lovebird. I have several bright, smart young men who can (and will) come up with an extraneous comment or riff for anything we're talking about in class. Two students are keeping up with their personal (Old Testament) reading. I have one student who attends 50% of the time and rarely has a word to say when she is there. I choose the opening hymn and play the piano, I beg people to sign up to give a devotional thought, I choose who will say closing prayers, I often have to ask students to get out their scriptures at the beginning of class(!), I take down the tables on Fridays and put them up on Mondays...
Now, that was of course the pessimistic view. They are actually good kids, and I like all of them, most of them very much. Also, I have never been in Sister Fabulous's class to hear how all their activities go over. I know many of her students are also not doing any personal reading, and of course, every class period is not picture perfect.
When we started today, with about four students, I told them I am concerned we aren't doing enough to stretch ourselves and make good use of the opportunity we have in seminary to learn the gospel, build our testimonies, etc. I mentioned all the things the other class does, and told them that truthfully, I didn't think we could do those things in our class because I don't think we would be willing to do them. No one disagreed. I ended up with nine students by the time everyone drifted in, and we spent the entire class period talking.
I did elicit some honest comments from the students, and we came up with a few suggestions. Well, I came up with some suggestions based on what the students were saying, and they seemed to like them or agree to them. I also came up with specific ideas about things I need to change or improve upon. I'll tell you about those in the next post, and perhaps it will spark an insight you want to share.
*Scripture Mastery involves 25 specific scriptures each year that the students are encouraged to learn, memorize, and be able to locate and apply in practical situations. Typically, one day a week or a part of each class day is devoted to scripture mastery activities. The kids love it when it's upbeat and fun, and I'm terrible at it.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Do Not Grocery Shop or Shelve Books When You're Hungry
Circulation is pretty backed up with the end-of-the-semester-
turn-in-your-books rush, so I did some shelving last week. Since I don't do it regularly, it's a nice diversion. The students have to take the carts in the order they come, but I feel free to pick and choose since I'm a volunteer. I did a cart of fiction last week, but it's not as much fun as you would think it would be, since everything is sans jacket.
Tonight my desk shift ended early, and I felt guilty for not even seeing if they needed shelving help today (I think they did), so I took one nearly empty cart and headed upstairs (it takes me about 45 minutes to do a "full" cart).
Guess what subject is classified at 641.865?
turn-in-your-books rush, so I did some shelving last week. Since I don't do it regularly, it's a nice diversion. The students have to take the carts in the order they come, but I feel free to pick and choose since I'm a volunteer. I did a cart of fiction last week, but it's not as much fun as you would think it would be, since everything is sans jacket.
Tonight my desk shift ended early, and I felt guilty for not even seeing if they needed shelving help today (I think they did), so I took one nearly empty cart and headed upstairs (it takes me about 45 minutes to do a "full" cart).
Guess what subject is classified at 641.865?
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Happy Birthday, Belated
I was too busy visiting, in person, with the birthday honoree to post on the actual day (last Friday). So, here are some belated happy birthday wishes for Cynthia. Thanks for sharing your cake!
photo: Collins, Marjory. 1942. Greenbelt, Maryland. Grandma Taylor blows out the candles on her eighty-third birthday cake while her daughter, Mrs. McCarl, and grandson look on. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [LC-USW3-003640-E DLC]. Available at
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/
r?ammem/fsaall:@field(NUMBER+@band(fsa+8d21071))
photo: Collins, Marjory. 1942. Greenbelt, Maryland. Grandma Taylor blows out the candles on her eighty-third birthday cake while her daughter, Mrs. McCarl, and grandson look on. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [LC-USW3-003640-E DLC]. Available at
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/
r?ammem/fsaall:@field(NUMBER+@band(fsa+8d21071))
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