An Academic Year in Review
Academic time is an interesting phenomena. I return here to my much neglected blog after a hectic whirlwind of a semester to cap off what would be in most circles called an academic year. However, I work for a Continuing Education faculty so we do not measure time like this. We offer courses three semesters a year so what marks the official end of an academic year for some is simply the end of one semester for others.
What a very introspective semester it has been. I have had many an opportunity over the past 14 weeks to reassess and evaluate my teaching and pedagogical strategies as well as other administrative duties. We ended the semester by implementing a new IT system and with all new systems there are some growing pains. I was also selected as a trainer for this new system so in addition to the courses I was teaching I also ran training sessions as well as coordinate the programs I am responsible for (which now sits at 12). I also saw my two thesis students through to the completion of their undergrad theses. As you can guess there were many opportunities to pause and reflect throughout.
Helping my two thesis students reminded me of the emotional labour innate in academic work. It also reminded me as @digiwonk mentions in her post this week that if you do not schedule time for writing it will not happen. Academic grows to fill the empty spaces one will discover. As I write we are finishing the long weekend where I graded two sets of finals. There is always something to do and setting prioritities is important.
From a quantitative (holistic) point of view this academic year I taught a 3:2 (at two colleges in the 1st semester and for 3 separate faculties) in addition to the admin and other training responsibilities. From a qualitative point of view I have learned to push limits and boundaries in my scope of teaching. I had many different kinds of classes these past two semesters with different demographics and an altogether different feel to the classes themselves. I had the opportunity to get to know myself better as a teacher and an administrator.
The summer terms starts in 3 short weeks and already those weeks are filled with advisory meetings, grades meetings, and information sessions. I have joined a soccer league for the summer as well, for when I was in undergrad I remember I was never so focused as when I had to schedule academics around practice and games. Exercise becomes important when we have a rather sedentary academic lifestyle.
It was a long cold snowy winter and the promise of spring can be seen outside and also in the similes of students finishing their exams. There is much to be grateful for. The collaborative spaces for sharing ideas and dialogue in the classroom carry the hope and promise seen in #rhizo14 discussions in the beginning of term. So when I don my regalia and shake the students' hands as they convocate in June I will do so knowing that each of us, each teacher, each student, each administrator, has had a hand in getting to this point.
Academia can be a stressful environment, it can be soul-destroying at times to be sure. But it is also hopeful and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to watch and share in the moments of greatness that are produced.
What a very introspective semester it has been. I have had many an opportunity over the past 14 weeks to reassess and evaluate my teaching and pedagogical strategies as well as other administrative duties. We ended the semester by implementing a new IT system and with all new systems there are some growing pains. I was also selected as a trainer for this new system so in addition to the courses I was teaching I also ran training sessions as well as coordinate the programs I am responsible for (which now sits at 12). I also saw my two thesis students through to the completion of their undergrad theses. As you can guess there were many opportunities to pause and reflect throughout.
Helping my two thesis students reminded me of the emotional labour innate in academic work. It also reminded me as @digiwonk mentions in her post this week that if you do not schedule time for writing it will not happen. Academic grows to fill the empty spaces one will discover. As I write we are finishing the long weekend where I graded two sets of finals. There is always something to do and setting prioritities is important.
From a quantitative (holistic) point of view this academic year I taught a 3:2 (at two colleges in the 1st semester and for 3 separate faculties) in addition to the admin and other training responsibilities. From a qualitative point of view I have learned to push limits and boundaries in my scope of teaching. I had many different kinds of classes these past two semesters with different demographics and an altogether different feel to the classes themselves. I had the opportunity to get to know myself better as a teacher and an administrator.
The summer terms starts in 3 short weeks and already those weeks are filled with advisory meetings, grades meetings, and information sessions. I have joined a soccer league for the summer as well, for when I was in undergrad I remember I was never so focused as when I had to schedule academics around practice and games. Exercise becomes important when we have a rather sedentary academic lifestyle.
It was a long cold snowy winter and the promise of spring can be seen outside and also in the similes of students finishing their exams. There is much to be grateful for. The collaborative spaces for sharing ideas and dialogue in the classroom carry the hope and promise seen in #rhizo14 discussions in the beginning of term. So when I don my regalia and shake the students' hands as they convocate in June I will do so knowing that each of us, each teacher, each student, each administrator, has had a hand in getting to this point.
Academia can be a stressful environment, it can be soul-destroying at times to be sure. But it is also hopeful and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to watch and share in the moments of greatness that are produced.
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