Congratulations to Our Very Own Apple Award Winner

That's right people! 

Everyone be sure to congratulate Kristen Raymond for being so awesome. According to the Sunday Edition of The Times Georgian, our Mrs. Kristen was named December's Teacher of the Month for her outstanding work at Bowdon High School. According to the Times:

Kristen developed a leadership team and planned a tutorial program to prepare all juniors [for the high school graduation examinations] and to target those juniors deemed "at risk." With her enthusiasm and leadership these first time junior test takers passed at a rate of 98%. 

This is unheard of in public schools people. So, BIG UPS to our girl.

I'm Not Yo Mamma!

Inevitably at some point in the semester, I realize that a student or two are attempting to engage me in some sort of parent-child dynamic. I think that this stems from my being female, although I suspect that male teachers might encounter this type of behavior, as well. You know the kind of thing I'm talking about: the back-and-forth push-pull over assignments that students try to elicit from teachers. It is at a certain point when the familiarity of these situations sets in, and I recognize these as echoes of dealing with my teenagers not too many years back.

I usually can count on that built-in governor, that shrill sound inside my head that screams, "Nooooo! Not again!!" Last semester, I didn't know how to deal with it in a consistent way. I think they took me by surprise. This time 'round, I feel that I have a handle on it a little better, though I admit that their creativity knows no bounds, and they will search for yet another way to make me their mamma. It is then that I will remind them that they're someone else's little cherubs.

Keep Smiling

Five weeks down, which means five weeks closer to summer vacation. You're almost there! Once you've read and written copious comments on four more sets of first-year papers, put on an undergraduate conference for 253 students, written two twenty page papers (or a thesis), and graded 1,136 bluebook essays, it's time to slather on some sunscreen and hit the beach. The first round of pina coladas is on me.

You all are totally cool for doing this. What a great idea that will become a great resource for all current and future TAs. Thank you all, multiple McFarlands each one.--Jane Hill

Procrastination

The past few days, I've been thinking about some of of my unproductive thinking that manifests in some of my unproductive behaviors, such as putting off writing, reading, or what-have-you. I just found a quote by William James that I find quite relevant to my situation:

"There is nothing so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task."

Today I start work (for real, this time . . . really) on the introduction of my thesis.