Back to School!

Yep, we’re back to school. It felt good to be back in the fray the last two days, although I got home early today and took a long nap!

Here’s my class load so far:

ENG 596—Forms of Research. This is a required class for MAs in lit; it involves learning the detailed ins and outs of library research, and using this to create an extensive bibliography of a subject of choice. End product is a portfolio with the bibliography, including a minimum of 25 annotated sources. For those of you out of the lit loop (and sometimes I think you’re very lucky people), this means reading a scholarly piece and then annotating/summarizing it in something between 3 lines and 2 paragraphs. So, over the term I will read a minimum of 25 papers. Minimum. Whew. We also have a book of lit theory to read as part of the class.

ENG 518—Teaching College Comp. This is my GA class, and is really relaxed and low pressure. This term we have a book on composition theory and will be doing in-class discussions and presentations on different aspects of teaching writing. End-of-term output is a paper about our philosophy/style of teaching writing.

I also have two writing classes—they start tomorrow, so look for an update on them in a couple of days.

In addition to classes, I have two teaching responsibilities this term. First, I’m teaching another section of WR 121—College Composition. That started today. I had a full room of enthusiastic students, so it looks as if it’ll be a bang-up term.

Second, I am team-teaching a split undergrad/grad class on “American Women Writers.” I sort of fell into this via a beloved professor who needed a helper. That class started yesterday—we have about 30 students and they seem really interested in the topic, so this should also be fun. The writers are those I love: Orne-Jewett, Cather, Chopin, Morrison, Esquivel, and Abu-Jaber. Luckily I've read all the books but the last one, which will help!

And, I’m still writing one story a week for the Vanguard (and still threatening to give it up), as well as working 6 hours/week in the Writing Center. Both pay a little bit, which helps.

Ernie is back to long days of napping in a quiet house, so he’s glad that spring break is over.

Oh: the personal essay I wrote last fall for Oregon Humanities has finally been posted in an e-version. Go here to read it, and let me know what you think.