I should most definitely be preparing for class that starts in an hour right now, but instead I want to write to my pals.
I got the job at the bagel place and I start tomorrow. I am promised 15-20 hours a week with no Sundays and two or three Saturdays a month off. I told the manager that I wanted to keep every other weekend completely free so I could come home frequently if I wanted. At the interview, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that I had the job, but that didn't stop me from being nervous. I was almost as nervous about this bagel job as I was about my interview for the college. I guess I'm just an equal opportunity worrier.
I got a chance to see how lonely I am getting at the interview. I haven't talked to anyone in Cincinnati but David for more than two sentences. So while I was being interviewed, I found myself wanting to elaborate on anything and everything just to talk to someone. I tried to cap myself off, but I'm sure I rambled a couple of times. Oh well, maybe they'll just think I'm friendly. The bagel place might be a good place to meet people, too. I don't really have a chance to talk to any of my co-workers at the college and I can't just strike up a casual conversation with my students outside of class. Having no friends will definitely lend itself work, work, work, and paying off debt. I guess there's an upside.
Oh, I did meet the chair of the English department yesterday. Again, I found myself wanting to ramble to him, but I kept it short. He's a pretty cool, young-ish, punk rock kind of a guy. As I was leaving his office, I saw that he had a Guided By Voices bumper sticker on the wall. I wanted to launch into a spiel about how they were one of my favorite bands, and how we should talk about music sometime, ect, but I didn't. Instead I just said, "You like Guided By Voices? Thumbs up." Then I walked off. I am soooooo cool.
My students are having a class discussion today about the essays we read. I really hope that these guys want to talk because I'm not good at prodding responses out of people. I assigned reading questions that specific people in class are personally responsible for answering during the discussion. I hope that facilitates discussion. Does anyone out there have any other suggestions for getting people to talk in class? I might not need it, but I want to be on the safe side. I can't remember my teachers employing any special methods, but I usually had my mind made up before class whether or not I was going to talk about anything we read the day before.
Well, I really should prepare now.
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8 comments:
We are so very much missing you, too. I'm sure it is a bit lonely in a brand new town, but imagine being us - stuck in the same nasty apartment on the same street where our dearest friends used to live! I hate walking home from mass down the alley and knowing that you guys aren't in there. I hate never seeing your truck here anymore. In short, I simply hate your absence. And I've been meaning to email but haven't found a moment yet. I comiserated about missing you with your dad after benediction on Sunday. He misses you too. Okay I'll quit whinning now.
Umm... is that title a typo? Or am I missing something
You don't know what a gindstone is? You are so totally not cool. Yeah, I'm dumb. It will be fixed at once.
The best way to get people to talk is not to give in. Never surrender! Leave five minutes of dead air rather than speak yourself after you have asked a question that they are perfectly able to answer.
Adding to that... Most people hate questions with really obvious answers. It makes them feel like they are being tricked.
I'm with Anne. You guys pop into my thoughts constantly... particularly, Monica, because "Dancing with the Stars" starts in a week and a half!! If you could e-mail me your new address, the boys made going away pictures for you that I was going to bring that night you were packing up. Sadly, life happened and I was unable to swing by. Hope to hear from you soon.
Yours,
M.
Mary-
I almost squealed like a schoolgirl when I found out that Jane Seymour was going to be on DWS. I love her. I think I would be crushed if she ends up being a bad dancer. I'm imagining her as this glamorous bond girl who glides everywhere she goes, or alternately, a waltzing Florence Nightengale. Looks like I'll be watching a lot of clips on YouTube this season.
I'll email you my address right now. I miss the boys, Maggie, and you.
My friends, who does some college teaching, says you can also try having people talk about the information in small groups (upto 4 people) then to the entire class. This will help them warm up.
BTW how did this class end up?
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