Teaching.

I taught my last recitation section today.  Oooof, I think this is what stressed me out the most this term.  For a variety of reasons which are too boring to tell you, I couldn’t *really* adequately prepare for my class.  So every week, it almost felt like I was doing some sort of improv – which, theoretically is OK if I knew the stuff like the back of my hand – but it’s a tough class (some might say, unfair – I do think a class is unfair if no one out of 50 people is getting an A and people are studying – I kid you not – 30 hours for an exam) with a lot of small details and so many questions I couldn’t answer.  I just had to get comfortable with saying I dunno which I do not like to do in front of 30 people.  Why do you suction first a person with Guillian-Barre syndrome who presents with shortness of breath first instead of ascultating them?  Why do you have them swallow barium when they are clearly bleeding from their stomach?   Uhhh, mmmm….  huh, I dunno.  Oh well.  It’s done.  I’m happy, I think I helped them in my own small way.  I briefly thought I would do it again next term, but I think I am not.

What was fun about this last class that I taught is that after I gave them my best study tips for the final, my students welcomed me into their class.  Because I’m the only part-time student, I’m the only student that keeps sliding out of different cohorts.  My first cohort is graduating this term.  My 2nd cohort, I’ve spent three semesters with and they are moving on without me.  And now I join my recitation students for my next term.  Since I’ve never had this experience of having different classes, it’s been eye opening how different classes can have different personalities.  My first cohort was really driven and competitive, my 2nd cohort more fun and inclusive, we’ll see what my third cohort brings.  They assure me that they are a lot of fun.  We’ll see.

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Jeremy and the girls took me on a walk this evening.  It was beautiful.  Maxi saw a fox (I think for the first time in her life) and barked and howled and pulled the leash so hard trying to fulfill her genetic destiny as a beagle!

2 thoughts on “Teaching.”

  1. Doris you are so dang smart! I don't understand about half the things you say in your nurse blogs and I always want to know the answer is to your questions. Why do you use the barrium?…..

    Keyla is very pretty. Where does she come from?

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