I know how cliché it sounds to say that "Today is the first day of the rest of my life." Still, it is true. Anyway, today is the first class day of fall semester 2011 here at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. That alway holds a sense of expectation. It's also one of the reasons that I love teaching. No matter how bad the previous semester may have been (and it actually wasn't all that terrible), each new semester begins with a new mix of students and a new set of circumstances and challenges to be encountered and overcome.
I've decided to approach this semester with a new outlook as well. Paraphrasing a line from an older movie, "What's always the same about every semester I teach? Me!" With that in mind, I decided that perhaps the sameness of the last few semesters isn't a result of the students and courses. Perhaps it IS me. As a result, I've decided to approach things differently, freshly, this semester.
Having come off a very enjoyable and successful summer, I am looking forward to exploring new ways to engage my classes in the material that I present this semester. I have a British Literature I class, an English Composition I class, two sections of the Freshman Honors seminar, and one section of directed study Sophomore Honors seminar.
I will periodically post my musings about my successes and the unsuccessful choices. Of course, there will be other things besides classes and readings to discuss as I go along - and I'll share those as well.
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