Training to be a Buckeye, day 1
Today was the first day of my six-day orientation bonanza at Ohio State. The school's Faculty and Teaching Assistant Development department is hosting the first three days, which are devoted to cramming as much information about effective teaching down my gullet as possible. I learned the demographics of Ohio State's undergraduate and graduate populations (mostly white, mostly from Ohio). Then I attended an incredibly unorganized session on using different teaching styles (the facilitator was given the assignment "very recently," which must have meant "about fifteen minutes ago") where I found out that I learn best from reading and listening (which has probably been pounded into me by countless history teachers who talk to their notes or PowerPoint presentations instead of the class). Most importantly, I went to a session preparing for my first day of teaching a class. This session was the best of the bunch, and the facilitator gave us a bunch of tips on preparing for the first day beyond just outlining a lecture.
Some things to consider before the first day of class, and random suggestions:
- What should your students call you? Mister? Professor? Jerkwad?
- How will you dress? Your clothing on the first day of class sets the tone. Dressy stuff shows seriousness, jeans show casualness. A popular method is to dress up for the first couple weeks, then let yourself deteriorate throughout the quarter because your students will also deteriorate and it might make them more comfortable in their fatigue. I figure I'll wear the "business casual" stuff I wore at the county (my old job, not the county lockup).
- Can students eat or drink in your class? Drink: yes; eat: no.
- Can students come and go as they please? If you want them to stay throughout the hour (48 minutes), keep them the whole time on the first day. Students will use the first week to set their schedules for the rest of the quarter.
- How will you keep the students interested? Class discussions (even though I hated them as an undergrad) are the best way to do this, and you should do this early on your first day so they get used to it. You can just have them introduce themselves to the class or to smaller groups so they get to know each other (or at least the people sitting close to them), and they'll be more willing to split into groups.
- How will you conduct yourself in front of the class? Will you lean against the chalkboard and stare at the opposite wall? Will you sit on the desk? Will you sit behind the desk? Will you walk around the room? Eye contact? Hell if I know. I'll probably wander around the front of the room, making sporadic eye contact.
- You need a good icebreaker for the first few minutes of class. The facilitator today told a really bad joke about psychiatry (he's a philosophy grad student, the joke was probably a hit in his circles). I don't know what I'll do for that. Maybe nothing this quarter.
- Check out the classroom before your first day. Does it have working equipment? Do you need to get some chalk? Will your voice carry in the room?
- When a student is talking, do not keep eye contact with that student, especially if he or she is making a lengthy point. Look away at other students while the student is speaking. This will prevent the other students from thinking that you're having an exclusive conversation with that student.
- You'll need to learn how to gauge time without staring at your watch. Time acts strangely in a classroom environment. It might take only five minutes for an entire room full of students to introduce themselves, but it might take fifteen minutes to take roll. Even though 48 minutes might seem like a long time in front of a classroom, it can run out fast.
All interesting points. I picked up a lot of cool stuff, but there are still some huge holes in my understanding of the whole process. How many students will I be leading in these discussion sections? How often will we meet? How many sections will I lead? What will I discuss in these discussion sections? Supposedly these will be answered when I go to the history department's Teaching Associates orientation on Friday. I was reassured, though, when I talked to other grad students from other departments who say they have no clue about that stuff either. There are about 500 of us from every department on campus taking part in this orientation, so I'm really not alone in all this. Thank God.
Now, on to other developments:
While abigor60 was in town, we discovered the difficulty in buying real alcohol. The grocery stores only carry beer, wine, and spirits with less than 20% alcohol. I keep hearing that I need to learn how to drink if I'm going to be a good graduate student (and the drinking I've been doing for almost a decade is what, exactly?), so I did some digging and found out that the state of Ohio is legally the only entity that is able to buy spirits stronger than 40 proof. Special state-licensed stores then sell this liquor on consignment to the public. I finally found one of these booze outlets tonight (turns out it's about half a mile from my apartment), and the state's cut of the profits is easy to see. Everything costs about five bucks more than it does in California, where they cut out the middle man (er, middle state). The biggest price hike, a jug of Evan Williams whiskey, one of my favorite cheap drinks during my Sac State days at about $15, costs almost $25 here. Yeesh. I guess I'll have to cut back on the firewater. Until I visit Cali, I suppose. Then I'll go on such a massive bender...