Well, the semester is rolling. We'll see if it rolls up hill, or down hill. The Board and our team are back to meeting, which begs the question --why did they declare an impasse right before Christmas? To F#$*@ us over. Yeah, I'm pretty angry with those people.
This morning I met with my hybrid class. This is a class where the lecture is online, but we still meet once a week on campus for lab. In the course schedule, this class looks like such a deal --the section number doesn't indicate that it is a hybrid class, and it's a 4 credit hour lab class that only meets once a week for 2 hours and 40 minutes! What's not to like? So I end up with a room full of students who don't realize they're in a hybrid class. (Yeah, I've tried to get the college to change the section number so students know what they're signing up for, but that's gone nowhere quickly.) So, there was one female student sitting right in the front this morning. I spent about a half hour talking, with the class website projected on a screen, showing the students what they'd need to do online for the class. During the first 25 minutes she had this very dubious, slightly annoyed, look on her face. It projected "This is so unfair --I didn't sign up for this." Somehow, over those 25 minutes, I convinced her that this class was going to be a good thing, because in those last 5 minutes her expression changed to a smile. Although I can't articulate why, it just really made my day.
We have a winter storm warning starting at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning. It's supposed to snow all day, and we could get either 4 inches, or 8 inches. Those are very different outcomes, and I'm hoping for 4. Emma is hoping for 8. I don't meet any classes on campus tomorrow, so instead of working in my office, I'll have to bring my latte home and work here. That way my car can be parked in the garage and I won't have to clean any snow off it. Such a tough life :-)
Okay, I'm leaving you with a photo I grabbed off a news site. I find the photo really scary, but also really eye-opening. This is a photo of a plus-size model embracing a regular runway model. Auschwitz comes to mind. And I am not being flippant.
OMG, that photo really hit me. The "plus-sized" model looks like a healthy weight. Our society is so messed up. How do we teach our daughters what healthy weight and beauty really is when they are bombarded by this? Ugh!
ReplyDeleteHer arms are what disturb me most!
ReplyDeleteSO glad the one student came around for you--that's the kind of thing that can make a whole day brighter!
The "plus size" model just looks normal.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment about the Chris Burden installation. I think there's a video of it at the LACMA link for your daughter to see it in motion. And if you're in LA - I think the installation remains at LACMA for several years.
My kids were hoping for last night's snowfall to be greater, too! They were disappointed not to have a 2-hour delay.
ReplyDeleteThat is a plus-size model? Looks normal sized to me.
I found that photo disturbing too. So many people don't realize how thin models and many actresses really are. When I watch DVDs with my girls, I sometimes point out actresses who are very thin and possibly an unhealthy weight.
ReplyDeleteThat picture is frightening.
ReplyDeleteI would be happy that I'd changed that girl's mind, too--that's why we teach, right? To make a connection.
How cool that you managed to make the angry student decide she would like being in your class!
ReplyDeleteWild. There's a very cool video going round about this issue that is just beautiful. Here's the link: http://www.blessourhearts.net/2012/01/justoh-just-watch-it-youll-be-so-glad.html
ReplyDeleteI am plus-sized. The model on the right is perfectly normal and the one on the left... scary. Yet one more reason I am glad to be raising sons instead of daughters.
ReplyDeleteSeeing students enjoy learning is HUGE. Glad to hear that at least one student came around despite feeling tricked (not your fault, of course -- why won't they change the description? Crazy).