Potpourri
I’m sorry for being away for most of the week, but this has been the first week of classes for Middle Tennessee State University. For those who don’t know, I’m a PhD student at the college, but I’m also a Graduate Teaching Assistant. This means that, in addition to any schoolwork that I have, I also take on teaching two classes. Normally, I teach Freshman composition I & II. However, this year I was given two literature classes. These are higher level courses than the Freshman classes, but because of Covid-19, we’re doing these remotely with Zoom as the major “touchstone” factor to keep community. While I don’t often talk about the school-related things in my life, I do touch on them every now and then, especially when I have something to talk about. So, to today I’m going to do a Potpourri post that will (mostly) be about school.
Bedford New Scholar Blog Post
So, one of the neat things that has happened to me over the past year is that one of my professors (Dr. Pantelides) nominated me to be a Bedford New Scholar and work to Bedford/St. Martins books to work with other scholars across the world to learn about new ways/techniques to teaching. I’ve enjoyed my time (even in this strange Covid world).
I recently completed a blog post for them. You can find it here: https://community.macmillanlearning.com/t5/bits-blog/how-bedford-new-scholars-fostered-collaboration-quot-to-help/ba-p/11580
While I don’t want to spoil it and I do want people to click on it, I also want to give a bit of a preview. It is a blog post in a question and answer format. It also has one of the assignments that I use in my Freshman composition I classes.
New Computer–Macbook Pro
I’ve talked a lot about my old Macbook Pro (2008) and my Chromebook. Well, unfortunately Monday revealed a major weakness in my workflow. And that weakness has a name: Zoom. I tried to do my first class via Zoom on my Chromebook and it completely FAILED. My students were able to log in to the Zoom call, but my video was laggy and my voice couldn’t be heard. I had to ask my students to look over their syllabus and then end the session early. The next day went better as I used my iphone and the Zoom app, but I can’t show things that I need to on my computer using the phone, so I had to bit the bullet and get a new computer.
I’m not writing this specific post on the new computer, but I will shortly, once I have all my settings and passwords set up on the new computer. I had to have the computer to be able to teach the class effectively. I investigated several options, including holding my nose and considering a PC (Dell XPS). Finally, I decided on a Macbook Pro because I love the Apple operating system and I found a model with the power that I needed to run the class.
Schedule
Hopefully, September allow me to stabilize my blog writing schedule. From a transition from work during the summer, to orientation, to planning and implementing the class, and then through the first week of classes, August is ALWAYS a stressful month. It is particularly stressful this year with Covid.
I keep trying to “bank” blog posts–I have two now that I want to work on, but there’s no time it seems. Between answering email, beginning to start grading discussion posts, trying to get my stuff from my apartment by the August 31st deadline, etc., it seems that I have very little time to write/work on the blog. So expect it to be spotty at least through the end of this month, but settling down (hopefully) by the beginning to middle of next month.
Well, that’s all I have for now. Thanks for reading!
Sidney
Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:
Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora WolfRead Childe Roland for Free at Electric Spec
Purchase HawkeMoon on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase Dragonhawk on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase WarLight on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase Ship of Shadows on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase Faerie Knight on Amazon.com (Paperback) or Kindle
Currently Working On (8/2020):
“Project Wall” (Science Fiction Story)
Drafting: 2nd Draft
Unhallowed (Weird Western Story)
Revising: 2nd Draft (Working Draft)
KnightWatch Graphic Novel (Fantasy Graphic Novel)
Drafting: 1st Draft (Issue 1)
