First day at the school

I’m not even sure where to start. Ever get the feeling you’ve made a huge mistake? Don’t get me wrong, the staff at Nicolet are very friendly and they’re already talking about me teaching two classes next semester but I’m feeling more than a little pressured. The ‘class in a can’ they told me about wasn’t exactly what I was told to expect. It’s a mere outline and instead of me being handed a lecture and I just fill in since this is all last minute (which is sort of what I thought they had said) I have to make up a lecture (yeah I know, this is normal for teachers, but it would have been nice to know so I could get started).

Worse, lab is rolled into lecture time (I think, I’m not clear on that) which means I’m doing even more work and I’m totally unprepared for this. The big 12 hour DVD I was supposed to get isn’t done. I do have all my books so I can prepare for this but they told me repeatedly that PowerPoint is frowned on because the students can’t keep up. Overheads projectors are too clumsy. They want me to do an extemporaneous class...for THREE hours. No. I can’t. I’m a little too linear for that. I HAVE to have the overheads, even if it’s just an outline to keep me on track. I’m doing it any how since the projectors IS there. They have all these visual props that look like Romper Room but they’re kinda fun if very simplistic. I just wish I knew I was doing lab since that was NOT in the paperwork I signed (Not that it would have changed my mind). Also, Blackboard which is an online teaching forum isn’t being utilized like it could be to make a good presentation, IMO. Then again, my mentors have been at this for years and they should know what works and what doesn’t. Still, I’d like parts of my lecture to go up on there. Must talk to them about that tomorrow.

First thing they said during my orientation was, you’re dressed a little formal (grey tweed pants and a pin stripe shirt, hell I looked like Giles’ date). That SCARES the student (okay that scares me) You know, I said that to mom when I spent the 200$ on a new wardrobe, most profs just wear jeans now. That’s sort of what they’re looking for jeans and a nice shirt. Well I had planned on wearing scrub clothes to lab if I had to teach one but there’s not time to change so that means my new wardrobe is going unworn and I need to go buy new jeans. Damn.

The last three hours of orientation was at Pat’s bar & grill over tacos and beer. Nice and relaxed and kinda fun when I get past the whole I don’t have a fucking clue what I’m doing fears (well, I AM going in tomorrow even though it’s optional because I HAVE to know how much to gut from my lecture. I know I have to dumb it down I need to know how much). The only problem with Pat’s is that it reminds me of Yogi’s in South Dakota, a place I could spend every night. That was my first thought about being here, look at all the little scary country bars. I have no TV. I’m afraid I’ll be in them every night like I used to. Must curb temptation.

Got a fridge today (joy of joys) still haven’t settled the bed problem and I THINK the furnace is working (at least this time it’s making the water thru the pipes noise). Nothing scarier than a furnace that could be on the fritz. Worse. It was 70 today. Tonight it’s going down to the 30's. I’m going to die, arthritis wise.

Oh and they’ve moved the Hodag (his journey well documented on the radio) and he’s now standing proudly on the main road so he can be seen (why he always wasn’t remains a mystery to me. I shall attempt to photograph the Hodag at a later date.

Oh met the English department. Seem like an interesting bunch. Shane looks 12. Must get to know him.