Change Your Mind

My English class makes me feel like a prospector looking for gold. Every once in a while there is a shiny nugget, but usually it's just a big pile of dirt.

It seems as if many of my classmates just cannot process what the instructor is trying to teach. Either that, or my teacher is used to instructing elementary school children. Half of our allotted class time is spent walking student's through each assignment, as if none of us can complete them on our own.

Now, my Mama taught me to only speak nice of people, but this class drives me absolutely batty. I am very glad that this is my last required ENL course.

This is funny to me, because back in high school, English was one of my favorite subjects. On the other end of the spectrum, math was a deal breaker for me. And now, Math 103 is actually pretty easy.

My life has flip flopped. What I once thought was normal is strangely unfamiliar to me. It makes me wonder why I struggled so much in high school. Why was it so hard for me to concentrate in my sophomore math class? And now, why is it so hard for me to concentrate in this class?

Maybe it isn't me. Maybe it wasn't me. Is it possible that I am not computing what the instructor is saying because of the instructor. Could it just be my teachers? Or am I just trying to put the blame on someone else? There is a song that I love, called Change Your Mind. One of the lines is, "if you want to be somebody else, change your mind." I think this is happening to me...

HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
I wrote this in class, between the repetition and redundancy (see what I did there?) The above onomatopoeia was because I answered a question, only to have my instructor tell me I was wrong, then 'correct' me by repeating EXACTLY WHAT I JUST FINISHED SAYING!!!!!!! I think this class is going to make me crazy.

I cannot stand this class!!!

Video Classes....

...are not about learning to shoot your own videos. They are regular classes, that are broadcast via closed circuit TV to all the campuses and centers of NPC. This way, one instructor can be in more than one place at a time. Something many people wish they could do. I suppose you could call him SuperTeacher!

One classroom is used for multiple classes throughout the day. So, my plan to get to school early to make sure I was in the right place was thrown out of whack when I walked into the empty classroom and heard someone talking about math. I backtracked, looked at the paper on the door, realized I was in the right spot, but I was just 15 minutes early.

So I sat down in a part of the classroom that was not visible to the camera, and waited for 6:30 to roll around. A few people came in, most of them in the wrong classroom. Finally, the time was right, and class started. Although there are at least 12 other classmates, only one other person shares the same room with me. I am glad I am not the only one, but it's still weird only having two people in the room.

My required English classes were/are 101 and 103 OR 109. I got them confused, and thought I had taken 103 previously. So, when the instructor said, " 101 is a prerequisite of this class, so if you have not taken 101, please go speak to an academic advisor." I panicked for a minute. But, once I got home and looked at my transcripts, I realized I was in the clear. Proceed as planned! This is technical writing, so it isn't about grammar and punctuation, but our teacher went over some basics with us tonight, as a refresher course.

After it was all over, being excited about having my first class over with, I headed home. Well, first I hit the gas station so that I would make it all the way home. You know that emotional rush you get when you help someone in need? A couple came up to me, said they were out of gas, needed to get home. My first instinct was to say no. But I prayed about it, and decided I needed to help. So, ten extra dollars later, they were on the road again and I am glad I could help. I hope they pay it forward.

So, that was day one of my 5th semester at NPC. I hope the rest of the semester goes just as well.

No sitters...

For today, my only lecture class, and I can't be there... Stuck here with Robbie. I keep thinking today is Friday- but it isn't.
I'm going to the school around the time class is over to turn in my homework and get the assignment for next week. Hopefully that's ok with the instructor. I tried to get ahold of him last night, but wasn't able to reach him-or his voicemail- in any way.

And, there's a Pep Rally for the Superbowl today in the lobby of the building where my class is. Free pizza!! On that note, I'm outta here...

Yesterday's class- English

Actually Composition 101. My teacher is awesome! He's been teaching for 50 years, and he started teaching when he was 28 (do the math, people, he's 78!) It's my only lecture class, and my biggest one -about 20 students. Probably because it's a general requirement.
This is his first year either teaching at my school, or teaching this class at my school, not really sure which. The syllabus he was using was given to him by the head of the English department, and apparently, my instructor hadn't had time to look through it, because he kept telling us to scratch things out, ignore things, add things etc.
Well, I don't have classes today, this is my day at the coffee shop- now I can do homework there instead of just reading the paper. And there's even a big table I can spread out at and no one bothers me. Still trying to get other mom's to join me, and maybe I'll leave the homework at home, but for now it's nice.