Lately

I just got back from the gym. I have to say that this past week has been tiring. I guess I have been suffering some jet lag (and culture shock). However, I dragged my sorry butt up to the gym because my shoulders and neck have been so tight that they ached and burned. Today should have been a leg day, but I worked my chest and back instead. I feel a lot better now.

In addition to the jet lag, we started classes last Monday. The first week wasn't really hard teaching-wise. Mostly it was a matter of telling the students what the semester would look like and then doing some conversation type activities just to loosen them up. However, dealing with students (especially older students) who wanted into one or both of my elective classes was irritating. I have one class called Intermediate Composition and one class called Advanced Conversation. I want to keep these two classes down to 20 or fewer students partly because they are a lot of work, but also because I don't have to follow the strict grading curve (30% A, 40% B, 30% C or lower) if there are less than 20 students. Even after I explain this, half a dozen students each day, ask me to sign a permission form so they can get in the class.

I also have had numerous students ask to audit the class. Over the years, I have had many students promise to come to class every day and do all of the work even it they are just auditing. However, in 20 years, I have never had an auditing student continue to the end of the class. I certainly understand this. If I had a class that I got no credit for and I suddenly had 2 exams and a couple of essays to do for other classes, I would skip the class I was auditing. Then, once you've skipped a class or two, it just seems easier never going back. I can't be bothered letting them in my classes anymore.

I've also had numerous students whom I have never met before ask me for a special favor, "Could I put them on the top of the waiting list?" I don't even know these students. Why would they think I would do them a special favor? I just want all of these students to leave me alone. We have a course registration procedure. They should follow it. If they can't get into my class, they just can't get into my class. They should do something else.