October’s song of obsession:
In reading Matthew 19.16-22 for my Three Worlds post, I came across that tricky little word—perfect (Matthew 19.21).
Currently, I’m still wrestling with my perfectionist demons. I’m still trying to discern the difference between perfection and excellence. I’m still working on allowing my perfectionism to propel me forward, but in a grace-filled, self-forgiving, risk-taking, diminished-fear-of-failure kind of way. Progress has been slow, but I’m beginning to strike a balance...
When I hear a song I like, I form a weird, obsessive attachment to it, and often listen to it on repeat for several days. This is my current song of obsession:
One of the assignments I give my students is called “Three Worlds.” Most students don’t read the example in the syllabus, and thus to assure understanding (and my own sanity when grading), we go over it in class...
1) Having an M.A. ≠ knowing how to: teach, develop a course, structure a syllabus, manage a classroom, give a four hour lecture, elicit respect from students.
2) Watching me teach was like watching a baby bird learn to fly—it was disjointed, jerky, and grimace-inducing.
3) Students think I know everything about the Bible. I do not.
4) Nodding your head, validating someone’s response, or asking another student to chime in, gives you ample time to recover from the, “I have no idea what this student just said, nor do I have any idea how to respond” thought going through your head.
5) Never make assumptions about what a student knows or doesn’t know.
6) Teaching involves a tremendous amount of hand holding.
7) Scaffolding information is a must.
8) I say “ok” way too much when I lecture.
9) Next to parenting, teaching is the most difficult, and time-consuming, job.
10) Having a connection with, or an impact on, just one student is enough.
11) While I was never brazenly heretical, completely uninformed, or intentionally misleading, I did potentially relay imprecise information to my students.
12) I still don’t know how to work my laser pointer.
13) Witnessing a student have an “ah-ha!” moment makes it worthwhile.
14) Regardless of how much I prepared, practiced my lecture in the mirror, tried to remember the material verbatim, class never went as planned. I’m learning to be ok with this.
15) I don’t want to teach full-time.
16) You can't see 28 point font on a Power Point presentation from the back of a classroom.
17) While I tried to adhere to the rubric, more often than not, my grading was arbitrary. I’m working on this.
18) If you really want to learn something, or become an expert on a subject, teach it.
19) I love teaching about Jesus.