Stand And Deliver

Yesterday I finished my first class at Neumont University. I was so excited to get to teach in a university setting! And to get to teach adults! I think that I was really blessed with my 10 students. Neumont is a computer-science school and the students there can be quirky. But I had ten really respectful young men in my class.

Neumont is different because it is an intensive program. The students (and their professors!) go through sprints. My class, Social Science 350, Intellectual Property, was a 2 credit class. But to help the students graduate fast and get into the job market, the sprints move them through a 2 credit course in five weeks. We had class everyday for 50 minutes.

Starting October 4 I will be teaching American Government. It is three credits and so it will be 90 minutes, everyday.

It's intense having to do a 50 minute lesson everyday. My hat is off to school teachers who have to plan for a much, much longer day. Though it would be nice to hand my students some crayons and glue and tell them to make something, anything, for the rest of the hour ;)

To keep my student's attention in a sometimes (okay, most of the time) dreery subject, I really had to make a fool out of myself sometimes. But, I kept their attention most of the time, and I think that they learned something. I really thought that I reached about 8 of the 10 students. Two I think thought that I was an idiot and the class was a waste of time. I called them my peanut gallery.

But, yesterday, after the final, one of the members of my peanut gallery handed in his final and said he'd see me in government in 2 weeks. I waited until he closed the door and wondered aloud, "why would he take another class from me? I thought he hated me?" One student heard me and said, "Oh no, he likes you. He's just. . .like that."

Lucky me. Long live the peanut gallery!