Stella calls as I leave and offers to cover my afternoon class in Bothell, since she lives practically across the street from the college. I'm not worried about getting there - class doesn't start until 3:30 - but it would give me a chance to avoid the 5:35 rush-hour dash to Antioch for my 7:00 pm class. Since the class is going to the library and the teaching librarian is going to be doing all the work anyway, I quickly agree.
So, I finish my class, come home, prep some materials and email them to Stella, and figure it was a good move.
And then Antioch cancels its evening classes anyway.
I toy with the idea of heading up to Bothell, since I won't have the rush home to worry about, but let it go. I take care of business around the house, trying to develop some alternatives for the students in my cancelled evening class, but the rain is starting and its warming up and I can't help feeling like the evening class could have been held after all. Even when Otis and I head out for a bite after her afternoon client, well after sundown, nothing is really frozen.
And today I wake up to find that North once again has a late start, so my 9:00 class remains phantom. I now need to seriously re-do the syllabus; we've missed four classes in a row, a whole week if you count the holiday. Aargh!
I used to be one of the people at my college down in Vancouver that made the decision whether to close the campus. I understand how difficult it is to balance the interests of safety and education, particularly when the weather conditions are borderline, or vary greatly within the service area, or both, and I'm not trying to second-guess anyone.
I am realizing that what I need to do, especially in Fall and Winter quarters, is to always have an electronic communication system set up for each class, whether I intend to use it regularly or not. With something like a Blackboard site or even an e-mail list in place, I'd at least be able to continue with some readings, as well as writings and comments, even when the class couldn't meet.
So, the teacher has learned a lesson, at least, even if there hasn't been class much.
Mountie, the camera-shy outside cat
1 comment:
Just go back to class and say, "OK, break's over. Hope everyone enjoyed their time off. I know I did! Now we have to cram an extra week's work into the next few weeks of class. It'll be kinda rough, but luckily we had a nice break so we should all be ready for the challenge!"
Post a Comment