Summer is close to ending, and autumn will soon be here, a wondrous season of change. Among those movements are the leaving behind of summer activities and the return of the academic school year. The first day of the semester at both schools where I teach, Lehigh University and Muhlenberg College, has arrived. I had a busy summer and taught summer classes, so this is not following on a long break, but I always am excited at the start of a new collegiate year.
(https://commons.wikimedia.org)
I often write, in this blog, about writing, and that is my other passion, but teaching is still my main field, my main vocation, and my driving force in life. I love to teach, and this semester I have a wide variety of courses; among them are the following: First Year Composition, Renaissance Imagination, Gothic and Horror, and Modern American Fiction. These courses reflect some, but certainly not all, of my areas of study and interest.
I always feel blessed that I am able to incorporate my love of reading into a field in which I lead discussions about this material. In fact, I am extraordinarily lucky, because I love my work, and I know there are far too many people who do not have this good fortune.
I also love that I have a wide range of students in my classes. I teach both traditional-age students and non-traditional adult students. As someone who was an adult student myself, a story for another post, I embrace having adults in my classes.
So, onward with the semester!
How I would love to study those subjects! You must feel inspired by your work every single day!
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Yes, I do. I feel inspired and very fortunate.
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I wish you a successful academic year..
good luck.. 🙂
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Thank you!
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Here’s to a great semester!
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Thank you!
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I most sincerely hope your teaching reflects commitments you reflect in this blog. It is refreshing to know some young adults will be still be educated and not simply indoctrinated.
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Yes, it does. And I teach both young adults and older students also.
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Your students probably aren’t aware how fortunate they are to have you.
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Thank you!
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I went to community college and then to a four year school and both had adult students. I think it really lends a more mature perspective to the other students in the course and often helps keep the younger ones on task. I wish I had the patience for teaching. Here’s to a great semester!
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Thank you so much.
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I always enjoyed classes taught by teachers who loved their work. It makes a huge difference to the students. Have a good start to the semester!
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Thank you!
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Lucky students!
JP
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Thank you!
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Awesome to read hop passionate you are. I also loved teaching. Watching the reaction on student’s faces was and still is still very precious to me. Enjoy your new semester.
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Thank you very much!
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I start back at Northbrook in the 3rd week of September and am very much looking forward to it – I’ve not been teaching at all during the summer and am now missing my students. I hope your new term goes well in all your classes. Take care.
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Thank you!
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And good luck to you!
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Thank you, on behalf of all adults who love to learn something new. You are truly blessed! All the best for the new semester 😀
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You are very welcome!
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Here’s hoping all your students are as inspired to learn as you are to teach. I would be excited too.
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Thank you!
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This makes me soooo miss the classroom…I loved the discipline it spawned in my writing, and the constant stream of new and interesting information. I can see why you teach! (And AWESOME fall trees, by the way! We already have snow on the mountains!)
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I am envious of the snow!
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Excellent! Renaissance imagination and Gothic & Horror sound awesome. I bet your classes are great! 🙂
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Thank you so much!
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🙂
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Great photos – what a gorgeous campus!
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Thank you!
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I agree, you do have a rewarding job and your students are lucky to have a teacher whose passionate about the subject! Enjoy the upcoming autumn.
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Thank you so much!
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