September marks the beginning of a new semester. It will be my first official fall semester as a PhD student after officially being admitted in spring term.
Spring term was useful and busy even though I had the two months off from my job. I spent the time in professional development and in graduate course credits. Summer, however, was more frustrating. I never quite got into a good teaching groove for my teaching, and the graduate course that I took (well, that Kimberly took since the professor held it during a time that I could not meet) was the worst course that I have ever taken. It was poorly organized, poorly articulated, poorly graded, and the instructor still has yet to submit grades even though the term finished about a month ago.
Still, I was ready to let go of the summer and head into a productive fall. Unfortunately I have a heavy teaching load for this semester (my two regular classes, plus a graduate writing class and a a double-section for one of my regular courses), but I am confident that it will work out just fine. I was looking forward to being a student in an interesting technology course, however that plan has been altered. The department, without informing students, has added a required course to the already hefty list of required classes. This new course conflicts with my teaching schedule (yet again), but the instructor has agreed to let me attend for the portions that I can.
I'm not happy with the lack of organization and communication of this department. But then I remind myself that I am not paying for tuition and that regardless of what happens with my credits, it is a great learning opportunity. So long as I approach it with that attitude, I will be less likely to be disappointed and frustrated. And since I never really intended to do my PhD here to begin with, I can feel good about whatever the outcome over the next two years.
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