Teaching Nights

This teaching nights is sort of bumming.

The students are worn out by the time they get to me -- one of my classes runs until eight and the other runs until ten, so these are students who have been working all day long, or, in the case of the four athletes, working out all day long -- and I have been up writing and prepping for class since six, so I am in not much better a mood.

I have, mainly, nurses, athletes, construction workers, and folks from the Fort's two remaining factories in my classes. They're cranky and annoyed and about half conservative. That is, about four of the eight students in each class is a far-right conservative, and the other four are middle-right.

And me! Your friendly socialist professor!

Oh, boy, are we having fun!

Wait until we start reading G. B. Shaw! Ha! Ha! I'll crack them up!

So far, though, it's just been grim. The women students (three out of the eight in one class, five out of the eight in the other) will at least read their assignments -- many of the men won't. Trying to teach students who haven't done the reading is, as those of you who teach know, a special challenge. Sort of like rowing uphill.

It also exasperates the students who have done the reading. As well it should, frankly.

I'm not sure what can be done about any of this.

Build a better society? One where students don't have to work?

And, on that planet, students would all do their reading, both because they would be rested, and because they would want an education, and they would be in school for the love of learning, and not because they saw the degree as a capitalist tool...

Never mind me. I think I might have a fever over here.