Have been lax on blogging- health issues being the biggest offender, with 2 recent trips to the ER for some quick fix for the persistent blood issue that just won't go away. . .but I digress
FUNDING has landed, and not a moment too soon because I am ready to give one of my adjuncting gigs up and now I can. I am in love with with my first year student classes, and the people I work with in that department, but the other department? Farking hell!
I will explain- I am going to assume that most of you reading this understand what a syllabus is- and that it is no small feat to create and maintain one. The hardest part is always getting the first one done, with changes in the semester and policies, and all sorts of additions you are constantly crafting it, dare I say nurturing it and making it a part of your teaching, almost a partner in crime;)
Keep in mind the fall semester starts in 2 weeks as you read the next part- I got an e mail from the department secretary saying that the department head wanted my syllabus to look over (yes, he really DID go there. . .reminds me of grade school "go tell so and so that I don't want to talk to her") so I sent it, and heard nothing. . .until Friday- where this long cut and pasted e mail was sent to me and the other 2 sociology instructors that wanted us, in less that 2 weeks to ok I'll quote the e mail hang on
"In reviewing the past syllabi for SOC 100 it appears these syllabi provides the student very limited information as to what they will receive in class lectures and/or discussions. One of the syllabi (that's mine:)does include student learning outcomes (old term is course objectives) however the assignments within the course itself are not linked to any of the student learning outcomes."
Ok- this "chair" is one of the most unprofessional people I have ever had to deal with. . .and THAT is saying a lot. Loses his temper like a 2 year old at the drop of a hat, will not lower himself to e mail adjuncts, just not very effective and up until now, it has not been a problem. . .but NOW guess what he wants? Here I'll show you-
"I would respectfully(this means he KNOWS he fucked up and is clearly trying to play catch up) request the three of you discuss how you want to structure the SOC 100 course for the fall. In that discussion you will need to link the assignments to the student learning outcomes by identifying which assignment is linked to which outcome.
Ok- for those of you NOT familiar with the process of curriculum development. . .myself EFFING included, this means we, btw this e mail is dated August 10, 2010, have to meet, develop a core curriculum, and be on the same page. . .and submit that Theory of Relativity meets Constitution meets the TORAH. . .see, mission, rights, guidance, that's what the 3 documents represent, sorry getting worked up and analogy CRAZED. . .
Ok SUBMIT it by. . .ready. . .MONDAY AUGUST 23. . .
Holy SHIT, really? Gosh anything else you want with that? How about peace in Israel? How about the answer to the meaning of life (42 btw)
Well, I was in Atlanta for the ASA I left on the 12, so did not get back to him until this week when I sent him my syllabus and got this message on Friday
"Dear Sociology Faculty,
Please be in contact with each other to develop the SOC 100 syllabus."
Whaaa? No names used, no respect, and keep in mind this is 10 DAYS after he first contacted us, at the end of summer, RIGHT BEFORE THE FREAKING START. So, I emailed the other "staff" saying I felt it was not really enough time to do such a thing and got one reply back-
"the syllabus I have been using is pretty lengthy. When I get to a computer I will send you a copy. Since we all hav(sic) different instructional methods and do not have a pre-formatted curriculum, I, too, am at a loss. This is a very last-minute request for what I feel would emcompass (sic)almost complete revisions of our lesson plan."
HELL TO THE FUCK YA!
So remember there is still one "staff" who has yet to weigh in. . .and well hang on I'll quote
myself-
" I do it differently. To be blunt, I have no time for this at all, and cannot fathom why this was not brought to our attention sooner."
To which the other "staff" replied
"I agree with you. This is something that would take a curriculum development specialist several weeks to complete.Let's just add the final paragraphs that were suggested to each of ours and then forward them to the "chair" for his approval of each separately. I have no idea what 3rd staff does in his classes."
So to sum up- I got an e mail on the 10th of August to create a core curriculum for the class I am barely paid to teach (I make 3.87/hour, and that doesn't include the travel expenses because honestly I know at some prices I am losing money but love teaching). I am expected to do this for free, since it is not listed as one of my "contractual obligations" (ahhhh thanks Bill for giving me a chance to turn that term into my bitch, yes Laura STILL BITTER, reason can be summed up in a word and initial- Andy W.)
By the 20th of August, the "chair" is wondering where his new curriculum in the form of a common syllabus is. . .
soooooo, IN THE SPIRIT of Nickeled and Dimed the ACADEMIC version. . .all I can say is. . .not gonna do it and if you are going to make it part of my job you can pay me for it, and if you will not accept my syllabus as is for fall, you can teach the fucking classes yourself!
FUNDING has landed, and not a moment too soon because I am ready to give one of my adjuncting gigs up and now I can. I am in love with with my first year student classes, and the people I work with in that department, but the other department? Farking hell!
I will explain- I am going to assume that most of you reading this understand what a syllabus is- and that it is no small feat to create and maintain one. The hardest part is always getting the first one done, with changes in the semester and policies, and all sorts of additions you are constantly crafting it, dare I say nurturing it and making it a part of your teaching, almost a partner in crime;)
Keep in mind the fall semester starts in 2 weeks as you read the next part- I got an e mail from the department secretary saying that the department head wanted my syllabus to look over (yes, he really DID go there. . .reminds me of grade school "go tell so and so that I don't want to talk to her") so I sent it, and heard nothing. . .until Friday- where this long cut and pasted e mail was sent to me and the other 2 sociology instructors that wanted us, in less that 2 weeks to ok I'll quote the e mail hang on
"In reviewing the past syllabi for SOC 100 it appears these syllabi provides the student very limited information as to what they will receive in class lectures and/or discussions. One of the syllabi (that's mine:)does include student learning outcomes (old term is course objectives) however the assignments within the course itself are not linked to any of the student learning outcomes."
Ok- this "chair" is one of the most unprofessional people I have ever had to deal with. . .and THAT is saying a lot. Loses his temper like a 2 year old at the drop of a hat, will not lower himself to e mail adjuncts, just not very effective and up until now, it has not been a problem. . .but NOW guess what he wants? Here I'll show you-
"I would respectfully(this means he KNOWS he fucked up and is clearly trying to play catch up) request the three of you discuss how you want to structure the SOC 100 course for the fall. In that discussion you will need to link the assignments to the student learning outcomes by identifying which assignment is linked to which outcome.
Ok- for those of you NOT familiar with the process of curriculum development. . .myself EFFING included, this means we, btw this e mail is dated August 10, 2010, have to meet, develop a core curriculum, and be on the same page. . .and submit that Theory of Relativity meets Constitution meets the TORAH. . .see, mission, rights, guidance, that's what the 3 documents represent, sorry getting worked up and analogy CRAZED. . .
Ok SUBMIT it by. . .ready. . .MONDAY AUGUST 23. . .
Holy SHIT, really? Gosh anything else you want with that? How about peace in Israel? How about the answer to the meaning of life (42 btw)
Well, I was in Atlanta for the ASA I left on the 12, so did not get back to him until this week when I sent him my syllabus and got this message on Friday
"Dear Sociology Faculty,
Please be in contact with each other to develop the SOC 100 syllabus."
Whaaa? No names used, no respect, and keep in mind this is 10 DAYS after he first contacted us, at the end of summer, RIGHT BEFORE THE FREAKING START. So, I emailed the other "staff" saying I felt it was not really enough time to do such a thing and got one reply back-
"the syllabus I have been using is pretty lengthy. When I get to a computer I will send you a copy. Since we all hav(sic) different instructional methods and do not have a pre-formatted curriculum, I, too, am at a loss. This is a very last-minute request for what I feel would emcompass (sic)almost complete revisions of our lesson plan."
HELL TO THE FUCK YA!
So remember there is still one "staff" who has yet to weigh in. . .and well hang on I'll quote
myself-
" I do it differently. To be blunt, I have no time for this at all, and cannot fathom why this was not brought to our attention sooner."
To which the other "staff" replied
"I agree with you. This is something that would take a curriculum development specialist several weeks to complete.Let's just add the final paragraphs that were suggested to each of ours and then forward them to the "chair" for his approval of each separately. I have no idea what 3rd staff does in his classes."
So to sum up- I got an e mail on the 10th of August to create a core curriculum for the class I am barely paid to teach (I make 3.87/hour, and that doesn't include the travel expenses because honestly I know at some prices I am losing money but love teaching). I am expected to do this for free, since it is not listed as one of my "contractual obligations" (ahhhh thanks Bill for giving me a chance to turn that term into my bitch, yes Laura STILL BITTER, reason can be summed up in a word and initial- Andy W.)
By the 20th of August, the "chair" is wondering where his new curriculum in the form of a common syllabus is. . .
soooooo, IN THE SPIRIT of Nickeled and Dimed the ACADEMIC version. . .all I can say is. . .not gonna do it and if you are going to make it part of my job you can pay me for it, and if you will not accept my syllabus as is for fall, you can teach the fucking classes yourself!
Contrast that with my OTHER department- that sent me to San Fran because they believed I would be able to assist the department in their goals. . .and have been nothing but supportive. . .it is like living in both Bizzaro and Superfriend world, at the same time, reality permeability just messing with me bad. . .
So- long story short, I am being asked to do months of work in 10 days, with no pay. . .business as usual in the adjuncting, along with no benefits, no respect, add no pay for lofty and unreasonable expectations. . .
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