I haven’t been able to do much blogging since the move, but I thought a brief update might be of interest to some. The semester started three weeks ago and since then I’ve been teaching 6 hours a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. While that might seem like an ideal schedule to some, I’m finding that that amount of animated teaching leaves me feeling like I just ran a marathon and rather low the following day. On Wednesdays and Fridays I am grading papers, preparing quizzes, going to meetings, and talking with students. Monday is my day to figure out what to say for 6 hours. I’m thankful that I have two sections each of OT Survey I and NT Survey I so that I don’t have to prepare for 12 hours of new teaching each week. The downside is that these are all large General Education courses, and when your smallest class is 62 students, there’s extra work with student interaction and grading.
I am enjoying teaching, though I think I had expected to do better after being sidelined for 6 years. The physical component is much harder than I expected. It may help for me to explain that I feel that I have to work extra hard to keep the interest of a large number of non-Bible majors who have not necessarily adjusted to college life and who are spread out in a large classroom that is any teacher’s nightmare.
I am surprised that the NT Survey class is much easier for me than the OT. That won’t last, but since I never took students on a tour of the Garden of Eden or the Tower of Babel, I am not nearly as comfortable teaching those sections as teaching on the life of Christ.
From the questions in class and the assignments turned in, I am generally impressed with my students. Many are in their late teens, but quite a number are a bit older following army service or years in the work place. I probably have a dozen students who are children of TMC profs or administrators, and I’m starting to learn of other interesting connections.
I am using PowerPoint, but I am providing handouts which have all of the text from the slides. That scares me a bit, as I wonder if they ‘ll tune me out instead of taking notes. That too forces me to work harder to keep their attention. I decided to go this route because these are lower-division classes and my chief goal is not to teach them how to copy text off of slides.
I do not allow phones to be used in class for any purpose, but I do allow computers as long as the wifi is turned off. I’ve only confiscated one phone so far.
I required all of my students, for both OT and NT, to memorize Psalm 1 for the first quiz. Then I required them to write it out again on the second quiz.
I spoke in the Bible Department chapel last week. I began with a long and unique pitch for IBEX. Applications for this spring are at about 15, and there are less than 5 for each of the following two semesters. I am stunned, shocked, horrified, and mortified.
The family is doing well, though with five days in the office and two night classes, they are seeing a lot less of me than they are used to.
The IBEX count makes me very sad. Perhaps it’s seen as too much work or commonplace. I know it was always hard for business majors to make IBEX happen. Maybe a new push or some advertising/marketing needs to happen?
Hang in there! :)
That is really sad about IBEX. :( It probably has something to do with unrest in Syria and Egypt, plus it does cost more to go… :(
I’m pushing IBEX in my classes. I think that the personal referrals are the best thing. Students transferring in as juniors usually can’t make it work and TMC now has 40% transfer students. And the cost of the plane ticket added to the bill really hurts.
Hi Todd!
I know you’ve been here for a little while now (and already have been in class for 3 weeks!?!) but welcome to California. Thanks for your blog post about how classes have been for you. Matt and I have talked a few times about how these students just have no idea what a gift it is that Dr. Todd Bolen :) is their teacher. Even with a 3 month, 2 yr & 3 yr old, I’m trying to figure out how I could somehow come and sit in on one of your classes. That would make my month! :) Maybe next semester when baby isn’t needing me every 3 hours.
And about Israel, if I could tell all those students that 10 years ago this fall that trip forever changed my life, I would! Matt and I both still miss it.
Blessings, Todd!
Thanks, Ashley. You are very kind. I’d love to have you sit in a class, though I wouldn’t be surprised if when you had a moment’s rest, you promptly fell asleep :-).
I’ve also been trying to figure out how to get up to SCV to sit in on a Dr. Todd Bolen class!
I teach NT Survey Tuesdays 6-9 pm and OT Survey Thursdays 6-9 pm. And you’re welcome to come late and/or leave early. Or spend the night in the guest room at our home if you’d like.
The teacher in me smiled much at all these observations about your first days back in the classroom. I have much empathy for you. I nearly giggled out loud when I read that you’ve only confiscated one phone. I’m trying to imagine that scene. It is truly amazing how physically demanding teach is! Keep it up! May God provide you with strength, wisdom, insight, & the proverbial eyes in the back of your head. ;)
So glad you’re teaching NT and OT Survey. Your students are blessed. I’ve been given the chance to teach NT Survey in the Spring in Tacoma…I wanted to know what texts you are requiring students to get, if any. Thanks!
Thanks, David. I’m using two books in addition to the Bible.
1. What the New Testament Authors Really Cared About
2. Satellite Bible Atlas
The first is pretty good, though I partly chose it because I’m using the OT counterpart in the OT class. I can’t say I’ve read all of the NT survey texts and chosen the best. One nice thing is that it is shorter than most. And the photos are great. :-)