IBM vacation day, blogging catch-up, homework, and Teaching Fellow feedback…

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I took a vacation day to actually relax—well sort of—one day of this long weekend.

I took advantage of the opportunity to finish up my blog entries of the weekend in New England, and to do my reading for my Verbal Data Analysis this evening.

Class was fine tonight, and I stayed in Tompkins, in the Caldwell lounge area actually, after class to complete my homework for tomorrow night’s Rhetoric of Science and Technology course—which was due electronically by midnight. It consisted of three readings, and answering three questions on the class discussion board.

I had a couple of affirmations today, one from my “new” cousin and one from the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, at whose conference I collaborated professionally for the first time with my sister in July.

From my cousin:

Hi John,

“Right back at ya babe” – meeting you was a great pleasure also. In fact, I think you were the highlight of my trip.

And from the NC Teaching Fellows program, we received the “write-in” feedback about our session called, “Are you IN or are you OUT?”—about issues pertinent to teaching LGBT students and being a LGBT teacher. My sister and I collaborated with a “semi-out” teacher, and new friend, Clyde. Here’s the feedback from the session the three of us put on:

Memorandum

To: Dr. Vivian Covington and Mr. John Martin (not sure why Clyde wasn’t included, but he was the voice of experience!)
Cc: Dr. Mary Beth Corbin and Martha Parrish

From: Gladys Graves, Director, NC Teaching Fellows Program

Subject: Are you In or Out?
Junior Conference: July 29, 2007

Date: September 4, 2007

I am sure you all reviewed your evaluations, but I wanted to share with you for your “professional portfolio.”

The range of the Fellows responses was between 1 (didn’t have enough time) and 5, with the majority being between 4 and 5 on a scale with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Every form indicated that you should be recommended for future Teaching Fellows Conferences and you should present for a Campus Teaching Fellows  Program.

Listed below are the written comments:

  • This is valuable information and outside of this workshop we have hardly addressed it. This subject is important and needs to be addressed among all Teaching Fellows. A subject we will all have to deal with.
  • Amazing information and presentation style! Great handling of this “hot button” issue.
  • Great presentation; wish we had more time; very informative
  • I was very impressed with this session. The presenters were very knowledgeable about the subject. They shared personal experiences as well as facts. Handouts had very good websites for further learning. Would definitely recommend this workshop; this is a subject about which teachers need to be educated.
  • I think that GLBT issues should be addressed in a general session. These are very pertinent and personal issues that all educators must address in order to make a change. I appreciated how many of the issues also fell into other categories of diversity.
  • Presenters were great, made me feel comfortable discussing the topic.
  • Excellent presentation, very helpful. Presented information in a fantastic and nonthreatening manner.
  • Thanks! Interesting! Amazing! Very informative! Great Presentation! Lots of useful information.
  • Wonderful presentation. Thanks for including it in the conference.
  • This has been, without a DOUBT the most relevant workshop I have ever attended concerning diversity and creating a safe place for students. Amazing! Enlightening!
  • Information needs to be available to a wider audience – particularly working with/protecting GLBT students and colleagues and stopping harassment. The RISC model supports “shifting attitudes” very helpful. Thanks.
  • Great workshop to tie into conference theme.

You can read all the details about the seminar and our amazing day in my July 29, 2007 entry.

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