Teaching Cadence

I suppose you could say that there is a cadence to teaching. After years of teaching various types of technology — I realize that there is never going to be an end in site. I spend countless hours learning new types of technology. 

With that, I often thought that teaching History would be cool. I mean, really?  How often does it really change? Sure, we find new things about history, but we all know the basic principles of history, right? We know who our last president was. We know when World War I was fought and when the Vietnam Was was, right?

So, while I teach technology, and it changes all the time, that doesn't change the cadence of teaching. So here it is:

Every summer day, we contemplate what we're going to do in the fall, how we are going to explain a topic. We take classes. We write curriculum. In my case, I learn the topic I'm suppose to teach. For example: next fall I'm teaching Social Networking for Business and Google Apps. Well, folks, try to find a class in Google apps, and you probably won't. So I read, learn, focus and process all of that information so that I can teach it, and then figure out ways that I will assess my students' outcomes for the fall. It isn't that easy, but after a while it becomes normal — a rhythm.  

After the semester begins, by about the fourth week, you tend to forget about the summer life of leisure (supposed leisure) and then you pray for the first day when you can break out your leather jacket and suede shoes. It is, after all, fall.  Right? And then you are excited by the holidays. One of my favorite holidays? Columbus Day. Heck, I don't care if he did or did not discover America — I need a three day weekend!

Thanksgiving. Christmas. Rush, rush, rush! And then Martin Luther King Day, and never forget Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, and spring break. And then the paperwork, committees and professional commitments start up.  Vroom, vroom.

And then one day, you come home at noon, your classes are done and summer starts. So begins the vicious circle of life and teaching.

I got home at noon today. And while I still have finals to give and graduation to attend, I feel excited, relieved and peaceful.   

I just want to relish this moment. There are few like it.