Marathon weeks

Warning: This entry was started in a week of 15 class visits.

Those who teach IL classes all have dealt with the exhaustion of a day of the same class over and over again. The takeaway I have from those days is the perk of being able to doing subtle tweaks as you go from class to class, to finally have something that is that many classes closer to perfection. Instead of a buffer of days between the next time you encounter that same exact course, you get instant feedback. A redo! Another bunch of fresh faces that allow you to try to impart the vital aspects of research. 

What works for one class won't always work for another, which is a given, but it is fascinating how just the time of day affects how a class will comprehend and apply a concept. It is slowly changing my way of thought in how I create course sessions. Early morning? They will still be active, but are better off if I explain something in a more visual manner. Late in the afternoon? They are hungry from not having lunch yet ( note to self: avoid food examples), but are pretty peppy and happy to be doing something interactive. Late evening? Those are the ones that see no obstacle as insurmountable. I can throw anything at them and they will try their darnest to do it.

Regardless of how great it is to get instant feed back on small tweaks and being able to apply it.... its great to have slower weeks where I can sit back and reflect on the changes and how they subtly tweaked both the atmosphere of a class and the comprehension.