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General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Wednesday Morning Ramblings – Thankful #3

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I’m thankful to live in a country where our transfer of power is bloodless and still somewhat civilized.  Yesterday, many of us undertook our civic duty to elect our representatives to Washington, and while some of us are disappointed by the direction, it occurred legally and for the most part without fraud.  Today, there aren’t tanks patrolling the streets to keep us indoors, and there aren’t armed mobs roaming the streets destroying property and burning down cities.  We voted, those votes were tallied, and the losers step to the side peacefully.  They may begin planning strategies for the next election cycle, but they do so without an armed insurrection.

That’s what makes this country so strong and so amazing.  If you don’t like the results of this election, work harder to win the next one.  If the people you voted for this time around don’t live up to your expectations, replace them in two, four, or six years.  I’m thankful to live in a country and within a system that allows us the freedom to choose our government officials, and if you don’t like the people who are running for office you have the opportunity to either run yourself or find someone you do like.  Our system is the model for how a Democratic-Republic should be structured, and I’m thankful for the thoughtfulness of people like Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams, and the many others who worked through their differences to develop a framework for government that has survived well over 200 years.

I am thankful to be an American.

General Posts

Monday Morning Ramblings

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I often complain about the negative issues in education, but this morning, I would like to take a moment to praise a few of the areas that are positive.

Today and tomorrow are Fall Break, so there are no classes on campus.  However, in Sevier County, dual enrollment instructors are still required to teach in the high schools.  Our first term for dual enrollment ended on Friday, and grades are due on Wednesday.  Since I’m teaching that overload section this semester, grading time is scarce, so last week, I went to the dean of the Sevier County Campus and asked her if I could leave an assignment at the high school and use Monday and Tuesday to grade in my office.  Without missing a beat, she told me that as long as the students were occupied at the high school, my plan was fine with her.  She even expressed an appreciation for the volume of hours I’ve been putting in this Fall.

That’s one of the things I love about my job.  I almost always feel as if I’m supported by the leadership of the college, and I know that most of them understand how hard we work on our end because they work just as hard on theirs.  At the point when I went to talk to her, I hadn’t had a day off in three weeks, and I was feeling desperate for a little time to clear my head and relax.  If she had said no to my request, I would’ve had to grade all weekend again to make sure their grades were in on time.  Since she allowed me to use this time on Monday and Tuesday, I got to get caught up on mowing Saturday and then put my feet up on Sunday and rest.  At the previous college where I was employed, the leadership wouldn’t have cared one iota about my well-being and probably would’ve considered me a derelict for even making such a request.

It’s nice to work for people who understand that we are human beings, not machines.  It’s nice to know my dean appreciates my efforts.  There’s no way to measure how far a little appreciation goes, especially in a profession that is often bombarded with criticism from every angle.  So on this Monday, I’d like to thank Dean Frazier, Mr. Taylor, Dean Crawford, and Mr. McLain for everything they do to support us front-line grunts.  Your efforts are appreciated as well.

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General Posts

Monday Evening Ramblings

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I’m trying desperately to focus on my long-term goals to carry me through this semester.  My morale is very low, and if given a legitimate opportunity, I would jump ship in the blink of an eye.  Every day it gets a little more difficult to care more about my students’ educations than they do, and that frustration is wearing me down.

So instead of focusing on what I’m doing day to day, I’m thinking about why I’m earning this paycheck: 1) to keep my child support up-to-date and 2) to get the farm operational.  Outside of that, I am trying to no longer let the job get to me.  I’ve given my all, and that’s not been good enough, so I’ll give what I can and let the future unfold as it will.

Many of us have sounded the alarm bell, and to date, it has gone unheeded.  I refuse to feel guilty for turning away from this profession.

www.thirdaxe.com