Pioneers Planning Composition Classes

Today I am feeling a bit frazzled.  It's a combination of things:  a jam-packed week, a realization that seminary writing is due at noon today not 5 p.m. like I originally thought, feeling annoyed that I've spent more of my adult life in houses that are under construction than finished, having trouble finding the book I needed in the stack of books that got displaced because of the drywall project, a sermon that I still need to construct.

Let me collect some snippets here.  Let me look for gratitude inspiring nuggets to preserve.

--I have realized that I'm at a school, Spartanburg Methodist College, where I can be more creative.  Before I had that realization, I crafted fairly safe syllabi:  write an evaluation essay, write an argumentative essay, write a research paper.  But my colleagues are doing very cool things in their classrooms, like having students create chain mail (I think it's for a Medieval Lit class, but I'm not sure) or virtual commonplace books in the style of Shakespeare (see this article for more information).

--I am going to spend the summer thinking of ways to be more creative in my classrooms, to have students be more creative.  I'm not teaching Creative Writing, but there's lots I can do in English 101 (English Composition) and English 100 (the pre-college writing class).  

--I have this vision of something that might feel like more of a Return to the Pioneer Life class.  They could knot some quilts that I'd bring in.  We could churn butter (in the pour cream in a jar and shake it kind of way).  Hmmm.  I've been wanting to revisit the Little House books.  Hmm.

--The Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum does have Wilder days Sept. 27 and 28 and a Children's Literature Festival November 7 and 8.  Hmm.  

--I also want to know more about Spartanburg.  It would be cool if there was something similar nearby.

--My students are the Spartanburg Pioneers.  Hmmm.  Yes, that's the mascot.  Maybe we could have a Pioneer Days festival at school.  Maybe everyone would like to knot quilts for Lutheran World Relief.  I hesitate to suggest such a thing for fear I would end up being the one to plan it.

--One of my colleagues is having a Medieval Matters day at campus today.  It's both a festival and a conference, with students presenting papers and research.  She has students coming in from multiple states and schools.  It sounds really cool.  I am so happy to be in a place that has this kind of person pulling together this kind of event.

--Let me hasten to add that almost every school I've been at has had similar opportunities.  Most of us who are drawn to teaching want to have these kinds of cool things for students, and I've been lucky to be places where it's been encouraged.

--I have been talking about how I wish I could have another week off because this past week, while wonderful, has left me wrung out.  Then I realized that this week is Quilt Camp!  It's not a complete week off, but it will rejuvenate me.  And unlike past years, I don't have to drive 12 hours to get to Quilt Camp.