This is, essentially, what I mean to say. I have not been much of a passive reader since the fifth grade, because I started writing in the sixth. In particular, I only occasionally read long novels for recreation; I do not normally find them relaxing or interesting, and I have to be relaxed and entertained … More Moria on Reading and Writing
There are things like editorial boards that I am on, and forget to say I am. I have to remember them, as we are coming up on annual report season. I do not like looking at my vita and things like that, and part of being in that writing group is to “disenchant” them, just … More J’oublie
If I did not have such a heavy service load or such a broad teaching range at the upper division to graduate level, and if we had an actual language program in place such that I knew what our goals and preferred methods actually were, then I might, despite the fact that this is very … More Untenable I
The question in the students’ book was: have you ever said yes to something when you meant no? I would not normally have a profound thought about this question but because it came up in an academic venue, and somehow I have profound thoughts during this very basic class — they float somewhere near the ceiling, … More On saying yes and no
I want it. The reason I do not have it is that there are so many obstacles to rationally managed teaching and service placed here. This is done because the University, as it has said in writing, does not support my fields. One must be less and less kind and negotiate less and less, and … More I want more research time.
The other point to be made is that doing things in the academically prescribed way: rushing, taking “shortcuts,” going through the motions superficially, saying things you do not believe — is boring. Things become interesting if you give them attention, and anxiety producing if you do not give them enough time. If I explained this … More …and furthermore, it is boring!
“You have to learn to be a good prison guard,” said my colleague after visiting my lower division class, but that is precisely the reason I want to leave academia. I am not interested in being a prison guard at all, and to the extent one is expected to be that or a social worker, … More “You have to learn how to be a good prison guard”
I honestly think and have always thought the only way to get enough peace of mind and research time would be to let the major and graduate programs die. We do amazing amounts of service and out of field teaching to keep these going. Without them, we would teach one more section of service courses … More Method
DCLioness left a comment on a recent post that contained an important word: deprofessionalization. I keep trying to figure out why it is that I shrink and do not grow in the profession the longer I work at the kind of institution I do, and deprofessionalization would be the answer. I know one is expected … More On deprofessionalization
You only say this because you have never held an administrative position or undertaken major service. In the meantime, I will remove the services of your IT department and those in charge of your physical plant. If you are foreign language faculty, I will remove the study abroad office from your university while also requiring … More Academic Myth #1: “Administration is useless, and service is easy”
coldhearted scientist وداد 