Annoying at first...

My first student today--a drop in--was supremely annoying. He started off OK, wanted help with an introduction to a narrative in response to a reading, but when I gave him some guidance for what to do to create a workable introduction, he suddenly decided the whole thing was just too stupid to deal with: the assignment, the class, everything. I think he said, "I'm not feeling it" or "I'm just over it" or something to that effect. Well, OK, but you will have to do well at the assignment to pass. "Oh, I'll pass, no matter what." Fine. I guess you don't need me then, do you. Buh-byeee.

But isn't it absolutely lovely that I never have to deal with him again? He is someone else's problem; I don't have to persuade him of the value of the class or the assignment or anything. The actual crux  of the matter, I think, is the perpetual "just out of high school" plaint that the assignment has "no structure." Read, "I have to actually think for myself instead of simply following a set template." Sorry about that whole having to think part, Toots. Good luck getting out of it, though. (In some classes, maybe--but I happen to know who his professor is, and she will not accept pat pabulum.)

I met with two other students, both ESL (why do I keep getting them when I don't know how to explain stuff to ESL students??)--and both pretty good writers. One is in an 001, which probably should be an ESL dedicated section, but apparently we just don't have enough of those. The other is actually in a 200-level class, taught by a colleague I like a lot, and she didn't need much help, just some fine tuning.

So most of the day, I spent doing rather ineffectual research for my own writing--which ultimately led to a realization that I probably have to completely reboot one character's background and consequently certain elements of the overall story, simply because I don't know enough to fake it and can't find out enough to ground what I'm doing in anything solid. Rather fun to do the research--chasing down those various rabbit trails, then circling back to the beginning--since there is no pressure about any of it.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, I spoke to an old friend who has just resurfaced, and she wants to pay me to tutor her 16-year-old twins. They have wildly divergent needs, but, sure: I'll do it. Again, that's the fun part of what I know how to do, working one-on-one with young people on writing--of any kind. It's beginning to look like my main post-retirement revenue stream may be from tutoring, which would be fine. It's a good freelance gig, if I can build up enough of a clientele (and can charge what I think I'm worth).

Now, however, I'm going to transition out of the WC and over to my office, where I will noodle for a while before my Monday evening appointment. Not much else to say at present. I wonder if these blog posts will get more scintillating or if they will eventually peter out--or shift over entirely into Prof. TLP Frustrated Fiction Writer type entries. I hope some of you, my faithful readers, hang on while I figure out what this blog is going to look like now that I don't have daily classroom stuff about which to blow off steam.