Yes, I am alive!

Alive but busy! Being the coordinator for continuing a research study in my lab, being a TA for intro to child development, finishing my coursework, and working on my masters thesis....whew. It is good that I'm keeping busy though, for several reasons. First, I generally work better and I'm more focused when I have lots of things on my to-do list. Second, it keeps me occupied so that, before I know it, it's the weekend again and I get to see Steve again.

So how is the long-distance relationship thing going so far, you ask? OK, as good as it can be, really. We're trying to take it one day or one week at a time, and not focus on the two-ish year long-distance stretch ahead of us. There's some relief, but a two-year stretch of this continued seems really overwhelming and makes me sad. :-( Unless I get a summer teaching position, I'll spend 3.5 months in the summer in Philadelphia, reading for my comprehensive exams while Steve is at work. Also, we're hoping that by my fifth year, I will be far along enough in dissertation data collection that I can work from a distance in Philly. Or, if not, it's possible that Steve could get a one-year teaching position here at Penn State or one of the surrounding universities. We'll see...but like I said, one day or one week at a time right now.

I really like teaching so far! I am the head TA for "213" aka introduction to child development, a 330 person class. The faculty member I work for (Jeff) lectures Monday and Wednesdays, and on Fridays the students break out into sections of approximately 30-35 students. During those sections, the graduate TAs do mini-lectures followed by class activities, discussions, etc. The other graduate TAs teach 2 sections, but I teach 1 section and manage the organizational and administrative issues that come up throughout the week. You would be surprised at how much time it takes to search through 330 exams to find & rescore 4 exams from students who bubbled in the wrong test form on the scantron, and were horried at the grade of 8% or something else absurd! After being profoundly influenced by years of having excellent teachers (e.g. Dr. P. at Furman), it is nice to give back a little to educational karma and be on the other side of the teacher/student relationship.

One of my favorite websites as of recently. It's HILARIOUS, enough said. :-)
http://www.youforgotpoland.com

I'm back to blogland, I promise. Even if my posts aren't too long, I'll try to do better at updating!

Ta ta for now! Leave some love (e.g. comments)!