Manic Bookstore Cafe

A few semesters ago, I had a student in my lit class. Call him Paul. Nice guy, somewhat engaged with the material, often enthusiastic about lectures and even class discussions, though when I asked a specific question, it usually turned out that he hadn't quite finished doing his reading for class. After twenty years of teaching, I don't remember all my students. But Paul sticks in my mind for a couple of reasons. First, he was just the kind of student I like to get in my general education classes -- a student who won't go on to major in literature or even the humanities necessarily, but who seems to enjoy being exposed to Russian literature. He learned something, and his world got a little bigger. That's what general education is all about. But there's another reason I remember Paul. It turned out that for him, the subject matter wasn't entirely new. Towards the end of the semester he told me: "I really love listening to you talk about Russia and R...

This week my university, Ohio State, starts our second academic year on semesters. My 19th year at Ohio State. Yikes. But it doesn't really feel like the second time. Last autumn I was working half-time at the Graduate School and only taught one class -- my students and I met three times a week to talk about Russian poetry. It was fabulously fun, but it doesn't really help me with starting this week. In spring semester I was in Warsaw -- again, great teaching experience, but I taught two courses which met once a week for 90 minutes each. Not particularly helpful as I prepare to teach my two undergraduate Russian literature courses this semester -- especially since the autumn semester will actually last about 16 weeks. One thing from last autumn will help -- I remember telling my students that as compared to quarters we were bound to experience several lulls, when we became sick of each other and the course material. I do feel that it's important to prepare -- and control...

Somehow this week I've had an extraordinary number of pedagogical experiences. Sure, I'm a professor and I teach every week here in Poland (yes, just one day a week -- what a luxury!), and I have learned quite a bit about myself as an instructor, as a lecturer, as a creator and coordinator of instructional materials over the course of the term. But I am also a student, taking Polish language lessons about once a week with my private teacher, Pani Paulina. And observing some classes and seminars recently has put me in the student seat, which gives one an entirely different perspective. At the unique Artes Liberales  college within the University of Warsaw I've been on both sides of the podium: I guest-lectured last week, and this week I observed "Academic Writing in English," taught by a young Polish PhD, and I attended an international interdisciplinary PhD program seminar. Finally, on Friday afternoon I sat and listened to my daughter's violin lesson w...