So this is Grad school
Posted on January 11, 2007
Two classes. Three textbooks, one of which I don’t have (more on that below). Seven chapters + two handouts to read. Two short essays to write. One small group presentation to co-develop. All by the middle of next week.
On Wednesdays is a class with along name which I’ve forgetten, but which everybody seems to call the TESOL Methods class. It’s actually three classes in one. It’s an upper level undergrad English class, a graduate Education class, and a graduate Linguistics class, if I remember correctly. It has about 20 students with a mix of grad/undergrad and English/Education majors, with a strong representation of Elementary Education majors. I think the rationale is that with growing number of immigrants and their families becoming part of the community, it might make Education majors more marketable if they have ESL/TESOL certification. In that class there are four chapter to read, plus a handout that was given in class and I think another one online. There is a short essay to write, but I think it might be optional. There is a group project due Wednesday, but I want to do the reading first, so the group agreed to do our work via email starting on Sunday.
On Thursdays (both classes are from 6:00 ~ 8:45) is a class deceptively titled Intro to the English Language. It reality it seems more like Intro to Linguistics, using English as an example. I thought the class would be re-teaching us all of the “proper” grammar rules we’ve forgotten since we learned them in grade school, in preparation for the grad students going out and teaching English to future generations. Teaching the teachers, essentially. Based on the class today, this will be more about language and less about English. The classes will use English as a common frame of reference, but it won’t be solely about English. It will be about structure and history, what language is and what language does. What is the purpose and how did it evolve. It will involve a bit of semiotics (study of symbols/signs), psychology, sociology, physics, biology, communications, and so on. Since I’m into multiculturalism I think the class will be fascinating, as well as intellectually stimulating. The downside is the syllabus wasn’t posted online until this afternoon (everybody is a week behind already) and the bookstore doesn’t have the textbook yet. They are supposed to have it tomorrow, though if they don’t I’ll just order from Amazon.
I guess I know what I’ll be doing this weekend. I’ll have to try and stay away from the PC and keep my nose in the books. Maybe I’ll go to a coffee shop and read there. If it is dry academic text, I’ll need the caffeine to stay awake.
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