Default Setting
Mothering instincts- this is the one thing that I have which can't be changed. No matter the age of the person I am dealing with. This, for your information, is not necessarily a good thing.
For my children, I am protective, involved & caring (as I should be) and hopefully they will grow up to be good, well-adjusted persons.
However for my students, I find it really irritating that I attend to requests like 24 hours before the exam: individuals asking various silly questions about concepts/ issues that we have already discussed in tutorials & revisions (at times ad nauseum).
Perhaps this (attending to students' messages at ungodly hours) is just my lack of assertiveness- similar to my willingness to help the alumni group at the expense of my own personal time/ space. SO: WHAT WILL I DO ABOUT IT?
For the students, I will be creating an openlearning course that will channel the 'special cases' to online resources. They can refer to the multiple materials (that we will build together) when they miss my classes (whether intentionally or otherwise) and take responsibility for their own learning. After that, my answer to these messages will be "please refer to the online resource page". One liner. Instead of having to explain anything, I will direct them to the river of knowledge (if I could call it that).
As for the alumni group, our event on 21 Oct 2017 was my last. I had informed one person (the Project Manager) before the event, and after the event I had shared a cryptic message indicating that my daughter has a major exam this year- hence I will be quiet throughout November and December.. and all suggestions for event improvement can be documented for the benefit of THE NEXT TEAM of organisers. Well the letters weren't exactly in caps, and I don't really think that they got it.. BUT with voluntary work it is quite easy to 'drop out' by JUST NOT COMING TO THE MEETINGS! There is always a reason since I am after all a single parent with little children. Time to play that card, why not?
In short, 2018 should probably be a quiet year for me. Will I get married? It is in the pipeline, but the laying of the pipes doesn't seem to be too visible. Well I will leave it to the Almighty as He knows best what I can handle. Toodles & XOXO.
For my children, I am protective, involved & caring (as I should be) and hopefully they will grow up to be good, well-adjusted persons.
However for my students, I find it really irritating that I attend to requests like 24 hours before the exam: individuals asking various silly questions about concepts/ issues that we have already discussed in tutorials & revisions (at times ad nauseum).
Perhaps this (attending to students' messages at ungodly hours) is just my lack of assertiveness- similar to my willingness to help the alumni group at the expense of my own personal time/ space. SO: WHAT WILL I DO ABOUT IT?
For the students, I will be creating an openlearning course that will channel the 'special cases' to online resources. They can refer to the multiple materials (that we will build together) when they miss my classes (whether intentionally or otherwise) and take responsibility for their own learning. After that, my answer to these messages will be "please refer to the online resource page". One liner. Instead of having to explain anything, I will direct them to the river of knowledge (if I could call it that).
As for the alumni group, our event on 21 Oct 2017 was my last. I had informed one person (the Project Manager) before the event, and after the event I had shared a cryptic message indicating that my daughter has a major exam this year- hence I will be quiet throughout November and December.. and all suggestions for event improvement can be documented for the benefit of THE NEXT TEAM of organisers. Well the letters weren't exactly in caps, and I don't really think that they got it.. BUT with voluntary work it is quite easy to 'drop out' by JUST NOT COMING TO THE MEETINGS! There is always a reason since I am after all a single parent with little children. Time to play that card, why not?
In short, 2018 should probably be a quiet year for me. Will I get married? It is in the pipeline, but the laying of the pipes doesn't seem to be too visible. Well I will leave it to the Almighty as He knows best what I can handle. Toodles & XOXO.