It is 5 pm here and 6 a.m. your time. I’ve gone “over the hump” (8 of 10 class meetings complete) and will stay in this relative calm and sort papers and try to get BlackBoard set up for my classes. (Pearson publishers has a “Course Compass” powered by BlackBoard, that it has given me. Fortunately, our university has LEGAL copies of textbooks!)
I have pretty good attendance in my introduction to economics classes, which are mostly first year. Not bad in the others, too. I pass out a sheet, actually one on left and right side, or 4 by 4 sections and have students sign and give some “vital information” — and I read the names of those absent in the past and warn that if someone signs for another it may result in the loss of 4 attendance credits. They don’t know that I probably wouldn’t figure out who is cheating, but I think I keep them off base enough that not many will try it. Now to collate the attendance sheets and get the feedback on BlackBoard along with other grading.
It is invigorating to introduce new technology. I’ve also taken pictures in class and will get to know some of the students that way. *************** I did my work, ready for class and had 50 minutes to go to the shopping mallette up the street. Bought a Brita filter and an extension cords, and at a food mall bought pizza, salad and drink. I picked a bottle of water turned out to be fermented milk. Pretty good. I think it was probably cow’s not mare’s milk. ***************
I am in office hour now, that started at 4 p.m. and lasts until 5. I had a visit from a young girl named, Laura (pronounced Laa UR a) who made an appointment before, to ask me about the course. She is a freshman from KyzL Orda on Aral Sea. Nice, deserves a good chance. It helped me form the course to talk with her, a possibly weak student who is working. I am working on syllabi now. I benefited from meeting with three of the tutorial instructors.
I had lunch in “The Grill”: cost about $3 for chicken leg and grechka, orange juice and coffee. I went to HR and they gave me an insurance card and form for your insurance, if we want it. I think we do, it is only about $80 total for the year; somehow subsidized by our university. They gave me a list of clinics, pharmacies, etc. that take it.