It’s Monday again, and while I wish I were still in bed, I’m actually looking forward to the class I’ll be teaching today. I had a terrible migraine yesterday, and between the headache and the medication, I spent much of the day sleeping. I could certainly use another day of rest, but unfortunately, Monday has arrived whether I’m ready for it or not.
Today’s class will focus on art analysis. I often teach students how to analyze historical objects, but today we’ll be looking at a pair of paintings instead. I think the students have enjoyed these classes so far, and since the class is made up entirely of guys, I’m particularly interested to see how they react to today’s paintings. I have a feeling it will lead to some interesting discussions.
Last Thursday, during Alumni Weekend, one of the university’s alumni joined us for class as we practiced object analysis. I’ll admit that I don’t usually enjoy having someone other than the professor and students in the classroom, but in this case, his presence turned out to be quite useful. He explained to the students, most of whom will eventually commission as military officers, how they may be called upon to conduct scene investigations during their military careers. He pointed out that the skills they were practicing in class—carefully observing details, interpreting evidence, and drawing conclusions—were much the same skills they would need during those investigations.
I think that gave the students a new perspective on what we were doing. Sometimes, all it takes is someone showing students how a classroom exercise relates to their future careers to make the subject more interesting and relevant. I always enjoy those moments when students begin to see the practical value of what they’re learning.
And for the record, despite what some people might think, I’m not always negative about Mondays. I’m actually looking forward to teaching today. I just wish I’d had a little more time to rest beforehand. Since I worked on Saturday, I only had a one-day weekend, and that simply wasn’t enough. I need those two days to recharge, especially after a busy week.
Unfortunately, my schedule is packed for both this week and next, so taking a day off really isn’t an option. I suppose I’ll just have to keep going, enjoy the parts of my job that I love, and look forward to the next opportunity to get some much-needed rest.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday and a great week ahead!
Joe
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