From March 1-5, I took my own spring break. Like many schools, my university shifted our academic calendar in response to the pandemic, starting the spring semester late, but cancelling spring break to make up for it. Understandably, I was not alone in thinking this was a terrible idea. Having
January 29, 2021
Is it the pandemic? / Easing back in
“Is it because of the pandemic?” my brain asks, and the answer can always be yes. At the very least, we should all be entitled to that easy excuse.Today I’m asking about my strong resistance to being a student this semester. Graduate students are typically top students in college and
November 5, 2020
After the Election Results, Take Care
As of this writing, there is no clear winner of this presidential election. We’re waiting on Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. It’s unclear to me if mail-in ballots are still coming in and could any influence on other states – but I’m not watching any news coverage or election
August 25, 2020
Ungrading Explained: What I’m Telling My Students This Fall
This semester I’m ungrading. Since making this commitment, I’ve explained ungrading multiple times to multiple people. But the explanation that would matter the most is the one I would provide to my students. While I could have (and do) link to others far more knowledgeable on these topics, like Jesse
August 10, 2020
(My) Roadmap for a COVID-19 Fall Semester
And just like that, my #NoWorkWeek is up. In some ways, I feel no different. I’m still tired. The prospect of a bizarre hybrid pandemic semester is still daunting. The explaining-racism work still looks just as draining. But there are moments in the past couple of days when I recognize that I
August 1, 2020
Summers Are for Recovery
It’s only my second summer in graduate school and I’m doing it all wrong. I know this not because I’m worried about my productivity or from comparing myself to my peers, but because my body has been telling me so. My COVID test results came in a few days ago: