TGIT :)

Although I've finished my "official" teaching day already, I'm nowhere near going home, and just fine with that...

I am a bit disappointed that I fell asleep so early last night that I didn't find out what Geek/Beauty pair was ousted, nor was I able to see who's Out on Project Runway, but I guess my body needed the sleep. All that sleep, combined with a sunny warmish day has me in a really good mood today. (It's on days when we have weather like this that I wonder why I ever thought leaving southern California was a good idea.) PLUS, the fact that I've just had two fabulous days of teaching helps, too. I also had great interactions with dissertation committee members and other faculty this week, too, which certainly makes a difference.

I'm going a little crazy teaching two different classes over four different days, along with working 20+ hours at Starbucks, and commuting over an hour a day, but I just may be hitting my stride (and, heck, it's only the end of week 4 out of 15 in the semester, so that's no soooo bad). I think I've finally learned all 70 of my students' names, and we're getting to that point where they start talking to one another, and not just to me during class discussions.

Yesterday, I had an especially fulfilling teaching experience in my Intro to LGBT Studies course. While I was initially concerned when one student, who had only recently joined the class, asked if one of the interview subjects that one of the texts for the day quotes is "really bisexual or not" it certainly didn't last long. The student was clear that in hir opinion--the interview subject was clearly in denial, and should just claim a bisexual identity.

I listed to the question, paused for a second, and then asked the rest of the class what they thought. What happened was just the greatest discussion that problematized definitions of identity, referenced issues of self-determination, offered counter-examples scrutinizing heterosexual-behaviors by queer-identified folks, raised the issue of "horizontal hostility" and policing by and of "our own." Students were engaged, and demonstrated so by actively participating. Then, because this was only the first part of our discussion, we got onto talking about what investments we had behind asking the question in the first place.

Fun. Fun. Fun.

I can't believe I get to teach this stuff.

Then, today, in my Feminist Theory class, the first team of discussion leaders took over the course. In the past, I've been hesitant to give so much control to "discussion initiators" (as I like to call them)--not only because I'm a control freak, but also because you never know what you will or won't get (okay, so maybe this is just a variation on the whole control freak thing). This group did a fabulous job. They were so nervous that they over-prepared, which is not only just fine by me, but which also sets the bar high for all the other groups to follow. We had a great discussion about the importance of intersectional analysis and activism, and about coalition strategies and struggles.

Aside from teaching, I've also had fun having a Pinay-filled week.

First, one of the prospective candidates applying for my program's currently open faculty position that was visiting the campus this week was pinay--Celine Parrenas Shimizu. She was full of great energy, and just so exciting. She engaged students actively, presented her vision for the future of Women's Studies clearly, and offered pracitical advice for getting through a PhD Program--and I only spent an hour with her!

Second, one of my Feminist Theory students chatted me up before class today, making a connection to me based on our Filipinoness. God, it makes me feel as if she's my first Pinay student since I first came to the University of Maryland in 2000. Hmmmm....that can't be right, but clearly, Pinay students have been so few are far between that I can't easily recall any at the moment. The ridiculous thing is that I still remember bunches of my students of color, Pinays and others, from my days at San Diego State.

Damn, I need to get back to the west coast. I'm going for a long weekend at the end of this month, but that's definitely only a temporary solution.