I quite agree, this is not a topic for precipitous action. I hope you don’t mind my sleeping on it, but taking a little time did give me a few ideas. Of course, I’ll have a word with Minerva, but alas, the planet’s axial tilt is not under either of our control, and I am as bound as any other professor by the expectations of the OWL and NEWT examiners.
That said, I did have a few ideas if they’re of use. I know that Dark Arts classes are running later than usual this year, but surely there’s an afternoon or two where you might schedule a session before supper? There is something of a challenge with the Quidditch practices (especially in the midwinter and the short days) but of course the Quidditch teams manage their own fitness regimens as well.
I know early morning activities have been tried a few times in the past, and they’ve rarely been successful, even without my class as a consideration. The chill in the winter does make it particularly hard to make it out of a warm bed, but more than that, I understand from Poppy that there are specific (good) reasons teenagers prefer to sleep as late as they can in the morning. I do think you’d see a far more enthusiastic response in the late afternoon. (And so many of them want to burn off some energy after a long day of sitting in classes by then, too.)
If I might suggest, you could ask the CCF students to arrange several gathering times on their own.They know best how their fellow students might respond, and it would save you having to be the unpopular voice while you’re building a rapport with the students. More than that, it would give them some very real and practical experience encouraging and directing others toward a goal.
As to the rest, thank you, but Campanella gifted me with a copy of the Edmonds book last spring, and I try to put it to use where I can. And I do appreciate where your worry for my future comes from, truly, but please don’t spend your time and energy there. I assure you Raz and I are entirely in agreement, and we’ve talked to Minerva about our plans. While I recognise circumstances may eventually combine to lead me in some other direction, I do intend to continue teaching as long as possible.
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branchandroot
Re: Private message to Aurora Sinistra
Date: 2012-09-17 02:41 pm (UTC)I quite agree, this is not a topic for precipitous action. I hope you don’t mind my sleeping on it, but taking a little time did give me a few ideas. Of course, I’ll have a word with Minerva, but alas, the planet’s axial tilt is not under either of our control, and I am as bound as any other professor by the expectations of the OWL and NEWT examiners.
That said, I did have a few ideas if they’re of use. I know that Dark Arts classes are running later than usual this year, but surely there’s an afternoon or two where you might schedule a session before supper? There is something of a challenge with the Quidditch practices (especially in the midwinter and the short days) but of course the Quidditch teams manage their own fitness regimens as well.
I know early morning activities have been tried a few times in the past, and they’ve rarely been successful, even without my class as a consideration. The chill in the winter does make it particularly hard to make it out of a warm bed, but more than that, I understand from Poppy that there are specific (good) reasons teenagers prefer to sleep as late as they can in the morning. I do think you’d see a far more enthusiastic response in the late afternoon. (And so many of them want to burn off some energy after a long day of sitting in classes by then, too.)
If I might suggest, you could ask the CCF students to arrange several gathering times on their own.They know best how their fellow students might respond, and it would save you having to be the unpopular voice while you’re building a rapport with the students. More than that, it would give them some very real and practical experience encouraging and directing others toward a goal.
As to the rest, thank you, but Campanella gifted me with a copy of the Edmonds book last spring, and I try to put it to use where I can. And I do appreciate where your worry for my future comes from, truly, but please don’t spend your time and energy there. I assure you Raz and I are entirely in agreement, and we’ve talked to Minerva about our plans. While I recognise circumstances may eventually combine to lead me in some other direction, I do intend to continue teaching as long as possible.
Aurora