Well, I'm an idiot

[ad_exia]

Step number one to becoming a good TA:



I woke up quite comfortably this morning... at 11:30. The class I'm teaching starts at 10:40. DAMMIT! I didn't hear the alarm (set for 8 so I'd be up by 8:30) at all - as in, I don't remember it EVER going off, though it wasn't still set when I woke up. I HATE IT WHEN I DO THIS. I've done it maybe twice before in my life, both times missing similarly important things (like work). You know, I don't care if I miss a class I'm attending, but not one I'm teaching.... ><***** I mean, there's also a difference between intentionally turning the alarm off and going back to sleep and never, ever even hearing it in the first place. ;_;

I called my supervisor and apologized profusely. Turns out he was busy too and didn't get to stop by the class like he'd been planning either. Oh, great. So I've got the class list now, thanks to the Astronomy dept. pre-reg, but a lot of the kids aren't in the UF directory so I can't email them the information they need for next week.


AHHHHHHHHHHHH


Right. So I'm just going to make extra copies of the lab manual part for next week, and apologize to the class profusely, and set THREE ALARMS for my early Thursday morning class.

And I wasn't even that tired last night. Ugh. Do I feel stupid or what?

Comments

[kuririnad.livejournal.com]

Don't mind, don't mind! It's all good, I'm sure your students, being college kids and all, can relate to not waking up to your alarm. I have done that on several occasions, but I haven't managed to miss anything major. I'm just so uptight my internal clock gets me up mere minutes before disaster strikes. I'm sure it won't happen again, now that you've got the Fear of Time built into you. It likes to instill that, just so you remember who is really in charge. Tsugi no kurasu ganbatte!

[amberleewriter.livejournal.com]

Shit, as they say, happens my pretty. Don't worry. In my days as an instructor I can't tell you the number of times something stupid or unexpected kept me from the classroom. Believe me, they understand.

[adamatari.livejournal.com]

Having experienced the joy of sleeping through important things in the same manner, I know how much it sucks. Sometimes your mind pulls that shit on you. Definitly most of your students will understand, and the others will probably forgive you - especially if you are sending out e-mails with apologies and info.

What matters most is that you have a good attitude toward your students and that you have a passion for your subject, which I am confident you do. Ganbatte!

[ad-exia.livejournal.com]

The biggest problem, really, is that only about a third of the class is in the UF directory. The other two-thirds I can't get ahold of. >< But I'll just make copies of the lab info they'll need for next week and explain the syllabus at the beginning before the lab, I guess.

[byronstrife.livejournal.com]

eh shit happens

[dreamshade.livejournal.com]

Hell, I just slept through half a work shift last week. Must be an epidemic.

[ad-exia.livejournal.com]

Ugh, yeah. This teaches me to always set more than one alarm. -_-; Can't hurt!

[dreamshade.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is why my cell phone now rings at 9:00 p.m. every night.

[silvergirl354.livejournal.com]

I sleep through everything, I feel your pain :(

[oraxia.livejournal.com]

The mysteriously missing alarm thing I know all too well ^^;;

One thing though, don't apologize to your students in your actual class--email is fine, but when you're in front of students, be all business (but in a friendly way, of course). Or they won't respect you. You can probably make a short note of it at the beginning of the class, since you probably want to explain yourself to the portion of kids you couldn't reach, but taking it any further will only make you seem like an easily intimidated TA or like a TA who is wasting their time. Show no fear, my dear ^_~

[ad-exia.livejournal.com]

Hm, that's a good idea! Thanks for the advice. ^_^

[rurounizel.livejournal.com]

*huggles* I'm sorry, I know that kind of thing sucks... I've slept through many an important thing myself... :-(