The Teaching Life

Week 4 of classes has begun.

Highlights of the first few weeks of professordom:

Me: Last year, I was the TA for the Psalms class, and now I am teaching it.
<students applaud>

Me: I will be patient with you if you will be patient with me.
<a little later>
Me: I like to think of myself as a gracious person. However, I am not a gracious person when it comes to paper extensions. Don't come to me and ask for an extension because you have four papers due that week. Plan accordingly.

Me: Apparently I like writing on the board. It makes me feel like a real teacher.
Students: You ARE a real teacher!

<student asks about how a concept in Greek compares to Hebrew>
Me: My brain can't switch between Greek and Hebrew at 8 in the morning!

<student asks about the origins of some Greek concept>
Me: You know, I don't know. But I've never not been able to translate something because of it.

Student: Did you come out of the womb looking so professional?
Me: No, I just really like to buy clothes.

Me: Did anyone read any commentaries on this psalm? I'm gonna make you confess your sins...

Me (outside the classroom): This is your friend Christina, not Professor F-------.

<student asks if he should come to class that day, 3 days post-op>
Me: You are not allowed to come to class today. Go home and take a nap for me.

<I moved a chair aside for Eli'jah>
Student: Is that the hot seat?
Me: No, it's for Eli'jah if he comes. I'm not sure where he wants to sit.
2nd Student: It's the Eli'jah chair! We'll just have to wait and see if he shows up.
[I left the chair there the whole class, just in case Eli'jah showed up, in one form or another]

<talking about Psalm 22 at a meal>
Student: Is that the one Jesus prays?
Me: Yep, that's my jam!

<an elderly woman asks me if I am a seminary student. I explain I am a 3rd year PhD student>
Woman: Oh, you look like you are 16.
Me: Yeah, I'm teaching two classes...
[I would just like to add that when I started this program 2 years ago, I was passing for 19. I'm regressing in age.]

Me: I'm a child of the 90's...not to un-date myself or anything...

Me: We're ending the semester with cursing.
Student: That seems appropriate.
Me: As long as you aren't cursing me!

In other words...I love teaching. And my students are pretty awesome.