Kelly in Kansas

Yesterday would have been my mother's 73rd birthday. We knew that she would not make 75 because of her declining health but we certainly didn't expect to lose her right after she turned 72. She, however, had been ready to go for quiet some time. I imagine that once she could no longer keep an active schedule outside the house along with her increasingly feeling worse each day had more than a little to do with her readiness. She had just gone to Mass for Ash Wednesday the night before she passed and kept talking about how she felt like she was right with God when she could talk to us a few short times in the hospital.

I went to a conference in Boston the latter part of last week and was certainly feeling out of sorts before I went. My commitments at the conference kept me busy. Most importantly, however, I was able to visit with a distant colleague who has become a close friend. In fact, he is the one who was able to get my flight home arranged while I was struggling to get back in the slow part of the subway system between Newark and Manhattan. Tragically, he had lost his mother quite unexpectedly the year before. He reinforced what I had been reading - the grief will come in waves and very often in unexpected ways. Not necessarily crying, but not being able to concentrate and just generally not feeling "with it". It was especially nice for us to catch up over the course of a few days. He did not I was quieter than he had ever seen me in groups - especially our dinner with "big gun" researcher that we just happened to run into in the hall. Like me, this colleague notices friends and colleagues from our "other-centered" approach to life. I will try to keep that positive attribute even as I feel the grief overcome me less. I am learning that everything is not up to me, including the dinner conversation.

Our university does not start back until AFTER the MLK holiday for the first time I can remember. That actually feels like it gives me another entire week to get both personal and work tasks done. We've had our first big snow but, luckily, it coincides with my interest in moving around. The big thing was actually getting home via Boston after our direct flight was canceled. 3 hours in the DC airport was not fun but at least my colleague who has never been there before had the best seat in the house as the plane departed late Sunday night. And I am so glad she was riding with me as we drove home - much less chance of my falling asleep or someone not noticing I didn't get home because I had run off the road since her husband knew when to expect us. That is yet another thing I miss when I travel - I talked to Mom at least once each day - especially when I was in Newark so that she knew I had made it back to the hotel okay each night.

There are lots of projects both before school starts and after it begins. I did get all but about 10% of my course material up before I left and so I can concentrate on my annual report when I return since it's due Monday of the 2nd week of classes. I still don't understand why we aren't evaluated on the same academic calendar year like we are hired. I'm sure there is an administrative reason for it. It does penalize you your first year. I can remember my first chair telling me not to expect to be rated well because I only had "half" of the activities to document given that I had not been teaching there the spring of the evaluation period. At least he warned me.

I am going to enjoy the snow along with Molly - it's so great being able to let her run the yard on her own. And not having anything on the schedule this week is absolutely wonderful. I should be able to get a lot of writing done. Hopefully the website I'm using as a motivator will recognize me when I return to its homepage.

Labels: conferences, friends, Mom, school

Once again, Ale Stein and his staff at the US Department of Education put together an engaging meeting for project directors and other staff, including historians, of Teaching American History grants. Historians such as Darlene Clark Hine, Edward O'Donnell, and James McPherson discussed timely topics. Breakout sessions featured a wide range of sessions focusing on grant implementation and evaluation.

Elise and Rich were both able to join us and, once again, David Gerwin was busy running all over the conference. Sam Morgan of the Gilder Lehrman Institute put together a session featuring Carol Berkin and former teacher of the year Rosanne Lichatin. I concluded the session with a brief overview of how TAH partnerships with GLI work.

That evening, GLI held a reception and presentation at the Union League Club. As always, a classy get together focusing on teachers and historians and all others interested in history.

Labels: Carol Berkin, conferences, Gilder Lehrman Institute, GLI, TAH, US Department of Education

Day 3 began with my teaching-focused panel with my colleagues Cary Wintz and David Gerwin. We discussed teaching techniques and technology related to teaching African-American history. David focused on slavery in the Chesapeake while Cary talked about the behind-the-scenes work that went into his book, Harlem Speaks.

Then, I discussed how we have gradually increased the technology we use with teachers in our Teaching American History grants dating back to 2001. We also discussed our delivered master's degree and the struggles of the approval and implementation of off-campus programs. Here's the link to the PPT.

Lunch brought a meeting with Cengage (formerly Houghton Mifflin) about the current edition of Making America now in preparation. Other meetings with colleagues followed along with more time in the expansive book exhibit. I headed to an afternoon session but the main speaker that interested me was unable to attend.

Dinner was with a history/techie colleague (there aren't many of us) and then more drinks with the St. Louis crew. They are _always_ fun.

Labels: AHA, Berkin, Cherny, conferences, Making America, NYC, Petrik, TAH, Teaching American History

I just returned from the SSHA meeting in Miami where we also had our H-Net Council Meeting. We're actually making progress moving H-Net toward Web 2.0. It's been a long and frustrating process.

David and I did a session with Gene Provenzo. We had never met him, but Sherman Dorn suggested we do our session on TAH grants with him. While we were a first sesson slot presentation, we didn't really have an audience but had quite an engaging conversation with Professor Provenzo - truly a Renaissance man - truly a refreshing find in today's world. It was also fun to talk to Sherm a bit more at the opening reception.

It's a busy week since the next two weeks are meetings in DC and Houston. And then it will be Thanksgiving before we know it.

We're at the point in the semester where the methods class is more the responsibility of the students and I am primarily providing guidance as they demonstrate acceptable performance levels to be recommended for student teaching.

This week also brings my reviewing student schedules to advise them for the summer semester.

Labels: conferences, Dorn, Gerwin, H-Net, meetings, Miami, Provenzo, SSHA

We offered our current grant teachers the opportunity to attend the joint KS/MO NCHE meeting in Blue Springs. It was the caliber of a national meeting not only with an excellent schedule but keynotes by Sam Wineburg and Bill Brands.

Glenn Wiebe from ESSDACK beat me to the punch in calling Sam a stud. I thought everyone already knew that . . .

This is the first time since his March 2008 Journal of American History article on American heroes that I have heard Sam speak. He was his usual engaging self with the audience. It's clear he knows how to connect with whomever is his audience. Since most of our grant teachers took an online course on Historical Cognition centered around Sam's work last fall, it was even more meaningful them to see him live and in person.

Bill Brands is also an engaging speaker and keeps me interested in topics like Benjamin Franklin and Andrew Jackson that are normally beyond my 20th-century-heavy focus of interest. His forthcoming book on FDR should be especially interesting.

Both scholars are quite personable and enjoy speaking with teachers. It probably doesn't hurt that both started out life as teachers.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute had a presence at the conference and I was proud to see one of my former students and one of our MA grads through Project eHIKES names the Kansas History Teacher of the Year - congratulations, TJ!

I picked up a Colorado colleague whom I encouraged to attend downtown after he and his son arrived on Amtrak Thursday morning. I met up with them at the Liberty Memorial and then we met Elise at the National Archives and headed over with Reed and Diana to eat at my all-time favorite - Gates. We also got a meal in at On The Border and Bristol's downtown. On Saturday, we headed to Lawrence so Rich could show his son his alma mater. Then, I headed home to the farm to recharge. I'm noticing I'm not 25 anymore . . . if I could just keep getting more of the "calm" energy that is supposed to come with being 40+ . . .

Yesterday in my teaching methods class, we talked about historical thinking and Wineburg. I told students we would read some more work by him later and do a sample "think aloud". I explained it wasn't quite time to do that given our current involvement in developing lesson plans - they are already overwhelmed, in other words given that they are finishing up their first full blown lesson plan. We start by putting a lesson plan they find online into the template that seems to fit what many area schools use. It is an interesting challenging getting teacher candidates to start understanding what will really be expected of them in the professional world that goes so far beyond and is quite distinct from the primarily paper-and-pencil passive tests they have been taking throughout their student careers. Only after student teaching do they fully come to realize that there is a method to my madness.

Labels: Brands, colleagues, conferences, Kansas City, Lawrence, NCHE, Sam Wineburg, stud, students, Wineburg

For some reason, I'm less stressed than starting other school years. I think I have more confidence and a renewed outlook to enjoy the students. The main thing I seem to have more in the front of my brain is that there is only so much I can do as the instructor and the rest is up to the students. The old you can lead a horse to water but can't make them drink argument.

The mentoring meetings were interesting. I'm starting my 15th year at my institution and it was insightful to see what new faculty are being told about what to expect. The main thing I came away with is how department-specific all-around success can be. My new colleague possesses numerous types of experiences prior to his arrival and I have no doubt he will do well. That will be quite a change from the previous occupants of his position.

Our opening meeting was the most fun as always - getting to see people you may only see once a year. For my part, however, I noticed that I am no longer one of the young pups and have quite a long tenure here at 15 years. Our department meeting went quite quickly thanks to our chair and then we had lunch together.

Enrollment day was quite typical - no one came in but I did answer an email at 6:30 am (at home) and a phone call. My assumption is that online enrollment has decreased the numbers showing up in person for help.

The graduate class for grant teachers has their first assignment due this week so that they can finish by Thanksgiving. The short interval between Thanksgiving and Christmas is so hectic for teachers that it works out best for everyone that way - especially since they have already been in school for a couple of weeks.

I"m going to take a more relaxed approach to the teaching methods course and go through some more modeling experiences for them. The basic assignments will be the same but we will do some more collaboration and peer review - especially before turning in assignments. What I have planned will lead to ensuring they are even better prepared and my not killing myself with the such intense grading duties normally associated with this course. We'll see how it works.

We're also utilizing the newly available features in our version of ANGEL - the blogging and wiki functions. It will make it much easier for me to keep track of individual blog entries since they will be collected in one place. I also have a plan to stay on top of grading a bit better and not get buried too quickly - esp. if I'm spending more time grading an assignment than a student does in preparing it (as in the past).

I hope I am not getting old and cranky but just more realistic about the parameters within which I work. I need to focus more energy on the tasks that I can bethttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifter control the outcome - ie research and publishing.

I have a book project trip and a state conference in September and then in October I'm off to New Orleans and Miami for conferences/H-Net meetings and then Houston for a conference in November. I'll probably also have a meeting in November or early December. That will be plenty with having to be in New York for over a week in early January.

Labels: back to school, classes, conferences, H-Net, NARA, students

We had a short period of rain today and it now officially smells like spring. The redbuds are just gorgeous.

I emailed the city again this morning about the drainage blockage dating back to some construction behind us over a year ago. About an hour later, I saw a city car out front and had a nice conversation with people who seem to understand what needs to happen so that I'm not living in a swamp.

And there was the potential for more good news but the mud flaps I've been waiting 11 months for did not fit in an acceptable manner even to the GM service techs. There was double-sided sticky tape and gaps that would not only collect dirt and gravel and road debris but also encouraging the paint finish to get scraped up. So, back on went the generic mudflaps. The engineers have just had trouble resolving the new style running boards with the mudflap design.

Another situation is resolving itself and I am not left being the bad guy and have been in fact thanked for my extensive efforts on behalf of this organization.

I was able to get in some more heavy duty weedeating but will not head out to the farm given the hail possibilities. I had hoped to hunt for morels since they seem to be popping up all over. We're not supposed to get any super warm nights so maybe I can find them next week.

The best news from yesterday is that I finished all my grading even though it took me until after 7pm to do so. But I came home without that weighing on my mind. It's continuing to amaze me how students think grades are a debate and how students spend more time gaming the system and losing in the short term instead of understanding that the instructor operates on more than just raw points. But sending a 300-word email about less than 5 points is probably not a student's best option - but pointing that out to them only creates more havoc. So, I offered to do an entire regrade of all assignments and adjust all late papers instead of just this student's latest one. He's forgetting how much slack he has been cut and so arguing about 5 points that won't actually make a difference in the hundreds of points being offered is just not the best option. It's also interesting to see how some students think just by doing the work and meeting minimum standards earns them an A while most of us consider that average, or C.

I'm off to the Western Social Science Association meeting in Denver tomorrow. An econ colleague is going with me and two old friends and at least one new friend that I met at the OAH will be there.

Oh, I talked to Doc the other afternoon about Beau and Maggie. I pushed hard enough that he finally said he'd like me to get a puppy so that I have more influence in forming their personalities. It's made me think a bit more along with the advice he gave about how to check them out before I bring them home. I'm supposed to talk to their foster mom tonight and hopefully that will help me come closer to figuring out whether I am better as a one-dog house or a two-dog house. In any case, I have a room reserved for the first weekend of the month and will hang out with friends in St. Louis after I meet the dogs and do some thinking about what works best for everyone involved. This is so hard but worth it in the end. I can't believe I haven't had a dog at home for 5 months . . . it just doesn't feel the same - even though I'm trying to stay busier than usual.

Labels: adoptions, city, classes, conferences, Denver, dog, dogs, drainage, grading, students, teaching, weedeating

Am off to the Humane Society - am really missing not having another member of the household. Attended the Association for Teacher Educators meeting last week in New Orleans - will blog more soon. We're expecting 70+ degrees today - what used to be called Indian Summer - but freezing rain and ice are in tomorrow's forecast. Will also try to get some outside work done while the weather is this pleasant! And, although I caught up on some teaching chores this morning, am trying to adhere to my "this is a weekend" philosophy to lead a more well-balanced (and less stressful!) life.

Labels: conferences, humane society, saturday

If only all the rain were snow . .. . . . I was able to get some outside work done and also relieve some stress in the process yesterday and this morning . . . until it started sprinkling. I was hoping for one more good snow. What we're getting now is supposed to turn into a wintry mix tomorrow morning. We'll see what the roads are like. I decided to go ahead and stay at the farm and just enjoy the time. I was able to get quite a bit done on one project with only one slow-up before dinner when the internet was out for a little bit. (At least this connection is way more reliable than my Cox cable internet connection in town.)

I'm watching No Reservations on PPV. So far it's a good story. The main character is much like me but even more high strung . . . It would be nice to have a large storage cooler to walk into occasionally.

I changed out the wrong gas (with oil) from the 4 wheeler but still can't get it to start. I'll just have to keep trying and also do some internet searches to see what else I can do to work through the wrong gas. This is the time of year I use it most so it's frustrating - esp. when I'm trying to gather wood to burn - it's good exercise but takes a lot longer without the 4 wheeler.

I'm gradually conditioning myself to not be overwhelmed and the next step is to not let others demand so much of me - I already do that enough to myself. I'm trying to take one project at a time and instead of trying to get everything done every day to concentrate on one or two major tasks and consider anything else a bonus. Then, occasionally there are just catch-up days. I'm not going to volunteer to put together any more programs either. I have one I was asked to join, three I've put together and one at one of our big conferences I was asked to put together to be scholarly and teacher-friendly.

I'm really missing having a dog - esp. now that I'm learning to intersperse downtime as a more regular part of my life (ie not working every evening) but with two meetings so close together at the end of April, I will probably have to wait until then. That will give me a good amount of time to bond before my June meetings. If I don't find the right fit in early May, then I will wait until after I meet with teachers for the ten days in June when we do Kansas City and Chicago - esp. since I don't have someone who can dog sit anymore.

Labels: chicago, conferences, demands, Kansas City, meetings, rain, snow, work

The AHA was an engaging experience all the way around this year. I met with a colleague from Baltimore and we spend some much needed time catching up like you can only do face to face. The book exhibits were full of their usual intrigue and scholarly interactivity. Talking to the folks at Inside Higher Ed was also insightful.

Dinner with my major professor on Thursday and dinner with two colleagues on Friday meant great food at 1789 and Nora's. I don't know whether or not Nora's claim to being the first certified organic restaurant in the nation is true but the food is innovatively prepared and always worth a return visit.

Mornings came too early but meeting with colleagues and publishers made it worthwhile.

The H-Net reception meant ADM and I were able to touch base and discuss mutual interests. Congrats on your most recent accomplishments!

Sessions - especially those with an emphasis on teaching - were well-attended.

Other highlights included the great group at the Purdue University reception and dinner with big name Latin Americanist along with important book editor.

Next year's meeting in New York only promises to be more fun and engaging!

Labels: ADM, AHA, conferences, H-Net, professional meetings, receptions