First term at the University of Oregon

Well, my first term at the University of Oregon is over. Sure went by quick. No, really. They have a term system here, kind of like trimesters, so even though we didn't start until Sept. 24th, Finals week was over Dec. 7th. Crazy.

Anyways, this was the smallest class I have taught in a long time, so that was really nice, and it was a lot easier to get to know most of the students. I had all kinds, including one girl who I think should have been a couple of classes higher than college algebra. She deserved more than just an A, and since the University actually admits A+'s, which average in a 4.3 into the GPA, I thought that I would give it to her. Still, I thought it still felt a little weird to give an A+ in a college class, (as opposed to elementary school).

For the class I taught, they put me in a very new classroom, (the building is like 2 years old or something like that), that has light sensitive windows. When too much light passes through the windows, the shades automatically go down and the most of the lights in the room dim. It is very gradual, so before you realize it, the room is all dark except the chalkboard - the lights specifically angled at the chalkboard are the only ones that don't dim. It's to prevent glare, but I found it actually quite annoying sometimes. More funny than anything though, and my students usually got a laugh when I would walk over to the switch to turn the lights back on every 10 minutes. I even showed up early one Tuesday when there is no class before ours to try to figure out a way to turn off the system, but the more I looked the more I thought there was no way to do it. Oh, well. Still, it was an incredible room with a ton of chalkboard space, and the seating was wonderful - auditorium seating with everyone's desk facing toward the center of the front of the room, the ones in the back higher up, and 4 aisles. It was amazing. Next term, I'm in a building built in 1902, the basement I think. It'll be just a tad different. I'll miss my technologically advanced room.

Anyways, the classes I took started really really easy this term, but they quickly got a lot harder. Well, two of the three did for me. Analysis flowed really well, and though the professor has no tact and is not American, I'm thinking I might want to do research with him.

Well, that's about it. The rest of what I did was just a lot of math. Fun for me!