Oh Captain, My Captain!

Today was my first day teaching at University College Dublin (UCD).

But, firstly have to mention the weather (as is becoming customary). I am honestly grateful for the weather today because were we home, we'd be suffering -12 F (which, sounds like it actually felt like -40). Unbelievable. It was actually relatively warm here--a balmy 26 F--and, although, Johnny took a few spills today on the way to school (who can avoid the temptation of riding over little iced-over puddles???) I'd take the Peanutsesque snow (remember the kids in Charlie Brown's Christmas with their tongues out tasting those little flakes coming down slowly and softly when Lucy says she waits until January when they're ripe??) over the frigid tundra any time. At least we can comfortably be outside.

Johnny on a frosty morning's ride to school.

I was warned about teaching at UCD.

Not by Americans, mind you, but about the Irish Professors! "You're going to experience a real difference here in Ireland!!!" "Oh -- it's really different here!"

Firstly, the class I am teaching is offers five credits for an upper-level (300-level) course. We meet twice per week for fifty minutes for a TOTAL of twelve weeks: seven weeks, two off, and five more.

Seriously. That's it. That adds up to a grand total of 20 hours.

This is in contrast to a class at the University of Wisconsin-La Cross where an upper-level course worth three credits meets for three hours every week for 15 weeks (with one week off in only the fall semester, so it covers 16 weeks). That adds up to 45 hours total.

I usually teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one hour and 25 minutes, so I don't even know if I can cram my regular amount of information into that little time! In fact, today, that's how I started my "lecture" as the Irish students wandered in, smelling the roses all the way.

And about the students (again, this was a warning from the professors!), firstly they said that I have a "small" class. At UWL, I taught this course last semester (Behavioral Economics) to 18 students, so I'm thinking, small? Will it be 6 or 7? No. Small is 100. I actually have 120 students in my course.

Before I came, the department head warned me that Irish students are reticent and rarely speak in class. When I asked how to notify students about which books to purchase, he told me that they probably wouldn't purchase them anyway (so, I interpreted that as "why bother even notifying them then?"). They initially said not to worry with any essays or exams with questions other than multiple choice because there are so many students in every class ("Make it easy on yourself!").

Once I got here the new department head* who took over for the old one who is now on sabbatical, when asked if I should attempt to learn their names (at UWL this is a requirement if you want to get a decent student evaluation) said that by the end of the term they would probably not even know MY name. He said that only a small percentage would show up for class, let alone participate.

I was shocked.

I guess the idea is that their grades all along don't really matter. Certainly not until the third or fourth years (Laura Giddings -- our real Irish gal -- please clarify if you can on this because I am still shocked). They end up taking an exam at the end of the four years which is supposed to be cumulative, and afterwards are conferred a degree based on this exam. So, really, what's the point of showing up to one individual class? The guy who teaches trade told me that he regularly fails 70 percent of the students.

Also, they never come to office hours.

My "lectures" occur in "Theatres" Q and P (yes, a different room for each day).

Lecture Theatre Q Minus an "L"

The inside of the "theatre" made me imagine my students standing up in the middle of one of my "lectures" (jumper, tie and all) reciting "Oh Captain, My Captain!"

View from the entry downward.

My perspective of 2/3 of the "Theatre" -- I should have taken a panoramic for your viewing pleasure. I'll try to do that on Thursday!

I'm not sure if the photograph captures the intimidating feeling of this room. Those stadium seats are incredibly steep and the room, while compact, is enormous. I was nervous as hell.

The kids (and a few adult students) wandered in at about 1:50 (and kept wandering in well past 2). But as soon as I started talking, and even got a few of them to talk, I relaxed and it went well. I think they can understand me fine (I speak about 1/100 slower than they do) and, well, it's not Econometrics (i.e. horribly hard and boring for most). They'll have one essay (that will be exciting to grade -- 120 students!) and one final exam.

I hopped on the bus and headed home, arriving near Maggie's school a few minutes before she got out and sent her this text "My bus just dropped me off, want company walking home?" (She doesn't have a phone yet at home and I am quickly becoming used to it!).

Maggie and I on our walk home from school today.

Before I met up with her, I had to pick up my "first day treat":

Cheers All!

Oh, and we saw two "old friends" on the way home:

The Sun AND the Moon.

*I would be this exact guy if I were to be chair. Although happy to see that I was in the country (when we went to see him last Thursday he was visibly concerned that he had no Behavioral Econ professor for a class that was to start the following Tuesday), he had no idea how to find out WHERE my class was, how many were enrolled, where my office was, what the college's requirements were for me in terms of assignments, and how I would get on to the University System. We promptly went to the 22 year old office assistant who knew everything about the ins-and-outs of the department. At one point he could have quoted me "There are so many different computer systems for each piece of information, I've just never bothered to learn any of them!" That's totally how I feel. Just let me teach and do research ok? Tell me where and when my classes are and I'll show up!