The happiness journal

[robinturner]

This semester I'm repeating my course "Happiness: philosophical and psychological perspectives" (I put in te stuff after the colon to discourage time-wasters). Once again we're writing online diaries recording times we feel happy, an idea I borrowed from Marion Milner (aka Joanna Field). It seems to be going well - 72 postings so far (though I suppose since I have 32 students, the average post-rate is only 3 - some people post a lot, and others don't post at all). Here's what I posted today:

I felt happy today on a few different occasions.

1. After not training for a long time, I got together with my sparring partner and worked out a program for the rest of the semester. We decided not to do much hapkido (since the hapkido guy isn't training this year because of PhD pressures) but concentrate on gumdo (Korean sword-fighting) since that is what she's good at (she'll probably get her black belt this summer). She also said she wanted to learn some t'ai chi off me, which is great, as it will motivate me to do more t'ai chi practice. We then did some t'ai chi, which was cool. I think some of the good feeling I got from this was due to nostalgia; I had a lot of good experiences teaching t'ai chi back in England (plus a few bad ones, like when I broke someone's knee) and I miss that atmosphere.

2. Angel!

3. I still haven't finished my massive pile of marking, but I've got through most of it (Şeytan'ın bacağını kırdım!). I've read the vocabulary tests, all the Political Literacy essays (some of which were very interesting) and most of the late 112 essays. I also took a sadistic pleasure in catching some students plagiarising and thinking how I am going to torture them. Heh heh heh.

Comments

[wonderfluff.livejournal.com]

I wish I was taking your course. :) I want to be your student!

I also took a sadistic pleasure in catching some students plagiarising and thinking how I am going to torture them. Heh heh heh.

hahaha. Okay. maybe not. I don't want to be your student!

You sound like a good teacher. :)

[solri.livejournal.com]

hahaha. Okay. maybe not. I don't want to be your student!

Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear.

Or does that sound too much like the Department of Homeland Security?

You sound like a good teacher. :)

Thanks! Actually, in some ways I'm a pretty bad teacher - disorganised, kooky, almost as bad at deadlines as my students ...

[agonis.livejournal.com]

I like that you're also participating. More teachers should do that, but I guess many would come up with reasons why they can't or shouldn't. How do your students react to your posts? Do they comment on each others' posts?

[solri.livejournal.com]

I generally adopt the principle that, time permitting, I should try and do whatever I ask my students to do. for example, although I don't answer every question I set, I try to write some of the assignments I give (we have a similar policy with exams in our department - when we have a standard exam for all classes, we all answer the questions just to see what problems might arise). Besides, participating in this kind of thing is fun - a bit like LJ, in fact.

I don't allow students to use the list to comment on each other's posts, as then it can turn into a debate, and that in turn can make students inhibited about posting their thoughts and feelings. there's also a rule that you can't repost or refer to other people's posts elsewhere. Some of them reply individually to my posts or mention them in conversation - I tend to have a fair amount of e-mail traffic with my students in any case.

[wonderfluff.livejournal.com]

Actually, in some ways I'm a pretty bad teacher - disorganised, kooky, almost as bad at deadlines as my students ...

Those are the best teachers. the humble/modest ones. :)

[agonis.livejournal.com]

That's pretty cool :)

Also, I was wondering when posting my previous comment about how to write "each other's". I'm not confused about it any more.