DR C—CAPTAIN'S LOG: JANAURY 13, 2019
So, Here I Am, Again
Some of you have sailed with me in previous cruises, the Creative Writing Cruise and/or the Blog Online 102 Cruise. For those of you new to this blog cruise, you will see that I see teaching as a cruise and my students are trainees preparing to become future captains.
I function as the Captain. You may call me, "Captain C." I have fifteen weeks to get these rookies ready to transfer or pass out of this advanced training of English 102 (Advanced English Composition). I am looking forward to the challenge and experience.
So, here I am, again, using an established metaphor and launching a new one. I am looking forward to this cruise. My schedules (syllabi) are ready. And the SS Forager is poised to go.
And why is this academic line called the “Forager”? A forager is one that hunts and gathers. And as Captain C, I shall work to lead trainees to hunt for information and gather this information to help them learn and put to use the knowledge to help not only themselves personally but to serve others whom they touch professionally.
I refer to the students who come to my English 102 class as my "onboard trainees." I refer to students who are taking my English 102 online as my "online trainees." The onboard trainees meet twice a week. The online trainees have one three-hour session per week.
As you can presume, the onboard trainees and I have different meeting times than the online trainees. My onboard trainees meet for a total of three (3) hours during a week on a Tuesday and Thursday. My online trainees have no particular day and time to meet. However, there are specific times when these trainees must complete reading and writing assignments as well as tasks.
My current records state I shall be responsible to train twenty (20) captains-in-trainee on board of this academic cruise line and twenty-five (25) captains-in-trainee online. Having years of experience as a full captain teaching both on ship and online, I have recognized the challenges when teaching to trainees on board and online.
Different metaphors must be used; still, the content will be the same. It is the approach that must differ and serve as a motivating factor for each group of trainees.
It is very important that you know as well as my trainees that I l-o-v-e teaching. It is my passion, my lifeblood. If I could not teach in some way or the other, I would probably “croak.” So, this is why I am continually trying to think of new ways or modifying old ways of presenting the various subjects regarding the overall required material.
I truly care about this cruise ship, the crew (trainees), and the future persons whom they will serve. So, my methodology may seem radical; however, please know my methods are motivated by my love of the profession.
OK, let’s start preparing for the sail!
Metaphors Implemented As Tools To Train
There are two different metaphors. For my online trainees, I use the metaphor of a neighborhood. And I function as the Academic Representative of the Online Community of Winter 2019. For my onboard trainees, I use the metaphor of a marriage. Yes, this is a very different metaphor. However, having implemented this metaphor for the last three years, this metaphor has been quite successful in my retention of previous trainees to the very end of the cruise.
And with either implementation of metaphors, my responsibility is to make certain the key objectives are met, the outcomes are realized, and the covered topics will accomplish these objectives and ensure the outcomes listed below.
Types of Topics Addressed in this Cruise for Captain Trainees
They will be covering:
• The power of word use
• Code-switching
• Respecting the importance of mastering Standard English Dialect and respecting other
dialects
• Developing an ability to learn about opposing and supportive issues for national
controversial issues
• Developing strong writing skills to present in a rational argumentative manner, a
researched support of the subject matter
So, Welcome Onboard!
At the end of each week, I shall share my captain’s log. I look forward to communicating with you. I shall make the next post at the end of the week of Jan. 13-19. I shall share what went well and what did not.
I hope that this log helps anyone who is a captain in his or her own ship (classroom) garner new ideas and feel a kinship to me, a fellow captain. I encourage you to send me comments or even ask for tips for approaching a writing challenge.
After more than 40 years as a captain, I still find total joy in my role as Educator Captain. I cannot emphasize just how important my profession is to me. My lifeblood is working with those who want to learn and try to inspire those who may not even realize just how much they do want to improve their writing skills.
I love working with people. I love teaching. I love sharing what I know with others. I have a passion for teaching; it is this passion that has made teaching more than a job; it is a crucial ingredient in my life. And, for the next fifteen (15) weeks, I look forward to sharing this log about by onboard and online trainees with you!
So, welcome to the Winter 2019 Voyage!
What do you think about DR C's Academic Online Cruise Ship? Tell us your thoughts in the comment box below this post.
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