Tired, tired, and more tired...happy, happy, and more happy!!!

I seriously didn't realize that it's been 2 weeks since my last post. And while I'm LOVING life these days, I'm really, really, REALLY tired too! And exhilarated at the same time!

I'm now settled in with my teaching gig and my class is just too funny. I've got the "cheaters" who think I don't see what's going on and whom I'm going to set straight next week. The "know it alls" who really don't know that much, and then there are my favorite students, the "light bulbs" who I see growing in confidence with each passing week. One reason these are my favorite students is because I used to be that student, lacking in confidence and skills that when paired with the right instructor, grew exponentially. And I see this happening with many of my students!!!

Lab work was pretty much at a standstill as I realize that while my PI is a superb teacher, the mentoring skills aren't close to where I'd need them to be in order to consider getting my PhD with her. Other details, I'd probably better keep to myself, suffice it to say that I'm going to enjoy all the new techniques and skills I'm learning and keep it moving reasonablly soon.

Private tutoring is going well too and about a month into it, I've decided NOT to tutor any more college students. And I've also come to the very unusual realization that anyone who needs significant help in courses like Orgo or Physics probably needs to first work on being independently motivated to study and do well on their own FIRST in these classes!! In other words, my Orgo students for example, don't review the materials I tell them to review, so when we meet they can't do the problems. And frustrated is NOT something I'm into these days. OTOH, my high school students are a lot like the students in my class, need a little confidence and organization to be on their way academically.

And that brings me to an issue which makes me angrier than 50 thousand devils. I HATE that my female students feel so much less confident than the boys/men I work with. I mean, the boys/men could be wrong as rain, yet will talk me to death to prove otherwise. My girls/young women are the exact opposite even when they're right!! URGH!!! How did we as a society get to this place?

Anyhoo, I have my best moments ever when I see those "light bulbs" go off in my female student's heads because I think to myself I could be looking at a future nobel prize winner in Science or the designer of the next US supported spacecraft. All they need is that extra push, the same extra push people gave, and STILL give to me!