20160127.0611

Work continues once again.

Yesterday saw me push through the freelance order I had noted having. I managed to crank out some 6,000 words to address the write-up, of which something like 500 were concerns of formatting (subject headings, chapter titles, and the like). The order is awaiting acceptance at the moment, but the client for whom I do the writing has rarely if ever turned back work I have done; I expect that I will be getting notice soon that money for the work awaits me. I am told also that another order is on its way, which will likely make me happy; I have noted that I largely enjoy the work I do for freelancing (for the most part; I am occasionally asked to read things that I would rather not, such as a sample of vampiric pornography some time back), and I certainly like the money that it brings in for Sherwood Cottage and its indwellers. More of it would be decidedly welcome.

Even if it does not come, though, I have much to do. Teaching goes on, and I meet with all four of my classes today. Formatting documents will be a concern, and I think I will have them fill out some kind of survey or another as a homework assignment. I like to collect demographic and other data on my students, in no small part because I get asked about my experiences addressing diverse classrooms; being able to assert that experience based on reported information is helpful with doing so. Additionally, conducting such surveys and compiling the data collected from them into reports is useful practice for me in other ways. I am told that a number of occupations ask those who follow them to do such things, so my demonstrating skill in doing so seems a good idea against the thought that I may need to take up such an occupation in the future. So there is that idea to work with, too.

For the teaching work, too, I need to do a couple of things to generate new assignment materials. My students are coming up on their next sets of major tasks, and I need to lay out for them what I expect them to do. It is not a simple thing, certainly; I tend to write detailed, step-by-step instructions that far exceed in length what I want my students to accomplish. (One assignment in the current term asks students for 1,050 to 1,500 words; the assignment sheet butts up against 3,000.) And students do complain about my work, finding it hard to navigate. The problem is that I believe they need the words on the page, and I am not sure how to format more clearly for them to reduce their burden. I am also not sure I should reduce their burden, as working to parse out the information--which I do write plainly on the page--helps them develop skills that they need in life. (I have got to stop worrying so much about student complaint.)