h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

i teach an 'intro to photography' class to enthusiastic amateurs at a canberra technical institute. i love it, teaching a subject matter i am passionate about and applying my personal philosophy: stimulating students to learn by making them want to explore the concepts, being enthusiastic about the subject and having concise answers to real questions ready is the best way to maximise the students' results from such a course. which is the point of you being there. you lead them to learn, you can't make them learn...

an academic course is quite a different thing, though, and i studied full time and worked full time simultaneously one year, then did two full time courses (photography diploma and philosophy undergrad degree) at two different campuses (campii?) simultaneously the next year and the most important two things i learnt from that are:

1) have a supportive home environment (my partner later undertook a masters in visual arts full time one year while teaching a full time load! we are even...) making dinners, being quiet, proofing stuff and generally not trying to entice you to skip study in favour of other pursuits [too often!] is invaluable &

2) remember it is all over soon. the breaks you get are cherished and the time spent in your 'old' leisure pursuits are heightened. just walk away from the tv, keep your hands in the air and don't look back!

keep reasserting to yourself that this is important and it will be done. good luck (and it is always easiest if you are genuinely interested in the subject to start with, so choose carefully...) i find the best students i have are the ones who come to explore a passion they have yet to unleash. i love being the one to set them free. most fulfilling : )

astro