“Writing poetry and teaching have some things in common,” said Kane. “They require energy and spontaneity and imagination.” Kane works to break down barriers that keep many students from appreciating poetry. “I tell them they can understand poetry as well as anyone,” she said. “They just need to read it carefully and look up words they don’t understand. I tell them not liking poetry is the same as not liking music. You may not like rap or country and western, but you like rock. A student may not like a poet who wrote a couple of centuries ago, but they may like modern poets like Charles Bukowski or Anne Sexton. They can all find someone they can relate to, but have to give it a chance.” According to Kane, American poetry can help students better understand other subjects. “American poetry gives insight into American history and culture you don’t get anywhere else,” said Kane. “Students have expressed that poems written during the Civil Rights era express such emotional feeling that they understand what took place in a way they were not able to in history class.”
A 6 a.m.
Wake up. Shower, shave, bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee. Water and feed the pets. Scan through five newspapers for interesting items, save them to read later.
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Day in the Life 7 a.m.
Arrive at Kyser Hall, check email. Three students need help, articles from the Economic Policy Institute and Institute of Peace Studies to read. Deal with two faculty issues and computer problems. Fix one myself, put in a work order for the other. Grab a second cup of coffee and head for class..
8 a.m.
Meet with my Introduction to Social Sciences freshman seminar class. Discuss critical thinking and its importance to them as students and as professionals when they graduate. Answer three student questions after class.
9 a.m.
Help a student from Freshman Seminar straighten out schedule problems. Make a note to talk to her advisor, should have caught that earlier. Answer two emails from the Department Chair with one issue handled on the spot and make a note to handle the other before noon deadline. Begin working on the Spring schedule.
10 a.m.
Continue working on the Spring schedule, making sure everyone has an appropriate teaching load and that necessary courses are being offered. Check room availability chart for space. Contact adjuncts about planned courses for them in the Spring.
of Dr. William Housel, 11:30 a.m.
Check online graduate class (Peace Studies, Conflict Transformation and Global Security). Answer discussion board entries. Look up information necessary to answer one of the student’s entries. Post additional readings for the class.
1 p.m.
Work on National Endowment for the Humanities grant writeup. Consult with co-principal investigator on content specifics.
Northwestern State University – Nine Universities Strong