When I re-retired this fall, I finished my teaching career. It was hard when October 20, 2019 rolled around and my UW Net ID (with access to email and my online content) finally ended after an 8 year run.
I taught at UW-Madison iSchool both as a grad school lecturer and as a CE instructor. Youth Services from a theoretical as well as practical side was my subject area - although I dabbled in leadership and management teaching too. All but one of the courses were taught online over that time.
I loved and appreciated the opportunity to teach for my alma mater and the department from which I earned my MLS.
What was best part? That's hard to say...but it included:
- faculty who welcomed me as a colleague
- being part of someone's learning journey
- staying tuned in and on top of youth services issues
- creating course content - yes even the dreaded syllabus
- getting to watch students grow in their understanding of youth services
- reading discussion boards and assignments
- learning a ton from the students and staying on my toes because they pushed me to keep thinking
There were challenges for sure but the support I received from UW-Madison colleagues helped me through and made each course a worthwhile effort. When the time came to retire, I was hoping to teach a final semester of the youth services grad course on campus (face-to-face for only my second time). Health problems prevented me in the end. Still and all, it felt like it was the right step to finish up and let go.
I will always treasure the years I got to be an "official" Badger as an adjunct. And I still get to cheer on our great university, its faculty, staff, researchers, students and everyone involved in UW-Madison. So there's that!
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