I had no idea they'd lift the ceiling to 50. And they both filled immediately and there's a waiting list on both campuses. I don't think it's because I'm that popular. I think it's because there is so little being offered.
On the boys side it might be something similar to popularity. What would you call it if they all sign up for your class to avoid taking it with someone else?
I will be happy to be back teaching both men and women, but 50 guys in one class? And I will see them every day for five days a week? I'm gonna wanna kill them. A friend told me having a third child was exponentially harder than having two. He said, "It's like there's some negative synergy. They take turns distracting us so one is free to do bad things." In teaching the shabab I've learned that just under 40 is the manageable number. At 40 class is mayhem. It is inevitable that I will scream at a class of 45 - which I've had 45-47 several times. But 50? Well, 50 is the undiscovered country.
In my outlook on the world I always look for the ways things could be worse. This time it is easy: A friend back at Kaplan informed me that enrollment is down and teachers have been laid off. One of my former colleagues had over 25 years seniority and was let go last Friday. Twenty-five years of loyal, faithful service - and still doing a good job as a teacher - and she got laid off. Another with close to ten years was let go.
A quick look at the financials for the Washington Post (parent company of Kaplan) reveals the reason for the layoffs: Revenue in the past 3 months fell and profits vanished. Rather than determining how to deliver a quality product it is not surprising that they have chosen spending cuts. The short-sighted nature of many American businesses makes me sad.
*****
Of course, June 1 will always be a hard day for me. It's been 14 years since Doc's passing and there's not been a single day out of the past 5113 days that he hasn't been on my mind. I really hope they allow poker in heaven.
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