Nearing the end of the semester: many things wrapped in one.

The semester ends next week. I'm already thinking about what to change for summer -- what went well this semester, and what needs to change.

Intro to Film
This week we are watching Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator. Our discussions are going to lean toward how film as a medium can make historical change, and how film changes through the lens of history.

Next week are final projects. I've tried something new this semester: open ended final projects. Students were given full reign over their assignments, including how they were graded. My only major requirement was that their project somehow demonstrates their understanding of film. I am looking forward to seeing what my students have come up with.

Film and Culture
Last week we watched Murderball and discussed how American culture treats people with disabilities. This week is the last week for this class (Friday classes meet one week less than others) so we are doing final presentations. Students are doing a similar presentation to my Intro class where they need to demonstrate their understanding of diversity.

Next Semester Prep
I'm teaching two sections of Intro to Film over the summer. I'm considering going from a point-based grading system to giving letter grades for assignments. The upside would be quick grading without having to figure out the math. The downside would be less nuanced grading for assignments.

I've also got to pare down 15 weeks of material to fit 8 weeks. This is not as challenging as it seems - I just figure out what the major understandings I want them to have are and get rid of anything that doesn't fit that.