Freeway Flyer

By Jenny Ortiz Given that classes during winter sessions are so short, missing a class or two can mean failing the class. Currently at LaGuardia, my students and I have only two months together in which to answer to What is Literature?…

By Jenny Ortiz There's a difference between blue and yellow. There's an obvious difference between a house and a cardboard box. When did the difference between academic administration and politicians become so hard to define and…

By Jenny Ortiz Student 1 is always 2 minutes late because her job won't let her leave early. Student 2 has never been to the museum. Student 3 is pledging to a fraternity while, his buddy, student 4 is trying to keep a GPA of 3.89.…

By Jenny Ortiz Most of your students don't know who Chuck Norris is. Many of them don't watch as much television as you think. The only reading they do is if it is assigned to them and that is done haphazardly. The news is not only…

By Jenny Ortiz Freshman. Freshies. Freshmeat. Whatever the term for first year students may be at any college, what is agreed upon is that in the next four years they will learn a lot in and outside of the classroom. From day one, their…

By Jenny Ortiz It's well known that as a Freeway Flyer, I find myself running from campus to campus to not only get to my classes but to spend more time on each college as a way to remain available to my students. While other instructors…

By Jenny Ortiz The yearly work that comes with the first day of Fall classes, as always, feels tedious and only reminds me of the enormous workload I have this coming semester. Like most Freeway Flyers, taking on six classes in one…

By Jenny Ortiz Though I teach literature, I was doing some calculations this week. If I have two classes at Adelphi with 20  students in each class, I am accountable for 40 students. Add that to the 25 in my core literature class as well…

By Lance Eaton I have a request for the great wide Internet.  Please stop talking about me as if I'm some partially-crippled frenzied zombie.  I am not an invalid.  I am not incompetent. I am not ready to self-destruct.  Maybe I should…

By Jenny Ortiz You're on it now, aren't you? Okay, don't admit it. I will: I'm on Twitter. Even though I checked my feed before I started this blog, I am now compelled to check it again. I'll check both Twitter and Facebook a few more…