When August rolls around, all I’m going to have to do is to get photocopies run and add students to my database. I’ve already got the class calendar done, and I’m going to update paper assignments and plan the first couple days’ classes later today at the library. Teaching is never auto-pilot, but this semester at the very least I’m not going to be scrambling around getting the clerical nonsense done.
It felt good to pull my well-worn copy of Robin Waterfield’s translation of Plato’s Republic off the shelf this morning and look at my teaching notes. If there was any doubt before that Republic was my favorite book to teach, this morning has dispelled it. Wherever I land in years to come, I imagine I’ll do what I can to get it in my rotation again.
[edit: I just found out that Oxford World's Classics has published a new edition of the book. I'll be looking at some new covers this semester, I imagine. Unfortunately, the only image I could find was the silly Amazon "search inside" image. So it goes. I did write the first Amazon review for this edition, so that's something.]
2 Comments
July 5, 2008 at 11:12 am
You’re making me feel bad, Nathan! I’m only about halfway done with my syllabus!
July 5, 2008 at 11:31 am
Well, this will be the third fall that I’ve taught this special topics section, so the adjustments I had to make were relatively minor.
Incidentally, it occurred to me after I posted that I should email the publishers and get courtesy copies, so I’ve done that now. Perhaps I’ll get a copy of the pretty blue Plato for free!