Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Inspired

Today while doing the reading for my Chaucer class, I felt inspired not only in my teaching but also in my research (hey, I was "inspired in every holt and heeth," te-hee!).

This might not seem like such a big deal, but it was a really pleasurable experience and a bit surprising, too, especially on the research side of things, since I don't work on Chaucer. Usually when I prepare to teach Chaucer I feel enthusiasm -- because, after all, Chaucer is fantastic fun to teach -- but it's usually not at all connected to my research, which is all focused on a different century. But today I realized that my newest research may have a Chaucer connection, at least in an abstract way. And that's exciting to me because until now I've always felt like I didn't have anything new to say about Chaucer, and the idea of wading into the Chaucer conversation was awfully daunting. But now, maybe I do have something say, and maybe, just maybe, I'll finally have a reason to go to an New Chaucer Society conference!

And then, on the teaching side of things, I realized I was thinking about the material in a new way, writing out approaches and discussion questions I'd never thought of before. (I'm sure *someone* has, but they were new to me.) And this was pleasurable, too, because it meant that I wasn't forming any pedagogical or intellectual ruts. In fact, the things I was thinking were somewhat new approaches for me in general, and it made me happy to realize I myself am still learning about these texts.

See, it's moments like these that make me remember what's so cool about being a professor.

4 comments:

Bardiac said...

Nice! I'm weirdly jealous that you're teaching Chaucer this semester. But I get to come fall!

Enjoy!

Another Damned Medievalist said...

Your blog -- it's changed! Nice!

medieval woman said...

First - nice new threads!

Second - Go to NCS! Do go! In Wales this year! Welsh blogger meet-up! Go!

Here the pleading stops.

Dr. Virago said...

Thanks for the compliments on the blog re-design. I think I may still fiddle with stuff (like getting a decent avatar and not the silly South Park one I made). We'll see.

And Medieval Woman -- well, the paper I submitted (not on Chaucer, but the panel wasn't either) was rejected and sent to the general session. I haven't heard anything, so I'm assuming I'm not in. BUT, *if* I'm doing research in England this year -- still don't know for sure what my plans are -- I may go to NCS anyway.