Collective brilliance

[gwyn]

There are many things in this world I do not know, and I've learned over the past few years that the collective brainpower of my friends list is an astonishing tool -- someone, somewhere on this list of people seems to know at least a little about what I need to know. So, I turn to the collective brilliance of you, my flist, to ask a couple things.

1) I've been asked to take over the spring practicum of the UW's certificate program in editing, which is a nice thing that came about from all the speaking I do at these classes. Apparently, I always get really high marks from the students and I'm turning into everyone's favorite guest speaker, something that amuses me no end (I have never been anyone's favorite anything before). I think it's because I swear, and because I make jokes out of the whole editing field and the way we are perceived -- it seems as if the students like someone who will let the hot air out once in a while.

So, it's nice, but... I am not much of an academic. I understand what the definition of a practicum is, but I don't understand the actual, uh, practical application of it. What people do, how it's run, and everyone just keeps telling me "you'll be great! It's perfect for someone who's so extemporaneous!" Ha ha. Well, that's nice. But I have no idea what I'm actually walking into. I've asked a couple people I know in academia, but didn't hear back (probably because this came up over the holiday). I'm kind of scared because I'm becoming more disorganized every day, and I have a hard time focusing (and also, not crying in public or being depressed, things I just can't help and that seem to happen to me with alarming frequency). The little class I teach right now is based off someone else's syllabus (and see, this is why I think I will be a lousy teacher, because I don't even know the diff between a curriculum and a syllabus). I was a student and all, but I have never understood fully how academe actually works, and I hate academic-speak anyway, so I tend to zone out whenever people have talked about it. Now, of course, I suffer for that lack of attention.

They say it's only like ten or twelve students and I get the basic idea that I will be guiding them in a real life practical application of what they've learned, but other than that... I got nothin'. I will have a class on Monday nights to run, but I'm not sure what exactly I'll be running!

2) How does one go about selling estate jewelry? A long time ago a friend gave me a beautiful, gigantic amethyst ring with diamonds. It is lovely and I appreciated it (it was an estate piece from her mother) but she and I have long since lost touch and had a falling out and blah blah tragedy, and I never wear jewelry anyway and this thing is enormous, and it kind of reminds me of her and the blah blah tragedy, and is doing no one any good by sitting in a dark box. I also have my mom's engagement ring and the old appraisal that my sister got when she inherited it years ago, and I love my mom's cool wedding band (it rotates! It's beautiful and it has these two bands on either side of the pretty gold and platinum work, and so you can move it around and around in a circle, which I've been fascinated with since I was a child), but the diamond doesn't really mean anything to me. I would not be likely to wear it, and I am not as sentimental about it as the band. I was thinking that it would be nice to sell them, but I don't know how it works, where you go, what you do. If you have to get another appraisal again, and how you find a jeweler (at least, I'd assume it would be a jeweler) that won't try to screw you.

And those are all my questions for today.

I am finished with my Band of Brothers vid, though it has turned out to be a dispiriting process here at the end, but am going to move on to something more pleasing, I hope -- either the Brotherhood of the Wolf vid or the Keen Eddie vid. Unfortunately even though the humorous all-cast Buffy/Angel vid won my "what to do next" poll, I am so far from being able to see humorous lately that I couldn't find it if you gave me the Keck telescopes to look. And I am a bad friend, and haven't been keeping up with people's LJs much. I am long overdue in giving some hugs to fenchurche and nwhepcat; and varina8, I will be in touch, I promise, I'm just battling a lot of information overload and panic attack problems lately. But we will definitely get together, I swear!

Comments

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

Wow, wish I could help, but I'm never brilliant and certainly not about these two things. I hope you take the job, though; it sounds wonderful, and maybe it will lead to better things--away from your current job.

Love your icon, though.

[klia.livejournal.com]

I've been asked to take over the spring practicum of the UW's certificate program in editing

That's excellent! I *wish* I could learn editing from you. I don't suppose you'd consider a correspondence course? *g*

About the jewelry: when I wanted to sell my engagement ring, I found a wonderful lady through the ASA website who appraised and bought/sold jewelry:

http://www.appraisers.org/

And, just so you know, all that talk about diamond jewelry being an investment is a bunch of hooey. I barely got back what my fiancee paid for the thing in 1985, and that was only because my appraiser was so kind to me and didn't take her normal fee. I would've been better off buying stocks or bonds, or throwing the money in a CD.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't expect to make much money off them, especially not the amethyst ring, but since they were inherited, I guess it's not too big a deal. I'd mostly just like to get something for them, and not have them sit here, gathering dust.

Did it cost you a lot to have them appraised? I was just thinking of going to a jewelry store, but I wasn't sure if you had to make an appointment or could walk in off the street. BUt if it's easier to get an appraiser this way... I don't know. There's like one guy who does appraisals for the kind of art that I have in my bedroom, and I made appointments with him and he never kept them, so I haven't got a good feeling about people in this business anymore!

[klia.livejournal.com]

I think the appraiser took something like 10 or 12%, but like I said, she ended up not taking her fee after all (I think because I was destitute).

I got a jewelry store appraisal years before I sold it, and the guy tried to tell me it was worth a couple hundred bucks, which I knew was bull, so I didn't go that route when I finally decided to sell it. I think reputable jewelers charge at least $50. I'd call around and ask, though.

I don't know what was up with the art appraiser guy. Did you find him through ASA? If I check specifically for jewelry appraisers in your area, I get:

David W. Hall, AM
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 625-0105
Gems & Jewelry

Christine M. Harrington, ASA - Master Gemologist Appraiser®
Seattle, WA 98101-2257
(206) 682-5548
Gems & Jewelry

I called the appraiser, explained my situation, asked what her fees were, and if she could refer me to a buyer. Worst case scenario, you thank them and hang up.

My thoughts on syllabuses and teachers

[wolffire.livejournal.com]

I know more about syllabuses (or syllabi, looks like both are acceptable pluruls from my cursory Google-check) from the point of view of a student and a training writer than as a bonafide teacher. I think of a curriculum and a syllabus as being an outline by another name. A curriculum is more of an outline for a degree or a specialty within a degree program. A syllabus is an outline for a specific class or seminar.

As a student, I like having a syllabus that shows with some attachment to reality the dates on which a specific subject and its subtopics will be covered. I've had classes that had no syllabus whatsoever, classes with a syllabus that had no basis in how quickly or slowly we were going to actually get through the materials, and classes that had a syllabus that was so detailed I didn't need to bother to show up at all.

As someone preparing to begin offering classes (on wine, of course), I see the task of preparing a syllabus as necessary. I plan to use it to guesstimate timing of the class and as a baseline against which I can assess my ability to cover the material in the given amount of time. I will probably prepare a much less detailed version of my "trainer syllabus" to hand out at my classes. I haven't a clue at this point how long it will take me to create one. I do expect that after I have a few written, it will get easier to create one from scratch. And, that I will be able reuse them by simply updating the wines I use based on what is currently available. My impression of some of my best teachers is that they do the same. They keep a few classic or what they consider (or have been told are) essential texts in the syllabus and update with texts they haven't used or that are more contemporary so the class remains interesting to them as an instructor. Hope this helps.

Re: My thoughts on syllabuses and teachers

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

It is informative, if not a little scary. I'm not the kind of person to do this sort of thing -- I have never successfully done an outline in my life, and I can't write from them. I dont' even like making lists. Mostly I just want to do the thing -- I never want to sit there planning it or designing how it's going to be planned, I just want to do the thing and get it over with. Which is why I think I might not be cut out for this. I have a feeling I am probably the wrong person, but... oh well.

[minim_calibre]

If you have an eBay account with decent feedback, I'd suggest that for selling, or Craig's List, but Craig's List seems more difficult. If you've got the specs on the pieces from the existing apppraisal, search the vintage category for similar pieces and price accordingly. Jewelers have to resell, so they'll buy low.

I hate academic-speak anyway, so I tend to zone out whenever people have talked about it.

That's probably the number one reason why you'll do well doing this: you describe things in understandable, entertaining English. (Number two is that you have an excellent speaking voice.)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I think the big problem with ebay is that I only have an old appraisal for the engagement ring, and none at all for the amethyst, and I have no idea what that's realistically worth. I see amethyst rings with diamonds for a buck on ebay! I have no idea how to judge this, and jewelry is a total mystery to me (as is ebay; I almost never look there for anything unless I'm desperate and my experience there has been really poor). I almost have half a mind to take them to a pawn shop!

[klia.livejournal.com]

No, don't do eBay, a classified ad, or pawning, because they're risky, and you could get ripped off, big time.

I Googled "estate jewelry" seattle, and came up with a few sites. Alana's, Isadora's, and Carroll's looked reputable.

[minim_calibre]

Don't go the pawn shop route. They basically pay scrap value, if that.

If you lack eBay experience, finding a local buyer of estate jewelery is probably your best bet. It's simply not worth the hassle of figuring things out for two items, even if they're two items of value. Heck, I've been an eBay user since 1998, and I still avoid selling.

[deejay.livejournal.com]

Go, Huskies! =D

[brandil.livejournal.com]

About the jewelry as I'm no academic: Most larger cities will have a couple of "fine" jewelry stores they buy and sell estate jewelry and usually sterling silver as well.

Re: My thoughts on syllabuses and teachers

[astolat]

FWIW, a syllabus is just generally something like this:

1. name of class, room it's in, days it's held
2. name of instructor, how to reach you
3. text if any, where to get it
4. what will happen in class, how the course will be graded, how to hand in homework
5. policies: what you'll do to cheaters, how late assignments are handled, etc.
6. schedule like this:

[Date] - [Topic to be covered] - [Reading/Homework assigned/due if any]

That's the formula I'd use. I mean, at heart it's just a FAQ -- you want to put in there whatever the students would otherwise be constantly asking you about.

Re: My thoughts on syllabuses and teachers

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Isn't it funny that as soon as you put it in Internet terms, it makes more sense? A FAQ I can handle, I think. I may not be able to do much else, but that, I can.

[varina8.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about me. We'll catch up.

As far as the certificate program goes, I think you should go for it. You have great command of the material, can explain it well and have a massive amount of practical experience. I suspect they also want you because you aren't an academic. People enroll in the cert classes to get solid skills they can parlay into a real world job ASAP.

On the diff between a curriculum and a syllabus, think of the syllabus as timeline that tells students what you want to cover during the sessions and what assignments they might get. It's more of an outline than a lesson plan. (A curriculum at the higher ed level usually refers to a set of courses for a specific field.)

This looked like a pretty complete list of things a syllabus might include: a course outline that delineates course requirements, grading criteria, course content, faculty expectations, deadlines, examination dates, grading policies, and other relevant course information. It's up to you how detailed you want to get.

If you want to kick any of this around, give me a call either at home or work.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I'm hopeful that more will be revealed when I see what the current instructor did for this last year. I'm sure the program director is just happy to have a body, but the last thing I want to do is screw it up because I don't know how to teach. I'm afraid that winging it will mean people won't get their money's worth -- that without some concrete organization, they won't get what they really need. And I'm so not the person to organize lately.

[gattagrigia.livejournal.com]

Whew! I'm glad that you'll at least see that much! The U's website doesn't really provide much specific info at all about what a student might expect, or an instructor might provide, beyond encouragement.

Granted it was a while ago (during the last millennium), but I worked through two of the U's certificate programs (DataResourceManagement and DataCommunications), and there was nary an academic in sight. Classes were taught by local computer tech professionals who had great experience and no formal teaching creds. Students were eager working people who wanted to add skills to already extensive computer tech portfolios.

My guess is that this program wants your extensive experience, and your ability to talk about it. I think it's a great opportunity to try something new. I've always enjoyed teaching classes where I feel like I know the subject and the students are really interested in learning. I don't think you'll have any problems with this, frankly.