Teacher/Student Relationship

Today I started my new position as an adjunct professor for Tabor College teaching basic photography. Mom, Ali and I left at 6:20 this morning for a 50 minute drive to the campus in Hillsboro. I met with the head of the art department for a brief orientation and tour. He was pretty nervous and I think relieved that I was there. I met a lot of the other faculty and administrators but with a different experience than I had previously known. I met them as colleagues, as equals. Everyone was so nice and expressed there appreciation for my being there. Now going back to WSU where I am a student still I feel funny knowing I am in the same club as my teachers but they just don't know it (well some of them do). It is a strange simultaneous contradiction in perspectives. Then I met my classes. I have 24 students total. I introduced myself and the syllabus and some of the highlights of the class before showing them the very dingy darkroom. I am going to have to organize that to where I can use it effectively. I have a senior student that will assist me with inventory, cleaning, organizing, and upkeep of the darkroom. This too is strange because class-wise he outranks me. I am still a junior until January, yet he is my aide. The campus is only a handful of buildings and the town is very small, very. It was a beautiful drive this morning at 58 degrees with mist in the fields and on the ponds. The day stayed pretty cool until after lunch. It was the perfect fall morning. I look forward to what the rest of the semester will bring.