So, yesterday was the first day of the semester. Since I'm retiring, it's my last first day at Hunter.

Felt pretty good. I think knowing that I'll get a break after the term has alleviated some of the burnout for now.

What will I be focusing on in class this last time around?

I'm teaching three classes.

First up is my undergraduate data structures. To be honest, I'm not looking at anything special there - just business as usual. I enjoyed working with this group last semester in their CS1 class so this is just a continuation. I'll try to bring the usual extras I bring to DS classes - interesting applications of the data structures and algorithms and work on prepping for the technical interview but I don't think I'll be paying attention to anything different than any other semester.

My CS1 recitation though, is going to take more thought. Of the three undergraduate classes I cycle through, CS0 in Python, this CS1 lab/recitation, and Data Structures, this class is the one where I have and exercise the most freedom. I do a good deal of work with the class on practical programming and software engineering as well as looking at some more advanced topics than the regular sections. Passing off my data structures class to the "next guy" will be pretty straightforward but this class has been customized enough that I have to really thin about and document what should be kept regardless of the new instructor and what's really extraneous.

We can probably drop the CS extras I do - as much as I like them, the truth is that another CS instructor might prefer other advanced topics.

The Software Engineering stuff, though, I think I've been doing particularly well and should probably be kept as is. I've really got to document all of this and prepare for the hand off.

My third class is a topics class for the Masters students and working teachers in my certification program. That should be fun. Last year, I enjoyed all the student presentations and got some great new ideas should I teach any of the topics in the future. this time around should be the same.

The thing I have to focus on is that I have to make sure to document the aspects of the class that will potentially be tested on the forthcoming CST. That's the states Content Specialty Test. This group will probably be exempt since they'll finish off before the exam is released but future cohorts will have to sit for the exam in order to earn their state CS certification. I'll have to document all the little annoying things that could be on the exam for future reference so that the next person running the program makes sure they're all covered when next this class runs.

So that's pretty much it.

First week down and twelve more to go.