I am feeling a bit more assertive about work completion and quality for this group. Some good things are happening about this. We still have some fun but I am pleased with the direction we are going.
I think, though, I have made a mistake by having what I think are some of the most important elements (and complex) here at the end. The energy will be disappearing and I need to work on my timing of these things for the next time around

I spending a lot of time thinking of ways to teach this course next time. Unusual for me to not teach a course back to back, semester to semester. I really like that pattern to be able to tweak, improve, improvise. With a longer gap, I have trouble getting set and focused, learning from my mistakes so to speak. So I am trying to make better notes for reminders and ideas for the next round.
I like how the survey monkey stuff worked out in the end, at least. I think I would set this sort of thing up earlier in the semester. And the web site contribution earlier. I need to establish more buy in, up front.

Well, I have gotten off track here. I wonder why. Maybe because there wasn't much interest from the students and whatever.
Now they have noticed the blog and that's inspires me to be here again. Things continue to be bit chaotic. The test went well but my efforts to have more hands-on work during class is mixed. The humor helps and hurts. I don't mind it, in fact, really like it as long as the work is getting done. What worries me most at this time is that the humor doesn't work for everyone. I wonder if some students find the class too much of a goof-off session for other students. There are some there that would like a little more focus and purpose and perhaps the humor is distracting and troubling. I plan to push this. Part of this is my problem I am having in explaining expectations and outlining in-class tasks. Like the survey work. It didn't really work except as an introduction. That's what's been happening, is that we skim over things and I want some real possibilities, at least for some, to occur. So we will do the surveys until we get it right. I guess there is a principle involved.