Being a better manager

I'm in a management class at Central New Mexico Community College. It's called Business Interpersonal Skills. I really wanted to improve my managerial skills because I feel like everyone has an opportunity to learn more.

Now, I've taken a couple community college classes in my education-days. I took both of my government classes at "Quad-C" (Collin County Community College). In fact, one of those teachers was probably one of best teachers I've ever had in college.

So, I walked into my class on Jan. 10, bright-and-bushy-tailed and ready to learn. Half the class was there. She took attendance and spent the rest of the class period reading the syllabus aloud. The second class period on Wednesday, she took attendance and found out that some of the people had not come last class period because their class schedules said this course was a "late-start class." That means, instead of starting on the regular first day of school, it started later in the year and had more hours a day to make up for it. She brushed this off as untrue.

After sending a note out to the class saying that these few students were wrong, hours later I get the following email:

I want to thank all of you who attended class last week for demonstrating such a commitment to your own learning and success. I also want to apologize for not figuring out sooner that this class is indeed a late-start class. The class begins on January 31 and runs through April 27. It will meet from 2:00 - 3:45 pm. Please adjust your personal schedules to allow for the additional 30 minutes of class.
I will be giving all of you 20 points extra credit for your attendance this week. It is up to you whether you want to attend class on the 31st. I will be reviewing the revised, 12-week syllabus and once again going over Blackboard. The Blackboard site for this class is open but the contents are inaccessible. You will be able to access the Blackboard contents no later than 8:00 am, January 31.
Assignment #1 will be due February 7. If you have already submitted assignments, you will need to resubmit them after 8:00 am on January 31.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns..

Now, not only was this alarming to me. I mean, this lady is supposed to teach me about management? She can't even manage spelling properly in an email, much less a college course. But, I decided this was an unfair judgment to pass. I mean, things happen. Schools are disorganized. It was fresh-start when we came back when we were supposed to.

Now, in case you haven't met me (why are you reading this? Go get a job!), I'm an over-achiever. I'm OCD. My life is in color-order. And, to top it all off, I'm really good at being a student. Really, it's too bad I couldn't be a professional student. I would have been great at that. So, with that in mind, this type of organizational dysfunction was incredibly off-setting to me. I tried my best to set aside my stereotypes of those who attend community college permanently for non-monetary reasons. I tried my best to set aside my stereotypes for New Mexicans in general (overall, not the sharpest tools in the sheds). I tried my best to set aside my stereotypes for people in general. Heck, anything that was addressed in the hit-show Community, I was trying to dismiss. However, here are some highlights of hilarious statements made in this class:

* "It has come to my attention that an assignment labeled 'Self-Awareness Assignment' was visible and that many of you have done this but were told it was late. This was an error on my part as I did not intend for you to do this particular assignment. Those of you who have will receive extra credit, Rather than close the assignment, I will leave it open for anyone else who wishes to complete it." - My professor in an email to the class

* "What's your favorite outdoor activity" -I asked a classmate for a group project.
"Smoking." -They responded.

* "Hello sexy diva, how are you today? I want to know you? What's your number?" - A classmate coming up to me before class started.
"Ummm, hi. I'm married?" - Me
"It's cool girl. I just want to be your friend. What's your number again?" -same guy

* "I have to leave. My child is running a fever." - classmate
"How old is your kid?" - My professor
"I'm not sure." -my classmate as she runs out the door

* "Just to clarify, the questionnaire says COUNTRY not COUNTY." - my professor says helping the students out

* "There's some sort of theorem. About a razor? It's about when you have to hang in the balance?" -my professor
"Occam's razor" -me
"Yes! Blair you are so smart. Do you know if they had razors back then?" -my professor
"I guess they did." -me

* "I didn't take the online quiz about the chapter because I didn't like the questions." -a classmate
"What didn't you like about them?" -my professor
"I can't remember because I was drinking, but I can find you some examples." -the classmate.

I guess this class isn't just a learning experience for management, but also for social acceptance.