Class is working on Quiz in Tea at the Cabin in the Woods

I am doing exactly what I do not want my students to do, that is work on my computer in class. But they are working on a quiz, so I am just bored. It isn’t a hard quiz, in a crossword puzzle format and makes them look up the terms in the text book. I am not sure they think it isn’t hard by the looks on their faces. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that what I know isn’t as easy for those who haven’t heard or learned the concepts before. When you have done something so long, you take for granted that everyone else is on your level. Then it hits you, NOPE! I can’t expect undergraduates to be at a graduate level of understanding. Nor can I expect them to be able to differentiate between diagnosis without any real world experience. The use of case studies is a great tool, but it doesn’t replace real life. Learning therapeutic techniques isn’t easy with a text book but doing therapeutic techniques in a classroom at an undergraduate level is not ethical… It makes for a tough line as to where and what I can do and what I should do… So, I stick with theory - ugh! Theory gets very dry very quickly - so I try to mix in mock sessions and video of sessions using various techniques so they can see it. I introduce a case and ask what type of therapy may be most effective - based on the theories and how those therapies are intended to work. I am not sure they are getting from this course what I want them to get. Anyone have suggestions?

Mom had another mild heart attack shortly after I spoke with her on Monday. She was admitted and had yet another heart cath done yesterday. They didn’t find anything and sent her home with a medication change. It was 9 years to the day that my father died when she had the heart attack. I wondered if it was more a broken heart than an attack. She still hasn’t gotten over his passing. He was the love of her life and no one else will ever replace him. She has made that decision and made it clear to anyone who will listen. It’s sad, really. She is a beautiful and full of life most of the time. Sure her filters are going and she doesn’t know how offensive she can be at times, but deep down, she wants to be a good person. I also think she is very lonely. As much as she gets out and around, she spends a great deal time by herself. I have tried to get her to come up and stay with us, but she doesn’t want to travel that far. Yet, she will go to see her brother and sister 8 hours away as long as someone else drives her. Oh, well. I try to help out from 1,000 miles away as much as I can. My sisters are both close by and they help out often. My younger brother does the same. None of them have to come to visit me either… That’s not uncommon. I have lived away from the family for nearly 40 years and none of my siblings have been to any of my homes. That is sad too. I have offered so many times and invited them repeatedly - but no. I wonder if it’s me or my hubby that they don’t like. They all seem to like him pretty well and Mom says he is the only son-in-law that calls her just to visit. The one time she came up to see me, he flew with her and I bought the ticket. She has plenty of money but I wasn’t sure she’d come up if I didn’t have a ticket for her. It may take that again to get her here. We will see how well she recovers from this last incident and think it over. Well, class is nearly over. should sign off.