When students begin your class, do you inherently expect they will read the Course Syllabus and related materials, then comply as required, without any hesitation? Or could it be possible students will arrive in your class, on the first day, and find you have created a learning environment which is slightly different in some manner? Perhaps you have expectations which are different to some degree, you've written the syllabus differently in some manner, or your approach to teaching is more direct (or hands-on) than the previous instructors. In other words, rarely do students transition from one class to the next without having to adapt in some manner, even when school policies and processes remain the same. There are no two instructors who are alike or...
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When you want to start a new project or begin work on a new goal, perhaps for something related to your job, is your first natural reaction to think you are capable and ready to get started? As an educator and career coach, I've found the natural reaction for most people is one of questions and doubt. The natural instinctive thoughts are related to fear and questions about capability and capacity. When these instinctive thoughts begin, it sets the stage for feeling a sense of being limited and at risk for failure. Rather than working from a sense of empowerment and working towards the true potential a person has to learn, when new tasks prompt developmental growth, a person remains stuck in doubt. Yet if you can be on alert for instinctual patterns of self-doubt, it is possible to...
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Are you teaching business courses or plan to teach business courses soon? Whether you are teaching business courses in a traditional classroom or online, you need specific tools and strategies to become effective with your instructional practice. This is why Dr. Johnson has written his book, Getting Down to Business: A Handbook for Adjunct/Part-Time Faculty Who Teach Business.
Regardless of the business discipline in which you teach, Getting Down to Business supports and enhances the instructional practices of teaching faculty. Dr. J shares tips, tools, techniques and adult learning theories to help new and experienced faculty effectively facilitate classes, engage with their course materials in more meaningful ways, and design business courses that integrate...
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Whether you love your job or simply tolerate it, it can take a significant amount of your time each week. While you may have fixed hours you also understand the reality of meeting job requirements and performance expectations, and it may mean working beyond 9 to 5. Some people will gladly put in the extra time, especially if it means they will maintain job security or possibly get ahead.
Then there are people who will put in the extra time because of working for a demanding supervisor or manager, and their work must be completed – even if the workload is unrealistic. Regardless of the reason why you may put in extra time it can lead to becoming a workaholic. While there are some people who can handle working at a frantic pace, at some point everyone needs to take a break....
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You may remember how you got started as an instructor, but do you recall what inspires you to continue teaching? The instructional duties of an educator require well-developed planning, organizational, and time management skills, especially if you have multiple projects or career responsibilities to balance. If you teach in a traditional college classroom, you must plan for a class or classes that typically meets on a specific day or time during the week. If you teach online, the general expectation is that you will be actively engaged in your class throughout the entire week.
What inspires you to devote the time necessary to create a meaningful learning experience, knowing that you will need to make a significant commitment of your time? Yes, it is your responsibility to meet...
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When you are assigned a class and students arrive, do you view yourself as a teacher, instructor, or educator? Is your role a function, one which completes tasks and responsibilities, or do you aspire to accomplish more with your students? Do you consider the instructional strategies you use now to be transformative in some manner, or would you like to somehow transform the students you teach?
A person enters the field of education as a profession, either full-time in a traditional academic institution or as an adjunct (or part time) instructor. A traditional full-time professor may likely be responsible for conducting research, teaching, and publishing scholarly work. An adjunct instructor may teach in a community college, traditional college, or an online school. When someone...
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When conditions at work become challenging, how do you react? Are you able to continue on with your day and feel a sense of self-control, or do you internalize the stressful conditions and experience a negative reaction?
There are many circumstances on the job which can have an adverse impact on your performance, from poor working conditions to taking on too many tasks, or facing an over-extended schedule. But there is one condition that can arise as a result of not responding well to circumstances, which can have a negative effect on a person's well-being, and it is a condition known as stress. While it may seem as if there is not much more to be said about this topic, given how extensively the subject...
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For some people a job is something to get through to pay the bills, or what is referred as a necessary evil. For others, it is a vocation, a calling, or something that gives a sense of purpose to each day of the week. It may take a lifetime to find the right job or career, and it is often the product of developing the necessary skills, acquiring specific knowledge, being dedicated to the company, demonstrating a sense of commitment, and for some, perhaps there is good luck involved, or being at the right place at the right time.
While there are many reasons why a person can succeed or fail in finding a good job or career, there is another factor that can have a significant influence on how a career evolves, and that is the beliefs a person holds about their abilities and...
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As an instructor, are you aware of how your students are performing at all times? Do you maintain a proactive or reactive approach to instruction? Do you have supportive teaching strategies which are meant to help students grow?
It is possible you have developed a routine for your instructional tasks and address students when they ask questions or submit assignments. However, there is an aspect of teaching which requires a continued commitment and that is the manner in which you interact with and support your students.
Every educator is aware of the challenges involved in trying to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment, one that is supportive of the learning process and the developmental needs of students. Adjuncts face a greater challenge, especially those...
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Do you understand the connection between what you think and the success you experience, or do not experience, in your job or career? If you could learn to discipline your thoughts towards an attitude of success, do you believe it is possible you could in turn become successful?
There is a well-known phrase that talks about the importance of working smarter and while there are many interpretations of what it can mean, overall it is meant to emphasize the benefits of being focused, disciplined, and working hard. Hard work is the backbone of any career but over time, and when routine work habits are established and set in, the effort that a person exerts may become conditionally based. It could be due to a person's perception of a "bad" boss, poor working conditions, not receiving...
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