Posts in June 2018

How to Work with a Difficult or Challenging Boss

June 27, 20180

A difficult manager. We have all known someone like this or worked for this type of person. This is a person who seems to have an on and off switch which can be triggered or activated, with or without any warning. This manager is challenging to work with and when it is your manager whose personality or demeanor seems to constantly change – it poses even greater challenges as this person is responsible for your work assignments, performance evaluations, and establishing a reputation with your employer. When you find you are in this situation, there are coping strategies you can implement to help how you respond to and work with this type of challenging (and often difficult) boss.

Management Styles

While there are countless articles written about managing...

What to Do When Students Won't Ask For Help

How You Can Help Students Who Seem to Not Want Help

June 20, 20180

Do you have students who struggle in your classes, yet will not ask for help? Do you conduct outreach strategies, or do you wait for them to contact you?

It would seem students should want the help of their instructors, especially when they are struggling with course topics, assignments, and meeting deadlines. But the reality is that this is not usually the case and as most educators know, students may even resist the very idea of asking for help and prefer to give up when faced with a challenge. This can occur even when an instructor has done everything possible to encourage students to speak up.

For example, I have observed many online classes where instructors created optimal classroom conditions that were conducive for productive exchanges, similar to what I have done...

How You Can Transform Online Teaching

Strategies and Resources Needed to Transform Online Teaching

June 11, 20180

Do you know what it will take to become a transformational online educator? Do you know what it takes to develop a strong virtual online presence?

Many educators who begin to teach online believe they can make the transition easily from teaching in a traditional college classroom to an online classroom. What they don't realize, if they don't seek out resources to help them learn how to teach in a virtual environment, is that they are putting themselves and their class at a disadvantage. The reason why is due to the significant difference between classroom teaching and online teaching. It isn't because the principles of adult learning have changed, or the needs of adult students have changed, rather it is due to the change in the format of learning.

Educators who have...

3 Strategies to Nurture a Positive Mindset in Students

Online Teaching as a Career: Nurturing a Positive Mindset for Student Success

June 02, 20181

Do you take time to focus on the mindset of your students? Do you implement any teaching strategies to promote a positive mindset? When you consider factors that are important for the learning process, from the perspective of your students, you might list factors such as academic skills, self-motivation, and time management. However, what any student needs to succeed over the long term is perseverance, persistence, and a growth mindset.

At the heart of all of these qualities and characteristics is a belief system which either supports or derails a student's progress. The beliefs that students hold about their academic abilities and capability to participate in the learning process will determine their level of effort, energy, and willingness to be involved. It influences their...