Posts in September 2021

Become a Calming Presence For Students

Be the Calming Presence Students Need to Stay Focused

September 21, 20210

Learning requires focus, and focus requires attention to what is being studied, thought about, formulated, and written. It is a process that occurs with intent and conscious involvement, and cannot be rushed no matter how much any student would like for it to be. Yet as any instructor knows, being enrolled in a class, especially an online class, is rarely the only responsibility a student has in any given week. For many students, classwork is often viewed from the perspective of what can be accomplished in the least amount of time, with the least amount of effort, and with the least interruption of all other required responsibilities. In other words, classwork is not always a top priority.

During pre-pandemic times, many students could balance their lives, careers, family, other...

The Future is Yours to Create if You Have a Purpose

Your Future Is Yours to Create, As Long As You Have a Purpose

September 11, 20210

Think about today as a new beginning. From today on let no one, not any circumstance and anything said to you, change how you feel, what you believe about yourself, or how you view your future potential. Your future is yours to create.

Now the challenge is going to be living this as a matter of practice. What is it going to take to be able to set an example for yourself to live a life unchallenged by events going on around you, especially when there are those who want to upset you, put you down, distract you, make you feel as if you do not possess the skills or talents necessary to succeed, or you find yourself faced with events that are just too overwhelming?

It is all a matter of anchoring your life with a sense of purpose. You have to remember that you are always free...

Use End of Course Evaluations for Reflection

Do End of Course Evaluations Reflect Your Classroom Performance Accurately?

September 01, 20210

What is your belief about the end of course evaluation? Do you believe it accurately reflects your performance in the classroom? Do you live in fear of the outcome you'll receive, as to your standing with the school you teach for now? Do you focus on the potential outcome of the evaluation, and do everything you can to ensure your learners are satisfied with the course, even if it means becoming more lenient than you might naturally be?

Those of us teaching for online schools know the weight these evaluations hold for determination of the future of our positions. The online school I work for takes these evaluations very seriously, and yet, there is a holistic view taken and that means all factors of performance are weighed in. The reason why is there are typically only a few...