The subject of low community college graduation rates has been a popular topic in education as of late. According to the U.S. Department of Education in 2013, only 18% of community college students complete their Associates degree and transfer to a four-year school, and the American Association of Community Colleges in 2013 claimed that graduation…
Hours upon hours in the classroom can leave college instructors, particularly adjuncts, feeling exhausted from long commutes and standing on one’s feet all day. Teaching a few online classes is a great way to save yourself some gas money, time, and energy, which in turn will give you more time to teach other classes or…
Over the years, I’ve heard colleagues talk about how valuable some media resources are in the classroom, and it all sounded nice enough. However, once I implemented these tools in my own classroom, I started to fully understand how valuable- and handy- these resources can really be in reaching this generation’s college students. Khan Academy…
As you well know, I’m not a doctor. However, the following are things I do in my life to stay healthy and happy. Over the years I’ve figured out what does and doesn’t work for me. Hopefully, my personal tips can help you in some small way. 1. Adopt positive habits People who smile in…
If you want your students to stop coming up with excuses for why they couldn’t do the homework (they missed lecture last class, they lost the worksheet you handed out, they weren’t clear on the directions, they’re confused, etc.) and you’re looking to make life easier on yourself in general, here’s the secret: Make your…
If you’re a professor, you may be wondering how anyone can possibly manage to start teaching numerous college classes with course content that they’re satisfied when they don’t have a lot of time. This tends to be the reality for most adjunct professors who pick up various college courses whenever they’re offered, and sometimes teach…
Looking for a way to motivate your students, relate to them, and help them succeed in college and life? Read Isa Adney’s latest article in the Huffington Post “How Professors Help Community College Students Transfer.” She mentions that all it takes is one encouraging professor to impact a student enough to keep them moving forward…
Happy Professor: An Adjunct Instructor’s Guide to Personal, Financial, and Student Success is now available! What started out as a ‘just for fun’ summer project, is now available in Amazon’s Kindle store for $0.99 (or free if you borrow it through Kindle’s Lending Library). If you’re looking to get into adjunct teaching, spruce up…
As an adjunct instructor with motivated students and a generally positive outlook on life, other professors (and people in general) tend to have one question in common for me: How are you doing this successfully? It’s not always easy, but here are 10 tricks to being happier, and more successful, as a part-time or full-time…
Typical weekday. Wake up at 9:00 am, read a few surprisingly hilarious chapters from a travel book about Costa Rica while savoring my favorite morning ritual- an amazing cup of hot tea. Jog over to the gym to take a cycling class with a girlfriend, lay by the pool with her to chat for a…