This January, I am taking my first intentional dip into the MOOC pool. After having to quit a statistics course last fall over a major software issue (namely, I could not take the course on a Mac- yuck!), I'm excited to see what the massive open online course world is like, to see the actual … Continue reading Coming This Spring: Debriefing #SAMOOC
Augusten, Anthony, and Allowing for Discomfort
The end of the semester can be a difficult time for many of us, as we scramble to help students accomplish their goals while trying to complete our own. Deadlines and the holiday season can add some urgency to our proceedings, and stress can be an unfortunate result. I was no exception, heading into December … Continue reading Augusten, Anthony, and Allowing for Discomfort
What Mike Birbiglia Has to Teach You About Deeper Learning
Something happened after that last post about comedy and the lessons it could bring to our work. I listened to standup. A LOT of standup. One unintended, but much welcome, consequence of that is that I listened to two albums by Mike Birbiglia in two days. Mike Birbiglia's style has gradually evolved from a series … Continue reading What Mike Birbiglia Has to Teach You About Deeper Learning
Life Lessons from a Standup Superfan
Let me be clear from the start of this entry. I am not "stand-up funny." I'm only ever incidentally funny (if that!), and I try to not let the giggles I get from parents during our yearly orientation presentations ever give me the idea that I should quit my day job. But I am a … Continue reading Life Lessons from a Standup Superfan
Quit Talking, Begin Doing
As many know, I'm an avid fan of Disney and Disney World. However, as I grow older I've moved away from my childlike wonder of the stories that comprise Walt's canon, and more toward the inner workings of the empire. My friend Paromita made me aware of this link this morning with a series of … Continue reading Quit Talking, Begin Doing
Lessons from James Lang
I could open-mouth kiss James Lang right now. I've just finished his book Cheating Lessons: Lessons on Academic Dishonesty, and am so excited by the ideas he presented and the ideas he shared. For the record, I would recommend this book to anyone excited about the prospect of teaching- not just in pursuit of honest classrooms, but … Continue reading Lessons from James Lang
Avoiding the Busy “Bonk”
It was Friday afternoon, and I. was. DONE. After several miscommunications with another department on campus, a seemingly unending stream of visitors to my office, and a few very frank conversations with coworkers about some frustrations on the job, I couldn't do it anymore. I went to my boss' office, he looked at me, and … Continue reading Avoiding the Busy “Bonk”
Toward a New View of CSAM
We're at the midpoint of October- just about halfway to Halloween, the day after Canadian Thanksgiving, and the halfway point of Careers in Student Affairs Month. This is an emotional time for the profession, as its current members are split between eagerly hosting events and meetings with students to find the next stars of the … Continue reading Toward a New View of CSAM
Avoiding a Campus Shutdown
Folks, it's happened. We're in it. After a series of what are called stopgap measures, we've reached an impasse in our nation's Congress. The result? There are a lot of reasons for this strategy, which I won't go into here. The Washington Post put together a great and easy-to-follow summary of the process, which I … Continue reading Avoiding a Campus Shutdown
Bender, the Bluths, and The Beauty of Niche Programming
This afternoon, as I was deciding if I wanted to go for a run or settle down and do some work on the book, I abandoned both notions, instead opting to tackle a mountain of dishes. I scrolled through Netflix to find something to have on in the background and landed on an old favorite: Futurama. … Continue reading Bender, the Bluths, and The Beauty of Niche Programming
Amma Marfo 