After 35 years in higher education, I continue to embrace the summer as a prime opportunity to strengthen my professional identity by creating a professional growth plan. Taking at least one week after the semester concludes, I have learned, is essential. This time allows me
Last month I wrote about how students fool themselves into thinking they have learned concepts when they really haven’t. This month I focus on how faculty can fool themselves into thinking that they are teaching effectively when their students aren’t really learning.
If you’ve ever hesitated to offer feedback to a colleague for fear of creating tension or hurting a relationship, you’re not alone. Even in academic settings, where critique is part of the culture, giving candid feedback, especially to fellow professionals, can feel risky. Yet our
Let’s add a few squares to this popular bingo card to represent the hybrid faculty meeting experience: In-person attendees roll their eyes when a Zoomer’s audio cuts out; administrator clearly favors colocated colleagues; virtual participant apologizes for interrupting the “real” meeting. And the free square?
Think for a moment about your faculty colleagues who have generously shared their time and talents to help you thrive in academia. Much of your current success may be due to faculty mentors.
In January, Mary Ruskell (a high school senior) wrote about her experiences with generative AI for CNN. She writes eloquently about the existential questions she is facing as this technology makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish between reality and fiction. Generative AI has made mistrust
Higher education faculty work with a wide range of adults, from first-year undergraduates to advanced graduate students to faculty colleagues and other professionals. Since learning can happen anywhere, at any time, our roles vary as mentors, facilitators, and coaches. Ultimately, our students are all considered
Geniuses are inherently fascinating. The notion that a lucky few have innate abilities to push the boundaries of what’s possible and rise far above us mere mortals gives hope that humankind can progress to unimaginable levels, even as it reminds most of us that we’re
Recently, a student sent me a political news article with the comment “Things are falling apart.” I didn’t reply right away, because I sensed they were looking for reassurance—and deep down, I felt that no matter what I said, they wouldn’t believe me. It’s hard
In teaching, unaddressed countertransference has profound implications for educators and students alike. Consider the story of my past student who experienced heart-wrenching life circumstances during the semester: He lost both parents and became the primary caregiver for his younger siblings. Naturally, his GPA fell significantly
