Over the past three weeks I have participated in a Wake Forest Center for the Advancement of Teaching summer reading group led by Director of Educational Development Dr. Kristi Verbeke. Over 30 faculty (IIRC) read and discussed Small Teaching Online by Flower Darby and James Lang. What follows is my reading notes and reflections onContinue reading “Small Teaching Online Book Summary”
Category Archives: Faculty
Battling the Cell Phone Menace in Class for a Decade Now
Facebook’s wayback machine (“On this Day” app) reminded me this morning that I have been battling students using their cell phones in class for a long time now. I know some professors don’t care if students use their phones in class. Fine by me; their class, their rules. And some are just unaware. Many WakeContinue reading “Battling the Cell Phone Menace in Class for a Decade Now”
I Am a Professor
There, I said it. I am a professor. The description does not exactly roll off my tongue. I am a professor. It somehow sounds pompous to me. So I generally avoid saying it. When I am traveling and a cab driver asks me what I do for a living, or at holiday parties when IContinue reading “I Am a Professor”
Putting Grading and Grades in Perspective
The quickening of life due to technology is a blessing I depend on daily. But it is also a curse at times, especially at the end of the semester when it comes to grades. I submitted my fall grades today at 11:45am (they were due at noon!). By 4pm the first grade complaint had arrivedContinue reading “Putting Grading and Grades in Perspective”
Read Julie Schumacher’s Dear Committee Members: A Novel
Whether you write letters of recommendation or not – but especially if you write letters of recommendation – read Julie Schumacher’s Dear Committee Members. It is a novel written in the form of letters of recommendation by Jason T. Fitger, Professor of Creative Writing and English at Payne University. Although not a typical narrative, theContinue reading “Read Julie Schumacher’s Dear Committee Members: A Novel”
A Letter to My Future Students
I am participating in a faculty Writing Associates Seminar, in which we are learning to integrate writing more intelligently and productively into our courses. For an upcoming retreat, our seminar leader asked us to write a letter to our future students about what we hope they will get out of our class. I wrote theContinue reading “A Letter to My Future Students”
Sociologists are Open Minded Toward the Open Minded
I just came across a review of some interesting work by my fellow sociologist of religion, George Yancey on religious and political bias in American higher education. His book, Compromising Scholarship, was reviewed in a Chronicle of Higher Education Innovations blog post by Peter Wood called “Preferred Colleagues” (back in 2011 — I missed it!).Continue reading “Sociologists are Open Minded Toward the Open Minded”
Reflections on 5 Days in the Life of a Tenured Professor
I have to admit I was shocked to total up my working hours last week and see that I only worked 42.5 hours. I’ve been thinking alot about why it seems like I worked much more than that. Here are some conclusions I’ve come to: (1) I have read somewhere (I can’t remember where!) thatContinue reading “Reflections on 5 Days in the Life of a Tenured Professor”
Day in the Life, Day 5
Day 5: Friday. Busy morning and relaxing afternoon ahead. 6:15am: Wake up, shower, dress, coffee, kids to bus 7:30am: In my office, chatting with colleague on phone 8:00am: Check email and prepare for 8:30am meeting and 9:30am phone call. 8:30am: Meeting regarding personnel issue 9:30am: Phone conversation with woman from England working on on-line submissionContinue reading “Day in the Life, Day 5”
Day in the Life, Day 4
Day 4: Wake up late from staying up too late last night. Day full of teaching and meetings ahead. 8:00am: Wake up, coffee, shower, dress, take out recycling. Everyone already gone to school and work. 9:00am: Decide to work at home until 11:00am meeting. Check email, prepare for class today. 11:00am: Arrive at office atContinue reading “Day in the Life, Day 4”
DAVID YAMANE 