Browsing Category
The New Adjunct
The New Adjunct Numbers: 15 Passwords, 7 Possible Plagiarists, 4 Department Meetings & More
By Melissa Miller, Ed.D., M.Ed.
I was recently writing something that required quantitative analysis. Numbers are not my strong suit. I managed to do well in math classes in school, but it didn't come easily or naturally to me - I'm more of…
New Adjuncts Need To Learn To Ask For Help — Even If It's Hard
By Kathy McBrayer, M.Ed., SPHR
The academic calendar has a regular rhythm. Fall, winter, spring, summer - the school year keeps moving along. I was reminded of this cadence during a recent trip to a college town here in Texas. The campus…
This New Adjunct is a Multi-Tasker
By Melissa Miller, Ed.D., M.Ed.
I am writing to you from underneath the hair dryer, with my hair in foils, and the shower cap holding it all in place. I am at the downtown hair salon, where others are leisurely reading magazines and…
Classroom Parent or Classroom Mentor?
By Kathy McBrayer, M.Ed., SPHR
I won the Mother of the Year award this month. Yes, it's true — my neighbor officially posted on my Facebook wall that I earned the award for spending Mother's Day, 2011, at Six Flags Over Texas with my…
Study: "Teachers Don't Matter. Teaching Methods Do." Right.
By Melissa Miller, Ed.D., M.Ed.
A recent article caught my attention. The headline read: "Study: It's not teachers, but method that matters." Yikes! The article describes a recent study by Carl Wieman, of the University of British Columbia,…
Guest Speakers Can Be A Life Saver For A New Adjunct
By Kathy McBrayer, M.Ed., SPHR
Many say that weekends are a time to "rest up" for the coming week. Rest up, really? While I get a little down time, the majority of my Saturdays and Sundays are used to "catch up" from the previous week.…
Starting A New Relationship (With A New Textbook)
By Melissa Miller, Ed.D., M.Ed.
Things have been going along fairly smoothly. I've started to feel that I am (for the most part) one step ahead of the game in terms of preparation, organization, and planning. I'm teaching courses I've…
Haggling Over Grades
By Melissa Miller, Ed.D., M.Ed.
Grading is one of the biggest challenges facing a New Adjunct. I've always felt grading was a strong suit of mine, as I have experience in test design, curriculum development, and extensive training in…
Blogging: Hazardous To Your Job?
By Melissa Miller, Ed.D., M.Ed.
Recently, Central Bucks East High School English teacher Natalie Munroe made headlines and the national news with her blog. Ms. Munroe has a blog in which she wrote about, among other things, her…
Does Professional Organization Membership Matter to Adjuncts?
By Melissa Miller, Ed.D., M.Ed.
I'm not really a "club" or activity person. In high school and college, I was not involved in group clubs or sports. I was more of an independent (read: loner) type who preferred activities I could do by…