Life of E's

One of my Life of E’s members asked about sabbaticals and breaks. She writes: Last summer, for the first time ever (that didn't involve a surgical procedure!), I took two weeks off and did not darken the door of my office. For two weeks after that, I did a lot of things around my house [...]

Tags: college, policies, professor, proposal, research, sabbatical, taking a break, taking a vacation, taking leave, Teaching, time off, university

As you think about next semester, consider this idea… For well over a decade, I was a university professor. About the second or third semester, I realized I needed a "helper" to assist me in getting back and forth to class, handling various details at the beginning and end of class, and so forth. So, [...]

Tags: academic, assist, class, classroom, errand, help, helper, Productivity, professor, sherpa, stress management, university

No matter how many times you sincerely express gratitude, there's always room for a few more. The good news is that you will never run out of ways to thank people – and they will never be tired of being appreciated. Here are ten tips for saying thank you. Choose the one(s) from the list [...]

Tags: acknowledge, appreciation, colleagues, courtesy, customers, email, friends, gratitude, Professors, thank you, tips, voicemail

If you are a faculty member, you can expect that students will ask you to write letters of recommendation for them. It is a part of the overall responsibility of being a professor and it is an honor to be asked. However (and let's tell the truth), it can feel like a burden especially when [...]

Tags: academic, letter of recommendation, professor, student, writing

When you serve as a student's formal or informal advisor, you make a difference in his/her life. To be able to serve well – and not put yourself over the edge in terms of time and energy invested, here are five ways to save yourself time, energy, and stress when advising. Have forms that you [...]

Tags: academics, accessible, advising, college, faq page, forms, graduate, plan, prepare, professor, questions, schedule, students, undergraduate, university

Being a faculty member nearly always guarantees that you will be asked to write letters of recommendation for students. These can pile up and they can take quite a bit of time and energy if not productively planned for. Put these five practices in place and you will be more responsive (and less stressed!)   [...]

Tags: academic, letter of recommendation, professor, recommendation, reference, student, templates, tips

Depending on your particular institution, advising of students may be a small portion or a significant part of your responsibilities. Adapt the following five tips to fit your situation so that advising is a productive experience for you and your students. Request that students come to their appointments with a list of questions to which [...]

Tags: academic, advising, appointments, college, expectations, FaceBook, notes, planning, Productivity, professor, questions, schedule, students, timeliness, tips, university

Acronyms are great ways to organize ideas you want students to learn – and to help them remember what you are teaching. If you work with student leaders – or potential student leaders, here is the acronym LEADERSHIP with key ideas of what leaders do.   Leaders are Learners   Knowledge is doubling every one [...]

Tags: academics, acronym, college, ethical, leadership, Professors, student leaders

I have always taken attendance – whether I was teaching fifth grade, ninth grade, undergraduates, graduate students, or professors who were taking a class. Taking attendance can be an onerous task, requiring tons of time and bookkeeping (neither of which you can afford) or it can be relatively painless. Here are five tips for you [...]

Tags: academics, attendance, class management, increase productivity, productivity tips, Professors, time management

You can't really get ahead in your grading, but you can certainly stay current and avoid getting behind. Here are five practices to support you in those efforts: Require that students submit their assignments in a format that will facilitate easier grading for you. If you have clearly expressed the structure, format, or other means, [...]

Tags: academic success, grading, planning your semester, prepared for teaching, professor, student assignments, tips for grading