As some of you know, I use my first two weeks of classes to schedule face-to-face meetings with individual students in my classes so that I can get to know them better. This is one of my top strategies for increasing participation in class, and it really works. But this week I had a first time thing happen–I was the one who with tears in my eyes as I talked with a student. I have a student who I’ll call Jonathan who has a stuttering disability that makes it hard for him to speak–especially now, through a mask. In spite of this, he contributes to class discussion without fear or anxiety, and he has incredibly insightful things to say, to boot. In our meeting I was thanking him for participating, because I imagine it would be easier for him to stay quiet. So I had tears in my eyes as I told him how he will never know how encouraging this will be to other students. If he can speak up, why can’t they? Jonathan has so much emotional and spiritual maturity, and he is simply a delightful human being. I told him that I have a son on the autism spectrum, and that he could not possibly know how much he made my week just from participating in class. I’m sharing this story because this is why we do this called teaching. Not just for them, but for us. And we get to stand by and watch people overcome obstacles to be the best version of themselves that they can be. What is better than that????

There’s still time to take The Flourishing Teacher Fall Retreat! Don’t miss it. Email me for a discount code. Free for adjunct faculty, because you are the underpaid workhorses of our industry. Thank you.

Soul Before Syllabi!

We are now just a few days away (again???) from the-month-that-shall-not-be-named, and what are you doing, fellow educator? Are you frantically working on syllabi? I am–but only because I’m committed to some work and other travel in the first two weeks of the month, so I have to prepare earlier than usual. If this is

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Are you on the edge of burnout?

You are not alone. This last semester was the most difficult semester I’ve encountered in my teaching career, which explains why I haven’t written in my blog in a long time. But recently I have been researching the issue and visiting a couple of places and talking with faculty about burnout. Here’s the bad news:

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Queen Anne's Lace

It’s back….the month that shall not be named!

Well friends, the Queen Anne’s Lace is out and the month has arrived: fall classes are on the way! What are you doing to get ready for for the year ahead? Hopefully not a lot of syllabus work. What I mean is, what are you doing to get ready for it spiritually? I’m headed to

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