The Lounge

I am not an administrator, but am an adjunct instructor who feels somewhat in the dark about the goings on at my school.  I have attended numerous faculty meetings and in-services, but after completing the MaxKnowlege compliance course, realize how little I knw about the workings of my school.  It would be helpful at an in-service to give all faculty an overview of who's who and how recruiting, aid, scheduling, and school programs are handled.  It could be an option at an inservice for those who are in the dark, like me.

Several of The Lounge's bloggers who have completed online faculty development courses have mentioned that the experience not only provided new information, but reinforced what they have been doing in the classroom or lab. It reminded me that continuing education is not only about new ideas, but also about self-reflection and reinforcement. To know that we are on the right track with our teaching methods and instructional delivery, and that we share similar best practices with one another as colleagues, is a critical component of real faculty development.

One of our recent bloggers, Aldgenette Leatherwood, commented on the importance of learning students' names on the first day of class. It reminded me that even the simplest of techniques utilized by instructors can make such big differences and create lasting impressions with students. Our names in themselves are powerful entities that create identity and recognition. When an instructor learns and uses a student's name in a positive manner, it demonstrates to the student that he or she matters. Names are comprehensive representations of who we are, and a simple effort made to learn and use them adds a personal touch to our learning environments.