Category Archives: higher education

Taking your own professional advice is tough: on teaching

Posted on January 13, 2014 by rglw

This isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve prepped plenty of new classes. Every time I do, though, I go through the same exercise. Where to start, what to include, what to exclude, how to structure the semester…. My desk starts to … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, education reform, higher education, lessons learned, procrastinating, productivity, schools, teaching, work | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Happiest of new years!

Posted on December 31, 2013 by rglw

I think my first resolution for the new year is to STOP writing things like “I can hardly believe that it’s already September” or “I can hardly believe that it’s December 31st” as I just started to type. Time passes … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, blogging, dissertation, everyday life, family, higher education, kids, lessons learned, marriage, parenthood, work, writing | Tagged | 1 Comment

Forging ahead: reflections on the first non-grad school semester

Posted on December 11, 2013 by rglw

The fall semester is grinding slowly to a halt.  If you told me on the first day of classes how this semester would proceed (family ups and downs, moving our whole life, moving the kids from one school to another, … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, dissertation, family, grad school, higher education, lessons learned, personal, productivity, teaching, work, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Time diet update

Posted on December 3, 2013 by rglw

At the beginning of November, I wanted to get my act together. I invented the time diet where I tracked how I spent my time.  Here are my mixed results: 1. Strict dieting can really help get your act together: On … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, blogging, everyday life, higher education, lessons learned, productivity, work, writing | 3 Comments

I’m going on a time diet

Posted on October 31, 2013 by rglw

I’ve got an accounting problem on my hands.  Accounting was my worst grade in college–the only class where I earned a C.  Overburdened by responsibilities in other classes and woefully behind on and confused by the material, I capitulated mid-semester.  It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, blogging, community, higher education, lessons learned, personal, work, writing | 2 Comments

A post on Conditionally Accepted that is actually published

Posted on October 28, 2013 by rglw

I remarked three weeks ago that I thought the semester was flying.  It is indeed a slippery one.  By my calendar, it is Week 9.  The great push towards the end of the semester is on. Today, I am excited … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, family, grad school, higher education, lessons learned, personal, sociology, teaching, tenure, women, work, writing | 1 Comment

In loco parentis: real life role conflict and role strain

Posted on October 25, 2013 by rglw

Thanks for not giving up on the blog and me.  September and October knocked me down, but I am slowly standing back up. Everywhere I look, all I see are Rogue Cheerios.  Residuals from my work and personal life are … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, family, higher education, kids, lessons learned, motherhood, parenthood, personal, sociology, students, teaching, work | Leave a comment

The calm before the storm: on course prep and a reality check

Posted on August 21, 2013 by rglw

I need to get over myself. I am doing exactly what I have done for semesters now: I am over prepping my courses. I’m paralyzed thinking about updating the syllabus for a course I’ve already taught because I know it … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, higher education, lessons learned, reading, schools, students, teaching, work, writing | 1 Comment

A tale of two conferences: the postmortem on ASA in New York

Posted on August 14, 2013 by rglw

Last weekend in New York City was productive and fun. I saw some old friends and met lots several new people (in real life and via Twitter).  I picked up some inventive teaching ideas.  I heard (mostly) first-rate research presentations. … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, higher education, lessons learned, research, sociology, teaching, work, writing | Tagged | Leave a comment

Surviving (and thriving) at the annual academic meeting

Posted on August 5, 2013 by rglw

Two thousand sociologists in one place? Sounds like a crazy time. This will be the eighth year that I’ll attend an academic conference.  I try to go to two meetings a year (one local and one national), depending on where … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, blogging, coffee, community, fashion, grad school, higher education, lessons learned, sociology, travel, work | Tagged | 1 Comment