Category Archives: higher education

Is it possible to have status in academe without tenure?

Posted on August 2, 2013 by rglw

This past year, I served as a “Visiting Lecturer” at a private, liberal arts college and this coming year, I’ll be a “Visiting Assistant Professor”.  I used to think “visiting” sounded really distinctive, like your talents were so specialized that … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, dissertation, grad school, higher education, lessons learned, popular press, sociology, teaching, tenure, work, writing | 7 Comments

Dispatch from the mat: lessons on teaching gleaned from yoga boot camp

Posted on July 12, 2013 by rglw

Yoga boot camp is a contradiction in terms.  Yoga, by nature, is meant to be peaceful and meditative.  The only “boot camp”-ish thing about this yoga boot camp was the 6:15 start time (and thus the 5:30 wake up call). … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, blogging, health, higher education, lessons learned, students, teaching, work, yoga | 7 Comments

On teaching, writing, and teaching writing

Posted on June 24, 2013 by rglw

In a recent conversation with my mother-in-law, I discussed my frustration with teaching writing.  She lamented that students really learned to write in high school and many secondary schools were failing at that task.  I wondered [aloud to her] whether … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, higher education, lessons learned, reading, students, teaching, writing | 16 Comments

Call me crazy

Posted on June 19, 2013 by rglw

This post will not win me any friends, but I know that my reflections on Mama, PhD published last week resonated with others based on the support and feedback I’ve received from friends, colleagues and readers (including one of the … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, family, higher education, lessons learned, marriage, motherhood, parenthood, popular press, Uncategorized, work, writing | 4 Comments

Reflections on Mama, PhD

Posted on June 7, 2013 by rglw

My husband bought me Mama, PhD as a graduation gift. He thought I would appreciate the stories about “motherhood and academic life.”  In under a week, I tore through the anthology.  Divided into four sections, the editors captured women’s stories … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, family, fatherhood, gender equality, grad school, higher education, kids, lessons learned, marriage, motherhood, parenthood, reading, women, work, writing | 78 Comments

Now what?

Posted on May 22, 2013 by rglw

When you have been actively engaged in accomplishing one specific task for an extended period of time and you actually achieve your goal or finish that project, the next day feels both exhilarating and confusing. On Monday, I filed all … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, blogging, coffee, family, grad school, higher education, lessons learned, work, writing | 2 Comments

Commencement was my mother’s day

Posted on May 12, 2013 by rglw

Pomp and circumstance. It gets me every time.

Posted in academia, grad school, higher education | Leave a comment

When what you were writing becomes what you wrote

Posted on April 2, 2013 by rglw

March was a blur.  February was a blur, too. I was teaching, polishing off the “final” draft of my dissertation, making presentations at a regional conference, and keeping myself afloat (and my personal life from coming apart at the seams). … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, blogging, dissertation, grad school, higher education, lessons learned, teaching, work, writing | 2 Comments

Surfacing

Posted on February 28, 2013 by rglw

During the semester, there are rarely any un-busy moments.  At the start of the semester, I am usually crafting my syllabus until the last possible moment.  Or, I am hastily tying up loose odds and ends from a project or … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, coffee, dissertation, grad school, higher education, kids, lessons learned, marriage, personal, writing | 6 Comments

Hurry up and hurry up again

Posted on January 25, 2013 by rglw

Two weeks ago, I started this post on due dates and deadlines, and had finally settled on “Hurry up and wait” for the title because it captured the pacing of academic work.  Until this past week, my academic work followed … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, dissertation, grad school, higher education, teaching, writing | 2 Comments