Category Archives: teaching

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

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 writing is the reward

Posted on October 4, 2013 by rglw

If you’re a teacher, you are probably wondering where September went.  I know I am pretty amazed at how many things happened in the last month and how quickly this semester is flying.  In this first semester of non-graduate, non-dissertating … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging, lessons learned, teaching, writing | 2 Comments

Persistence in the face of unrelenting mediocrity

Posted on September 12, 2013 by rglw

After many summers of failing miserably at tending to vegetable plants, I have resigned myself to the realization that I am not a great gardener. Do you hear me, husband?  I stink at gardening. I am not even a little … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, blogging, lessons learned, personal, research, students, teaching, work, writing | 4 Comments

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

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