There is no typical week
Some of your work is scheduled. You know that you will be teaching that class every Tuesday at 2 p.m. (or whatever) for the next 10 weeks or so. You’ve probably also scheduled weekly office hours in...
View ArticleGetting out of Grading Jail*
*the term “grading jail” is borrowed from a popular Twitter hashtag #gradingjail At this time of year, it is tempting to drop everything else and just grade all the time. After all you have lots of...
View ArticleThoughts on the emotional toll of grading
Marking student’s work is hard for many people. Emotionally hard. This example captures how that emotion affects your work process: Grading is a very unpleasant activity; even for those of us who enjoy...
View ArticleWhen priorities and boundaries feel like cutting corners: Grading Edition
In my Planning classes I talk about the importance of defining your priorities and setting boundaries. An email from a client reminded me how hard that is in practice. This client was finding it hard...
View ArticleWriting in Grading Season
Back in April, I noticed that at least one person was coming to A Meeting With Your Writing more often once classes had finished at her Canadian university. Instead of once a week, she started coming...
View ArticleYou were not a typical undergraduate student
You are a good teacher. You work hard to prepare classes that will enable your students to learn. And I bet you are frequently frustrated by those who don’t seem to do their part to benefit from that...
View ArticleThe frustrations of being a dedicated teacher
One of the issues that is often ignored in the criticism of post-secondary education, Morrison says, is the democratization of access and that since the Second World War, Canadian universities have...
View ArticleWriting is NOT a reward for getting your grading done
Grading is dispiriting at the best of times. There is too much of it to do to a very tight deadline. And despite the occasional brilliant paper or clear demonstration that students are getting it,...
View ArticleWhen priorities and boundaries feel like cutting corners: Grading Edition
In my Planning classes I talk about the importance of defining your priorities and setting boundaries. An email from a client reminded me how hard that is in practice. This client was finding it hard...
View ArticleWriting in Grading Season
Back in April, I noticed that at least one person was coming to A Meeting With Your Writing more often once classes had finished at her Canadian university. Instead of once a week, she started coming...
View ArticleYou were not a typical undergraduate student
You are a good teacher. You work hard to prepare classes that will enable your students to learn. And I bet you are frequently frustrated by those who don’t seem to do their part to benefit from that...
View ArticleThe frustrations of being a dedicated teacher
One of the issues that is often ignored in the criticism of post-secondary education, Morrison says, is the democratization of access and that since the Second World War, Canadian universities have...
View ArticleWriting is NOT a reward for getting your grading done
Grading is dispiriting at the best of times. There is too much of it to do to a very tight deadline. And despite the occasional brilliant paper or clear demonstration that students are getting it,...
View ArticleOn defining learning objectives
I am a fan of articulating learning objectives or expected learning outcomes. (They are outcomes once they’ve happened. Expected outcomes or objectives when you start.) Articulating clearly what you...
View ArticleTransitioning to summer
Note: I wrote this just before the pandemic situation started to impact academic workloads in the UK, US, and Canada. I am re-publishing it now as a reminder that things would already have been in...
View ArticleWhat if you need an extension?
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · What if *you* need an extension? I’ve been seeing a lot of conversation on Twitter about granting extensions to students. Much of it is framed in terms of...
View ArticleDo you have to finish your grading before you can write?
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Do you have to finish the grading before you can write? It’s already difficult to keep writing while you are teaching and doing all the other things that need to...
View ArticleSpotlight On: Grading Season
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Spotlight On: Grading Season Grading is one of those things that many academics struggle to find meaningful or enjoyable, but is required by your employer. Grading...
View ArticleRevision following peer review is a normal part of the scholarly writing process
Upon the publication of my 4th Short Guide: Peer Review, I had a lively discussion with Katherine Firth to mark the occasion. One of the things that came up was the frustration that comes from the...
View ArticleHow grading has ruined peer review
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · How grading ruined peer review “Academics should not be terrified of one another’s judgments, just as students should not be afraid of their teachers. … we need to...
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