[tips] Live Tweeted today at the EPA Conference
I really enjoyed live tweeting the first day's events at the EPA conference in NYC. Excellent first day - lots of interesting posters from grads and undergrads and some excellent, information-filled presentations. I've been tweeting as many links, recommended books, and great quotes as my fingers can handle. I'll continue tomorrow. You can see what I've been tweeting on my twitter page: www.twitter.com/mbritt Michael Britt mich...@thepsychfiles.com www.thepsychfiles.com Twitter: mbritt --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1097 or send a blank email to leave-1097-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] I need a break...
Carol There was an original question? :) We did stray a bit, didn't we! Ok, here are a few of my strategies (and I'll also start with a short explanation). I too am tenured, department chair, but also swamped with committee assignments (tenure and promotions, advising task force, etc). And yes that means sometimes I am a) not as prepared as I want or b) distracted by some emergency (or perceived emergency). Here are a few of the things I do 1) I "set-aside" the half-hour before every class - I close my door and I don't answer knocks OR the phone. I just look back over the notes I've prepared (powerpoint, whatever). This is just to focus and I find that no matter how prepared I am I do better if I'm focused rather than, say, going directly from a meeting into the classroom. It isn't easy sometimes but with my colleagues help I can enforce that very consistently. 2) If I'm just not ready or not feeling that I am- I get out one of the exercises books like Benjamin's "Favorite Activities" or the APA Activities series. I might peruse the OTRP teach resources (http://teachpsych.org/otrp/resources/resources.php?category=Research%20and%20Teaching) and/or the APS teaching resources (http://psych.hanover.edu/APS/teaching.html) There are others. My thinking here is based on how I write. I generally read something that is well written before I write so I think going to something "well taught" is more likely to spur me on to doing something of higher quality for the class. :) Ok. Truth is I'm a ham. And I generally have the benefit of teaching courses that I'm most prepared for which likely minimizes the harm if I'm not so prepared (which I do try to minimize!). So I'm pretty good at working from the textbook or a powerpoint and delivering a workable lecture even if I wasn't "on" or as prepared as I'd optimally want to be. Hope that helps. Tim _ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Professor and Chairperson of Psychology The College of Idaho 2112 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID 83605 teaching: Bio and neuropsychology, history and systems, general, psychopharmacology tshea...@collegeofidaho.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1096 or send a blank email to leave-1096-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] I need a break...
OK, I originally posted my message because I seriously want to know what people do in such a situation; I didn't mean to incite arguments. I have been enjoying, for the most part, the comments about this thread and I think they are pretty telling. Because I want to prepare for times when I might be unprepared (and not if I just don't feel like teaching--that's not what I really meant), I wanted to know what others do. I can't be 100% prepared for every class, and I wanted some insight. I rarely miss class, I think I've had the flu twice in my life (and lucky for me they both occurred on Christmas). I rarely get colds, in general, I rarely get sick (I'm knocking on wood now). When I had to take Family Medical Leave time for my daughter's heart transplant, for the most part my classes were covered and I taught two of them as online courses. The other day I had the situation where I felt really, really crummy; had class sandwiched between two meetings (spontaneous ones, so there was no planning for them); and I felt I'd do a lousy job of teaching if I just "soldiered on." Yes, I have tenure, yes, I'm a full professor, and yes, I'm department chair, which means that I have a great deal more freedom than an untenured or adjunct instructor. I believe I have an obligation to my students to be as prepared as can be and to do my very best. But I'm human and when I'm at my worst, I'm not worth all the money students pay to spend that one hour with me when they could be doing something far more profitable; to think otherwise seems like a great deal of hubris to me. What I ended up doing was this: It was a Sensation & Perception class and we have been discussing object perception, the Gestalt principles, bottom-up vs. top-down processing, and attention. I had already covered much of that and oddly, was on schedule. So I talked briefly, gave my student a list and told them to go find examples of the topics on the list. I told them after they had done that, they should go find examples of the Gestalt principles in a modality other than vision. It's been a long winter in the Midwest and we've had a couple of nice days lately, so I think they were happy for the opportunity to do something different. In addition to class, the students have lab activities to complete, and various writing assignments. I don't believe I short-changed my students. My take-home message from all your postings are: a reminder of the incredible obligation to do what is in the best interest of our students, a reminder to plan ahead as much as possible, and a reminder to visit some of the websites and other sources mentioned so that I always have a set of back-up plans. Thanks again for your collective wisdom on all of this, I truly appreciate it. Carol Carol DeVolder, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Chair, Department of Psychology St. Ambrose University Davenport, Iowa 52803 phone: 563-333-6482 e-mail: devoldercar...@sau.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1095 or send a blank email to leave-1095-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE:[tips] I need a break...
Louis Schmier wrote, "Carol, as it happened, that very thing happened today. It was just one of those days. I just wasn't in the mood. I walked into class, small talked a few minutes, and told them I wasn't in the mood like sometimes they aren't. "Let's go home," I said. We did. It doesn't do any good, it accomplishes nothing, if you force it; if you're there physically but aren't there emotionally or mentally." I find that action to be extraordinarily unprofessional. Aside from the fact that many students have driven an hour to get to the class or invested in the class in other ways, I know that I cannot afford to voluntarily give up any of my valuable class time for such a silly reason. I don't know about others but I NEVER have enough time to get through everything I want to get through in a semester. In any other employment setting, that sort of cavilier attitude would get you fired. Louis is all about teaching life lessons and responsibility. I seriously doubt that this episode would teach anything other than, "If I don't feel like doing something, I don't have to bother even if it adversely affects others." Just FYI, I have never missed a class for any but the most dire situations. I taught all this week with an excrutiatingly painful "dry socket" after a tooth extraction. I taught the day after my vasectomy (against doctors orders but I probably should have listened to him). I even taught 2 classes while having a heart attack. The idea of not teaching because "I just didn't feel like it" is pretty outrageous to me. If I found that temp or probationary faculty member had done that, there would be hell to pay. Ed Edward I. Pollak, Ph.D. Department of Psychology West Chester University of Pennsylvania Husband, father, grandfather, biopsychologist, & bluegrass fiddler.. in approximate order of importance. --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1094 or send a blank email to leave-1094-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] I need a break...
Mike: Tenure, like I said: fear and self-preservation in a we/them context. Pedagogy: you evaded my question. Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ (229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - -Original Message- From: Mike Palij [mailto:m...@nyu.edu] Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 11:13 AM To: Louis Schmier Cc: Mike Palij Subject: Re: [tips] I need a break... Hi Louis, As I teach my students, when writing, if you make an assertion of "fact" based on empirical research, you should provide a citation and reference to the source that specifically supports the statement you are making. To rattle off a list of names is the equivalent of hand-waving: it does not provide the evidence one needs to support their assertion and leaves it to the questioner to discover what the source of evidence is. And as any empirical research knows, to claim that "so and so" established something, is a pretty empty claim unless current research support it. Case in point: most of what Piaget had claimed is now known either to be wrong (e.g., age at which object permanance occurs; it has become a cottage industry in last few decades for people to show where Piaget was wrong) or subject to different interpretation that departs significantly from Piaget's theoretical position (e.g., Piaget's stage theory vs continuous development where an infant or child is learning rules that apply to situation is not dependent upon acheiving some cognitive stage). This would be obvious to a psychologist with research training. If you want to convince me of your position, cite peer-reviewed research articles in the last 10 years to support your assertions. As for tenure, those without it know that they bend or break rules at their own peril because most people without tenure or a full-time position know that they may not be re-appointed for any arbitrary reason. And the reasons that the administration may give for non-reappointment do not have to be the "real" reason why they are not appointing, the reasons given have just to be legal and provide no basis for the non-reappointed person to sue the university. Take care, -Mike Palij - Original Message - From: "Louis Schmier" To: "'Mike Palij'" Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 10:51 AM Subject: RE: [tips] I need a break... Mike, I thought I have always been referring to the findings of science, that systematic research to which you refer, to which I have referring, reading, reflecting upon, and testing out in my classes: Grasha, Richlin, Perry, Piaget, Mills, Deci, Harlow, Amabile, Senge, Flaste, Nelson, Eison, Gardner, Dees, Gladwell, Drucker, Zakrajsek, Palmer, Mckeachie, Bain, Lowman, Csikszentmihalyi, Dweck, Brooks, Boyatzis, Goleman, Seligman, Rogers, Bern., and a host of et als I have on my shelf. If their work is not to be accepted as systematic research, what systematic research do you rely upon for your classroom pedagogy, not the content of your courses, the pedagogy, the teaching methods and techniques, the educational philosophy, the purpose of it all that I can read, reflect upon, and apply? As for the tenure stuff, which most professions do not have, all you're doing is excusing and validating the inhibiting fear and subsequent kowtowing to "what will others think" that pervades our campuses which we allow to compromise ourselves in our quest for a job guarantee, a quest of which is in itself a misuse and an abuse of tenure itself. Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\/\ (229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - -Original Message- From: Mike Palij [mailto:m...@nyu.edu] Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 9:35 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Cc: Mike Palij Subject: RE: [tips] I need a break... Just a couple of points: (1) Personally, I usually pay no mind to what Louis says about teaching. He's not a psychologist (though one doesn't have to be a psychologist to say meaningful things about teaching), he's a tenured professor (which shouldn't be he
RE: [tips] I need a break...
Stuart said: "However, we have an obligation to offer our teaching services to students who want to be there and have paid to be there. Unless one is personally ill, I cannot see why we would not just buckle down and rise to the occasion. There could be students in the class who had similar feelings but dragged themselves out anyway." Stuart et al I couldn't agree more with what you said here but I'd add one more thing. We are not necessarily the best instrument for measuring the effects of what we have said. I can name specific instances where I was "on" for a discussion or lecture only to have the students email me with question after question- "this wasn't clear"- "I was confused by what you said about X"- that kind of thing. Or even having something appear on post-course evaluations to the effect that- "The course was mostly good but what happened to you on that day- I didn't understand anything you were talking about!" I've also had days when I was exhausted, frustrated, whatever and "did the best I could". Or days when the computer and projector didn't work or the network was down and my notes, video, etc were absent so I "winged it" (while "giving it my best shot" or being Nike-ish). On multiple occasions I had that happen and had both the experience of having a student follow me out and say, "Wow. You looked tired today." and having one say then and/or later, "That lecture changed my perspective on things" or something of the sort. I prepare the best I can, take care of myself the best I can and deliver the lecture the best I can everyday. But you don't know how it will be received. That is my humble opinion on "bad days". I attended a lecture on the liberal arts last year where a philosophy professor said something that sticks with me. "Each day as I walk in to my class I stop outside the door and say to myself, 'This is important'". I think his wise words sum up my "philosophy" on this issue quite well. Tim _ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Professor and Chairperson of Psychology The College of Idaho 2112 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID 83605 teaching: Bio and neuropsychology, history and systems, general, psychopharmacology tshea...@collegeofidaho.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1092 or send a blank email to leave-1092-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] I need a break...
Just a couple of points: (1) Personally, I usually pay no mind to what Louis says about teaching. He's not a psychologist (though one doesn't have to be a psychologist to say meaningful things about teaching), he's a tenured professor (which shouldn't be held against him but might blind him to the fact that that status grants him rights and privileges not available to junior faculty, adjuncts, or graduate students teaching courses on their own), and typically relies solely on his own experience instead of systematic research on what works and doesn't work (it is remarkable how many people who rely just on their experience fail to appreciate the concept of external validity). Louis fails to appreciate the role of his own biases and the how the specific environment he operates in affects what he thinks as well as what he thinks he knows. When he purports to provide "wisdom" on a subject, like "if you don't feel like it, don't teach because it will be obvious to students", he appears to think that this is a "universal law" applicable to all instructors in all courses while in truth he may be able to get away with it but someone whose contract specifies that a certain number of hours of classroom instruction would be foolish to follow his advice especially if it gets back to whoever their supervisor is. (2) In general, I recommend that instructors plan for an activity or activities for what I call "My Dog Died Today". That is, one can never tell when some personally catastrophic event will occur but one will not be able to take time off from class. One probably can't be bubbly and effervescent if one's dog died or one's child was admitted to the hospital or one's home burned down or a family member was kidnapped while traveling in a foreign country (which happened to one of my students who apologized for being out of it in class) or fill in your own personal tragedy. In these kinds of situations I think is wise to prepare: (a) to have a some video that is generally relevant to the topic of your class that can be used to fill the period and leave time for reactions and discussion afterward -- this reduces the amount of time one has to spend speaking which in fact might be difficult to do given the circumstance. Using material from various PBS series would be good, especially if one can access the Annenberg website; see: http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html (b) an activity that would allow the students to form small groups, work on a problem or some goal directed activity which will take some time and then report on their conclusions and moderate subsequent discussion. I'm sure Tipster can provide pointers to soruces for this kind of thing in different areas of psychology. The key thing is to determine what can be done in the class period that would be relevant either to the topic currently being covered or provides insight into some specific aspect of the course's content while reducing the amount of time that the instructor has to speak and physically act. Given the nature of the events I'm referring to, one wants to reduce the likelihood that one might break down in front of students, experience wild mood swings, or present other behaviors reflecting how upset or badly they feel but trying to keep it under control. If students don't know the context, they might react badly to strange behavior on the instructor's part. True, I'm really talking about those days when something really bad happens which really makes one not want to teach but one has to anyway. If its just "I don't feel like teaching today", then maybe Louis' advice makes sense. 1/2 :-) -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1088 or send a blank email to leave-1088-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: RE: [tips] I need a break...
Again, I'm don't disagree with you. But, our service to the students can take many forms sometimes our illness can be subliminal and low level, but enough that we're not aware of it or it lays us low when were on campus. It's certainly not cut and dry. So, don't draw any inferences from my "three semester" comment. I merely pulled this year out of the air as a mode of conversataion and example. I've been exceedingly lucky. I haven't taken a day of sick leave in the 42 years I've been at VSU except for the two months of recovery from my cerebral hemorrahage. Maybe that's not good fortune, since I always seem to get my winter cold during a break or on a weekend. So far, this year, no cold, flu, or whatever. But, even when I had cancer and the operation was during the semester, I transposed classes from face-to-face to computerized distancing without taking a day of sick leave (that's a story in itself and was not my choice). So, that "I don't have it" is as rare as a do-do bird, and then it does occur we usually just talk and discuss meaningful history asides. Stuart McKelvie wrote: >Dear Louis, > >From your many posts we know that you take your teaching seriously. Your current one only reinforces that. > >You say that you have not had to resort to dismissing class in the last three semesters, which seems to imply that you have done it before, albeit I am sure infrequently. > >However, we have an obligation to offer our teaching services to students who want to be there and have paid to be there. Unless one is personally ill, I cannot see why we would not just buckle down and rise to the occasion. There could be students in the class who had similar feelings but dragged themselves out anyway. > >Your honesty is not in question. However, I disagree with your sentiments. > >Sincerely, > >Stuart > >_ > > "Floreat Labore" > > > "Recti cultus pectora roborant" > >Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: 819 822 9600 x 2402 >Department of Psychology, Fax: 819 822 9661 >Bishop's University, >2600 rue College, >Sherbrooke, >Québec J1M 1Z7, >Canada. > >E-mail: stuart.mckel...@ubishops.ca (or smcke...@ubishops.ca) > >Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: >http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy > > Floreat Labore" > > > >___ > > > > >--- >You are currently subscribed to tips as: lschm...@valdosta.edu. >To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13368.9b8fe41d7a9a359029570f1d2ef42440&n=T&l=tips&o=1086 >or send a blank email to leave-1086-13368.9b8fe41d7a9a359029570f1d2ef42...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1087 or send a blank email to leave-1087-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] I need a break...
Dear Louis, >From your many posts we know that you take your teaching seriously. Your >current one only reinforces that. You say that you have not had to resort to dismissing class in the last three semesters, which seems to imply that you have done it before, albeit I am sure infrequently. However, we have an obligation to offer our teaching services to students who want to be there and have paid to be there. Unless one is personally ill, I cannot see why we would not just buckle down and rise to the occasion. There could be students in the class who had similar feelings but dragged themselves out anyway. Your honesty is not in question. However, I disagree with your sentiments. Sincerely, Stuart _ "Floreat Labore" "Recti cultus pectora roborant" Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: 819 822 9600 x 2402 Department of Psychology, Fax: 819 822 9661 Bishop's University, 2600 rue College, Sherbrooke, Québec J1M 1Z7, Canada. E-mail: stuart.mckel...@ubishops.ca (or smcke...@ubishops.ca) Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy Floreat Labore" ___ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1086 or send a blank email to leave-1086-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
Re: [tips] I need a break...
Regarding Carol DeVolder's query about how to teach when you don't feel like it...(I'm trying to follow the TIPS request to remove the gigabytes of forwards and concisely sum up the ongoing post): Perhaps I'm one of those people who has hyperthymia (read Richard Powers' wonderful novel, *Generosity: An Enhancement*), but since I'm pretty much always "up," I don't know what it feels like to feel draggy, unmotivated, etc. But I do know what it feels like to wonder if I have prepared adequately for a "Really Good Class." "RGC" is always my goal. But what I do find is that sometimes when I enter the classroom, wondering if I can make it worth students' while to have battled traffic, waited for a parking space, arranged daycare (and all the other thought-provoking considerations that Paul Bernhardt summed up) just to be in my class, I get caught up in the subject matter and things seem to click. Conversely, I have gone into a classroom brimful of activity ideas, cool photos, interesting ideas, and found the atmosphere seems to be grey, with apathetic students who don't seem to share my enthusiasm that day. In that case, I just plow ahead, telling myself that even if they don't *look* inspired, it may not be me. (I'm a social psychologist after all, and I know all about attribution errors.) So tell yourself that *someone* is likely getting something out of what you're trying to convey. Beth Benoit Granite State College Plymouth State University New Hampshire --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1085 or send a blank email to leave-1085-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] I need a break...
Stuart, I certainly appreciate what you're saying. And, I don't necessarily disagree with you. But, (here comes that proverbial but), you cannot give what you don't have. When you're not there, stiff upper lip and mustering whatever not withstanding, and you're just going through the motions to fill up time. That rarest of occasions (this is the first time in three semesters I felt this way--worried and a tad distracted about the rash of my Susan's severe chronic disk pains) it is not very productive. And, Ed, as far as your straw men are concerned, that's why the medical field is coming down on 24, 48, and 72 straight hour shifts. As far as the public is concerned, let them shadow me when I'm up at 4 am, as I am now, working on my book, reflecting on teaching, reading and responding to some 180 daily student journals and weekly issue papers, and am using every minute of my time until I leave the computer at 6 pm--unless I have a night class--for my daily glass of wine, ball of cheese, and delightful conversation with my Susan. Everyone needs down time and sometimes, as long as it is not chronic, it is human to be very occasionally and unintentionally down at the "wrong" time whether because we're hit with the flu, a low level bug, or we're just physically and emotionally drained on that given day. And, we profs, are human and should just accept it without much macho bravado. Back to issue papers. Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ (229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - -Original Message- From: Stuart McKelvie [mailto:smcke...@ubishops.ca] Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 10:25 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] I need a break... Dear Tipsters, In answer to Louis: I disagree. We have an obligation to offer our services even if we do not feel like it. Actually, for myself, the only activity that challenges me seriously is mounds of marking. But that does not mean that I do not require students to write. Sincerely, Stuart _ Sent via Web Access "Floreat Labore" "Recti cultus pectora roborant" Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: 819 822 9600 x 2402 Department of Psychology, Fax: 819 822 9661 Bishop's University, 2600 rue College, Sherbrooke, Québec J1M 1Z7, Canada. E-mail: stuart.mckel...@ubishops.ca (or smcke...@ubishops.ca) Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy " Floreat Labore" ___ From: Louis Schmier [lschm...@valdosta.edu] Sent: 04 March 2010 19:26 To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] I need a break... Well, Stuart, when you're "Nike-ish," and just do it as you say, and you're not really there; your heart and mind aren't in it; you're forcing it; it's really a waste; and, the students know it. They really appreciate it when you respect them enough that you're upfront with them. Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmierhttp://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ (229-333-5947)/^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\\_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \don't practice on mole hills" - -Original Message- From: Stuart McKelvie [mailto:smcke...@ubishops.ca] Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 3:49 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE:[tips] I need a break... Dear Tipsters, Carol asked: What do you do when you have a day (or even part of a day when you suddenly) are so tired, unmotivated, unprepared fill in the blank, that teaching that next class becomes an almost impossible chore? Reply: When you th
