A word to the wise...

I can see you. Yes, I can see what you are doing.

Maybe its my innate mommy-intuition or it is your lack of seceracy. However, it is obvious when you text, search the web or goof of in class. Any comptent professor knows that the day you bring your laptop is the day you goof off! Just like when you try to discretly look down under the table to answer a text, it is too obvious. Why do we know this? We have all been in your shoes. While some of us may have been out of the classroom before the advances of portable computers and the IPhone, we still know what students will do to get out of paying attention. Keep this in mind, you check you facebook, text or goof off in class we, your professors, are always watching you.

Quick professorism of the day...

Don't fall asleep in class, yes I can see you. If you ever accidentally dozed off in class and got away with, you didn't! The professor or teacher just decided to have compassion and not call you out. Yes, I notice when a student dozes off and yes it is just as embarrassing for you as it is me.

Keep this in mind... Grab a piece of candy, cup of coffee or a dreaded energy drink to wake yourself up! I don't which of those poisons you choose. Just remember, if you take a quick catnap in class, I or any professor can see you. Why do you think I have that HUGE bowl of candy in class? Is it my insurance to keep you awake, or a sad attempt to feed you?

Don't expect to fall asleep in my class!

We're all children in heart, why not bring it into the college classroom.

Why must the fun of school only be found in elementary classrooms? Why can't the fun be brought into the world of college?

Remember, the fun activities and assignments you completed in third grade? What about all the hours you put in to complete the that diorama or crazy science project you won first place for? Theses projects are creative tactics to engage students and increase learning from an educator somewhere in the history of your education.

Why not apply these creative tactics to the world of college. So many educators and students feel that in order to learn, as an adult, instruction must be a mundane lecture in a monotonous tone where neither the student or educator enjoy much. Why is this? I for one do not learn like this and choose not to structure my classes in this manner. Why? The answer is simple. Students, regardless or age, learn best when they don't know they are learn at all. In laymen terms, make learning fun! If instruction is complete in a fun manner, students not only learn material but internalize and see its application to their life.

So if you're an educator looking to revamp some instructional strategies or student looking to get the most out of school look for these four tips in your college classroom:

(1) Does the material being discussed relate to your life? Are you as the educator bringing the instruction back to the lives of your students? It is important that all students are exposed to real-life applications of any subject to fully internalize the material. If you, as a student, cannot relate it to life now, how do you expect to once you graduate.

(2) Does varied instruction occur? As a student you may be wondering what this question even means? That's okay, it will all make sense soon. As an educator the answer to this question is simple. Is your instruction always the same every session or is it varied depending on what aspect of the subject you are discussing? To put it frankly, don't teach the same all the time. Incorporate instruction to reach all learning modalities. If a student learns visually your PowerPoint or video is great, but what if they learn kinesthetic manner(or hands on)? How will you vary your instruction to reach learns that need actual get their hands on the subject to understand it? How can you, as an educator, vary your instruction? Well, think about yourself and then think about your students. This egocentric moment will help you tremendously. Do you like talking all time? Do you learn best from listening? What if the students teach each other? What if they complete a group assignment to apply your wonderful lecture to their life, while completing the goal of varied instruction? Think of how you might want to learn about the information you teach,then think of your students and vary your instruction to reach a middle ground of your egocentric thoughts about instruction and what your students need.

(3) Can you relate to your students? OR Can you relate to the instructor? A common ground is needed for true internalization to occur in any classroom. If you cannot relate to your students on some common ground, why would they listen to you at all? It is important to not construe with befriending your students on a personal level. That is something completely different all together. Relating to your students life, academic habits, personal issues, career aspirations or anything about their life demonstrates a level of caring that many educators fail to integrate into the college classroom. Caring, empathy and relation to students is vital to their success. A former college professor stated early in my college career that 'Students don't care how much they know, until they know how much you care.' Students, remember this next time you see your professor. Professor keep this in mind next time a student confides in you about something that inhibited satisfactory performance on an assignment.

(4) Have fun! Learning should be fun regardless of the student's age. So let loose and have fun with the information you are instructing or learning about. Make sure to always maintain professionalism and to keep your 'fun' relevant to the instruction!

So to quickly recap, relate it (instruction) to their life, teach differently, make every effort to relate to your students, and always have fun! Keep these four things in mind and not only will you have successful learning environment, but students will actually pay attention (aka; not fall asleep) in class!

Haiti... You can help, get out there and do it!

Let's take a moment to put aside the professorisms and look at the current situation in Haiti. While many of us cannot jump on a plane and begin to help those in need, there are many things you can do from right here. Let's take a look at four things you can do today to help those directly effective by the recent earthquake in Haiti.

(1) Make a Care Package. That's right, go through your closet, get out old blankets, compile basic toiletry items, put them all together and donate them to your local charity like the Goodwill or American Red Cross.

(2) Pray. As Christians this is the most simple and most effective thing to do. Never doubt the power of prayer, so get on your needs and start praying! Yes, not only does your prayer count, it matters!So, start a prayer chain or host a night of prayer in your dorm or apartment dedicated to the recent events in Haiti. God is always listening, so pray for those missing, looking for loved ones, helping out in the trenches and those here on the home front helping out.

(3) Donate a little extra cash. While many college students live on limited means, any little bit helps. Cash in your old piggy bank, change in your ashtray or weekly Starbucks budget (despite the severity of your Starbucks addiction). Whatever you can donate to help those in need, is not only needed but greatly appreciated.

(4) Can't donate cash, donate time. Time is on your side. Get in touch with your local church, Red Cross or other charity and volunteer to help organize, pack and prepare items for shipment to Haiti. Whatever, you can do to help get the goods to the victims faster is helpful. If all you have is an hour, it will be an hour well spent. Don't worry, your TiVo or DVR will record the show you may miss.

Whatever you can do to help is big. Remember, as Christian it is our duty to help, especially those in need. As cliche as it may sound think of WWJD? at this point and know that anything you can do will help.

Food for thought...

Food is the brain's fuel, but don't eat the professor's entire bowl of candy in one class meeting. Sure we've all heard the adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But what happens to a college student that sleeps through breakfast and rushes to their first class, which ironically is right smack in the middle of lunch? You make lunch your most important meal. Whatever time you decide to grace your wonderful professors with your presence, make sure to visit us and the rest of class with a full tummy. Why, is this professor concerned with your food consumption? Proper consumption of food equals better productivity, which in turn creates a happy professor with class that is engaged and ready to learn. So what's the moral of the story? We're all big kids now, so make sure to feed yourself before class and leave some candy for all of us to enjoy!

Keep your professor/semester happy...

It is the first week of the semester that professors' cherish! Students do not, quite yet, feel comfortable enough to bombard you with excuses, talking during class, showing up late, or casually dozing off during class. Fear still looms in their eyes, optimism fills the room. Essentially, students are on their best behavior to make the BEST impression. It is this beginning that must be remembered when the semester sinks in, when students have procrastinated and are flooding your inbox with reasons as to why they could not finish their latest assignment. Reflecting upon this week with give me strength when the semester settles in around campus. Students remember this as the dust settles in your classes, NO excuse is a GOOD excuse!

A semester's end is a new beginning....

As you scramble to get in your last minute missing assignments and prepare for finals, remember this; there's is no excuse a professor has heard. Don't tell me that your great Aunt Ida that has been twice removed has past away and you can't get your missing assignments in because of them. First, if in the midst of your grief you can email me to tell that you still don't have your assignments, then you can simply attach them to the email. Aside from that, I know that your poor Aunt who has been twice removed is more often than not fictitious! Yes, I know, the truth is sad.

However, as the semester ends, remember it is time to reflect. Reflect on what the good and the bad was, as well as, your new beginning shortly approaching. That's right, with the end there is always a beginning and new semester brings a renewed spirit and chance to do things different the next time around!