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How Students Can Benefit from a ’12 Week Year’

It’s the second month of my reading challenge, and so far so good! If you’re an instructor and would like to borrow the following insights for your students, feel free to copy and paste the following as a class announcement. Enjoy! __ This month’s book is the 12 Week Year (if you’ve ever read Atomic…

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Learning that Sticks: What Students (and Teachers) Should Know

I’m challenging myself in 2026 to revisit (and read some new) books that I genuinely believe can help students (or anyone) thrive. About once a month, I’ll be sharing an announcement in my online classes highlighting a few key takeaways from a book that’s worth the read (and if you just want to read my…

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My Easy Tips for a Successful Fall Semester!

Here we are at the beginning of another semester! I’m not sure if other online instructors get that familiar ‘back to school’ excitement during the first week, but I’m definitely feeling it. I’m excited to use my new planner, pens, and Post Its, and I’m ready to start ‘meeting’ my students as each college starts…

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A Personal Growth Assignment for College Students

Recently I created an assignment for my online speech classes that I think is simple and light, yet at the same time inspiring and valuable.  Here it is (short and sweet): Assignment: Journal Entry about Managing Anxiety This assignment has 3 steps:  After I created it, I kind of fell in love with it. I’m…

Favorite Inspiring Book Lately: Mind Your Mindset

Lately I’ve been going on walks around my little town and listening to my new favorite book on Audible, Mind Your Mindset by Michael Hyatt. I can’t recall how I stumbled upon it, and I’ll be honest, it’s not a particularly exciting book (more like a textbook that has some Malcolm Gladwell elements- but I’m…

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Make time for passion projects (just because)

When I started adjuncting over a decade ago it was simply because I was passionate about teaching and inspiring students (you know what they say, do what you love and the money will follow). But I don’t believe passions necessarily need to make money. For instance, I have a cheesy dream of writing holiday novels…

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What’s the Recipe for Success as an Adjunct Instructor?

I’ll ask the controversial question: What’s the recipe for success as an adjunct instructor? Do you have a plan for being successful as an adjunct instructor? I know I certainly didn’t when I first started out, I was in my early twenties, just going with the flow and not thinking too much about it. I’m…

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The Best Books I’m Rereading/Listening to in 2020 to Get Inspired

Being a mom to two tiny kids, who are home all day (and bored a lot of the time) during a pandemic, while I’m also working at home in the same home office as my husband, while also trying to remain an inspired and energetic person is really really hard (and that’s an understatement). No…