Issue link: http://ncumarketing.uberflip.com/i/1205139
5 Teaching Tips Lisa Powell, PhD, LMFT Part-Time Faculty, Department of Marriage and Family Sciences I view my work at NCU as an important part of my life. I completed my master's and PhD in an online environment as a non-traditional student. I remember the days of working on my coursework and attending classes – we had live, synchronous classes at the time – while my children were at school and my husband at work. I remember attending class with a baby across my knees napping. I also remember putting my schoolwork away to start dinner, housework, homework, and other responsibilities once my study portion of the day was over. This took juggling and scheduling to make sure nothing fell through the cracks, and there were times when something did fall. This understanding of how difficult it is to work on a degree, when the only representation you have of the work is your computer, is something I can't forget as I work with my students. People tend to discount that you are "working" when you are at home sitting in front of a screen or reading. Sometimes you can forget you are working in those circumstances as well – as I'm sure we can all imagine, given the work we do! As I've read the Teaching Tips through in past editions, I have been impressed with the knowledge given and have learned valuable skills to use in my grading and teaching. My tips are similar, and are vital to me. The first is to remember what the student is going through just to get to their schoolwork. Yes, there are some students who have been able to prioritize their education and it is a joy to teach these students because they have time to really focus on what they need to learn. But many of our students are juggling their lives, going through our programs so they can better their life and fulfill their dreams. Until they get there, other responsibilities are often a part of the equation. Family members get sick, relationships struggle, jobs have deadlines, and all of this is on top of the assignments always due at midnight each Sunday. Being gracious about these struggles can help a student succeed, while also understanding the limitations of this grace. "Yes, I can accept an assignment a day or two late, but no, you won't get credit for what you don't do," takes some accommodations on our end to match the work they are doing on their end. We are not working harder than the students are, but we are using a bit of flexibility because we understand it can get difficult at times.