Getting to Know Your Professors

A few years back, I was teaching a class where I was required to have office hours once a week. This is not always common for adjunct instructors such as myself, as we often do not have access to even a shared office to use for that, but in this case, the university had a designated shared adjunct office space and I had my assigned time there each week during the semester. It was very, very quiet. Imagine my excitement one day then when a student came in the door. "Hello," I said enthusiastically. "What can I do to help you?" The student replied, "Um, do you know where the nearest ladies' restroom is?" Slightly deflated, I gave her directions, she thanked me, and that was the extent of my face-to-face student interactions during office hours for that entire semester. 

Very few students utilize office hours or other forms of communication with their professors and instructors, and, truly, they are losing out on a valuable part of their college experience by doing so. I state on my syllabi that I am available by email 24/7 and encourage students to contact me that way, because after any given class, I am usually flying out the door to hit the freeway for my next campus.

While it's undeniable that many students and instructors have hectic schedules, there are always ways for students to get that extra clarification and information that will help them do better in their classes. This can also help students build relationships with faculty that can lead to recommendation letters, internships, and even employment.

The simple habit that can make or break your college experience

Maximize Your Community College Experiences by Using Resources

Community colleges are wonderful starting points for many students for a wide variety of reasons. Whether it's because of finances, academics, employment, family, or simply convenience, two-year public schools offer viable options to springboard oneself towards careers and/or transferring to bachelor's degree granting institutions. Many capable students who would have difficulty entering immediately into the university environment thrive at community colleges. Why is it, then, that the university transfer and bachelor's degree completion rates for such students are relatively low?

According to research performed at the Center for Community College Research at Columbia University's Teachers College, there are flaws in how community college students are counseled for selecting classes and are assisted through the transfer process. I know, however, from my experiences at the numerous Southern California community colleges where I've taught, there are MANY resources available to help students through this process and they are VERY visible and vocal on nearly every campus. I believe more needs to be done to encourage students to make the most of their community college educational experiences, and it starts with knowledge. I actively encourage my students to see their academic counselors on a regular basis and try to answer any questions that they might have to the best of my ability. I know many of my colleagues do the same.

Is Community College a Stepping Stone? It Depends

Want to Improve Your Grades and Your Health? Get More Sleep!

College students are traditionally a seriously sleep-deprived population. With juggling hectic class schedules, jobs, extracurricular activities, and social life, getting enough sleep often falls by the wayside. However, the UCLA Healthy Campus Initiative's Sleep Revolution campaign is seeking to change all that. Sleep has a profound impact on global well-being and the time for college students to cultivate better sleep habits is now.

Healthy Campus Initiative goes deep on sleep

Speed Reading? Slow Down Before You Buy Its Claims

Speed reading programs have been around for decades, promising busy students, overwhelmed professionals, and time-crunched bibliophiles shortcuts to reading, understanding, and remembering written information in as little time as possible. However, a scientific review of the claims behind such programs has revealed their weaknesses.

Speed Reading Promises Are Too Good to Be True, Scientists Find

Life Skills That Go Well Beyond College

Here's some great common sense advice from a former Stanford dean about basic skills for life success necessary to young people moving into the world on their own, whether they are attending college or not.

The 8 Skills Everyone Should Have By Age 18

Flashcards: A New Perspective

Flashcards are an old school learning method that sometimes get a bad rap. It's true if they are simply used as a way to memorize terms out of context, their usefulness is limited, especially if they are pre-created flashcards from a textbook publisher or purchased online. However, flashcards can be a handy study tool if created by the student and used for more than just term definitions. Here's an interesting model to consider: the five-sided flashcard.

The Five-Sided Flashcard