Online Teaching Blog

Well, just as I spoke about balance with job, life, and family before, in the middle of my application frenzy, family life took front and center stage for me. It was mid-April and yes, we were packing-up and taking a good old-fashioned, nine-hour road trip. This was a trip that was absolutely necessary; however, we were also determined to make it fun too. Still, this was going to be a five-day long trip. How in the world was I going to be gone for five days! Okay, stay calm. I can make this work. We are living in the age of technology and I was determined to continue to be productive on this trip, while at the same time, getting in some enjoyment. So, I carefully packed the laptop and all other necessary essentials into the car. I just couldn’t leave all of this work at home, five days without work - no way! So off we went with laptop in tow.

We all have a reason to be an Adjunct Professor, some do it for money, and others do it for the love of teaching. Let’s face it, in a society where students are coming out of college having racked up so much debt that the average student is overwhelmed with paying back their student loans. Even educators are finding it harder and harder to get hired within our career fields. This is not only a cost to attain a Master’s Degree, but it is an investment into the person and his/her goals in life. I am not one that will go and invest all the money I make into Wall Street and maybe make it rich, but I will invest in someone that I know has a vested interest in success; those individuals are my wife and me. We both believe that investing in higher education is an area in a person’s life that can never go wrong, however, if a person is to succeed, they have to not only seek out the education, but also identify how you want to use your education.

I imagine that for part timers this time of year is also predictable. On your end you are filling out the applications I will eventually separate into “yes”, “no” and “maybe” piles. You are carefully crafting cover letters that I will later survey to find actual examples that you are as forward-thinking as you claim to be. Perhaps you are having friends and colleagues review your CV, looking for the spelling and consistency errors that might catch my eye.

I confess. It’s all true. I do all of those things above. But there’s more….

My last article emphasized the importance of planting seeds to build the professional and personal life you want. To complement planting seeds, you should have a plan so as the seedlings start unfolding; you are prepared to take action. You can potentially lose opportunities or place yourself in a quandary should you wait for these seedlings to mature and then figure out plans. Planning helps maximize your success.

This, however, is not the case.

Have you ever wondered when your time will come? When would you ever get out of debt so you can buy you fantasy house, fund your degree, get your dream job, earn that promotion, or just when everything will fall into place? When would I have time to apply for jobs? When will I begin teaching online? When would I get out this rut? When? When? When?

For many online faculty, morale is high. Professors look at the bright side of their jobs - the flexibility, ability to work from home, be a full time care-taker while earning an income, and make a substantial difference in the lives of others. And of course, the ongoing running joke in our forum that cats are better co-workers than most cubicle-mates and pajamas for daytime are perfectly acceptable attire. But for others, low morale can take a toll on job satisfaction, and cause schools to lose good faculty. Unsatisfied faculty may still perform high out of duty to students and fear, but managing in this way isn't setting the best tone for your college.