Online Teaching Blog

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.

In the Make a Living Teaching Online group, I asked 6500 educators how they combat loneliness and feelings of isolation associated from working at home without peer interaction with the promise of posting an article to help others who may suffer from isolation or loneliness working remotely but without ideas or tools to cope. Here are some of the ideas; you can read through the entire thread in the group. (All respondents agreed to have their idea and name attributed; some paraphrased with context!)