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What I Learned from My First Bad Boss
My first experience with a bad boss puzzled me for years. Nearly eighteen years ago, I taught at a small Christian university in Kentucky. A single mom with four girls, I was incredibly grateful for my job. I kept my head down and taught my classes. Towards the end of the school year, the chair of my department called me in. I remember the moment quite clearly. I liked my boss. He was about thirty years older than me. I had met his lovely wife and, from my naïve standpoint, thought they must have a lovely marriage. He asked me if I had heard the rumors. I had not. Up…
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What Professors Wish Parents Knew about College
I cannot speak for every college professor, but teaching in higher education for the last twenty-four years gives me some credibility on the topic. In my career, I taught upper and lower division English courses for large public universities, community colleges, and small private liberal arts universities. Every Fall ushers in a new class of freshmen and every winter ushers out 25-50% of those same kids. I estimate roughly 5000 students have crossed my path, probably a few more. I personally flunked about 10% of those, maybe more. It seems crazy in those terms. I flunked five hundred students. Most knew the end loomed because one cannot skip most classes…
Healing Through Art & Words
