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Time Management
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Administrivia: Drinking from a fire hose:
Are you feeling overwhelmed? This course can be like drinking from a fire hose! We cover so much material so quickly, it's only natural that you might feel this is too much of a good thing. It takes time to create a multicultural classroom, You need this time to adapt what you're learning to your classroom reality. Give yourself the time. Don't impose undue stress on your already over-burdened schedules.
It is only natural to get excited and want to try it all. Still we know that our students can only absorb a limited amount of information at a time. This applies to us as teachers too! It takes patient, repeated, long term application and integration of ideas to make a significant change in learning. Accept that and give yourself the time.
Dennis@Tahoe |
Throughout the course send encouraging email like the example above to help students cope with stress.
Learning to Cope
Time management is something all teachers and students must learn. Time management in an online environment is challenging for students who are used to conventional, fixed time, class meetings. Falling behind, coping with daily classroom realities, dealing with work and academic load take their toll. Adult learners sometimes need permission to triage their work load.
Flexible Deadlines in a Weekly Structure
While the course runs on an established weekly pattern, I will flex or even waive assignments. I do ask that learners inform me in advance of their need for an extension. Through out the course students can exercise these options. Generally this empowers students. Often, given permission to miss a deadline, a learner will complete the assignment on time. They simply needed to know that they had permission (and the power) to manage their time. This attitude of trust and professional confidence is broadcast publicly to the entire class. It is one of the elements that establishes a learner-centered tone for the community.
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Don't feel you have to read everything in depth! Information overload is dangerous.
Do read the short piece on hyper text reading for this class. It will help you learn to skim, scan, and save!(Also available via the site map, second line Reading Online - Hypertext Tips .)
Don't feel you have to read or respond to every e-mail. Our Professional Development policy is very flexible. If you feel buried by email. Skim it, save it without reading it, or delete it. It is your choice.
Also, remember that this course and all of its resources remain open to you from now on. Long after our weekly work is finished you'll be able to return to the class website for references and refreshers.
Take a Golden Ticket. You deserve it. Things happen. The classroom is the most demanding workplace there is. If you need a break, if you've got parent conferences or report cards, if you just need to skip a few assignments, let me know and we'll triage things to help relieve the pressure. (Do let me know. Just don't leave me in the dark!)
Hope this helps!
Dennis@Tahoe
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