SERIES | REBECCA’S ONLINE TEACHING TIPS
Ode to my students
O dear students how I already miss you.
Visions of you waiting for me to open a classroom.
Me holding my CougarCard in my teeth.
You holding coffee tumblers and water bottles as we head into a lab that explicitly says “no food or drink.” (sorry Jeff)
O dear students what will become of us if we are not together?
How will you listen to my rockin’ and always explicit-free Spotify playlists?
How will you try to talk to your neighbor when there is a giant monitor between you?
How will you know how to function without the afternoon glare on the pull-down screen in Goertzen 123?
O dear students how I will miss our face-to-face chats.
And will we all suffer without access to our brand-new whiteboards-on-wheels in Goertzen 1?
How will you function without our in-class exercises, an abundance of Post-it note activities, and me talking too fast?
Will you be OK without our CCE days? Will you survive without designated workdays? Will you miss me throwing 383 club swag T-shirts at you like we are at a basketball game during a time out?
O dear students do not despair.
We will persevere, thrive, and even grow from this experience.
You are strong and mighty and I have so much faith and respect for you every day.
We will meet in person again one day soon. We will laugh, do a little dance party, and eat my store-bought cookies because let’s face it, I am no baker.
–By Rebecca
Hugs and high fives to all 59 of you amazing, talented, capable individuals. The semester is not over yet! We can still connect through Zoom, phone, and email. I have set up a Zoom virtual classroom for every MWF during normal class time. Pop in, say hello, ask questions, get tips, keep learning. I also set aside virtual office hours through Calendly if you want more personal instruction or just need to chat.
Remember you have grit. You are stronger than you feel today. Know you will be amazing.
“Grit is that ‘extra something’ that separates the most successful people from the rest. It’s the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality.”
-Travis Bradberry, author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0
A few memories from weeks 1-9
This post is part of Rebecca L. Cooney’s Online Teaching Tips series. Check out more tips in the “Online Teaching Tips” category.