Faculty Work-Life Balance Series (4/5) - Yoga and Higher Education (Celebrating National Yoga Month)!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/myyogaonline/457354375/

Readers,

I am excited to tell announce that this month is National YOGA month! This exciting because many Yoga studios are offering FREE classes this month! Enter your information in the National Yoga Month website to find classes near you!

http://www.yogamonth.org/fwfiles/EventSearch.php

This summer, I started practicing yoga to become more flexible (I hate injuries), to gain a stronger focus on my work and family life, and to minimize the impact of stress on my life. Life for faculty and students is a hard life and many people outside of higher education do not realize the stress level of both of these groups.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mortonfox/

Through yoga, I have met a wonderful group of older and younger women (and men) who embrace fitness and health. The older women use the balance balls in the back of the room and the rest of us are on double-mats. I try to avoid double-mats, but the nice women who are taking the class with me make sure that I have an additional mat before the class begins. God bless them!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sisterbeer/

During the summer, we had 105+ days in July and August and this prevented me from walking to the local gym to persist through my yoga class. However, the meteorologists predict that September is the month to expect cooler weather (and possibly rain). So, later this month, I plan to continue my yoga journey and to meet my old (no pun intended) friends again.

Do you practice yoga or another fitness activities to relieve your stressful days? Please share! :)

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Faculty Work-Life Balance Series (3/5) - Wandering Wednesdays - "Too Hot To Teach" Blog

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Readers,

This is our second week of school and I am very excited to share a neat blog with you. This week's Wandering Wednesday's Blog is focused on work-life balance and it is written by three lovely academic bloggers (Professor KM, Miss Kat, and Part-Time KC). Most of their posts focus on the celebrations and perils of being young, fierce, female and faculty. Wow, I remember those young and fierce days, now I feel almost tenured and _______ (insert adjective here).

Their blog helps me reflect on my first six years of teaching in higher education. Yes, it has been SIX YEARS! Here are the categories that are featured on their blog:

Annotated Bibliography

Career Change

Field Notes from the Classroom

Identity Crisis

It Never Ends

Their blog features a WEALTH of personal/professional reflection and an equal amount of neat teaching ideas. 

Visit their blog here - http://toohottoteach.com/.

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Call for Articles - International Higher Education Teaching and Learning (HETL) Review

Readers,

Here's a publication opportunity! The International Higher Education Teaching and Learning (HETL) Review (http://hetl.org) is now accepting article submissions for 2011. See http://hetl.org/introduction-submissions/ for submission requirements.

Special theme for 2011-2012: University 2.0.Theme topic areas include:

- University 2.0: using Web 2.0 and other digital media technology in higher education.

Examples: virtual worlds, blended learning, social media technology, mobile learning.

- University 2.0: internationalization of teaching and learning.

Examples: multicultural learning, collaboration between universities, education for agency.

- University 2.0: social learning theories, instructional design, and learning outcomes.

Examples: assessment and evaluation of teaching and learning, syllabus/course design, curriculum design, program design.

- University 2.0: social, institutional, and policy-making challenges and opportunities.

Examples: managing learning communities, managing centers for teaching and learning, higher education reform.

Sample of on-going themes:

- Best practices in teaching and learning.

- New pedagogical approaches in teaching and learning.

- Innovation and the future of teaching and learning.- Comparative studies in teaching and learning.

- Interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

- Internationalization of teaching and learning.

- Faculty development and learning communities.

- Cooperative learning and collaborative learning.

- Active learning and student engagement.

- Group-based learning, project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, case-based learning, and problem-based learning. 

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Faculty Work-Life Balance Series (2/5) - Tips for Faculty Work-Life Balance (A Few Neat Resources)

Readers,

Work-life balance is one of my favorite subjects to research in my organizational communication endeavors. I usually research millennial employees and their perceptions of work-life balance, but I really think that I should apply the work-life balance research and issues to my own life. 


Here's a great TED video from Nigel Marsh on How to Make Work-Life Balance Work:

If you need to discover exactly HOW MUCH time you are spending on each of your daily activities, here's a neat calculator from CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/06/04/balance.calculator/

Also, CNN has a neat quiz focused on Weisure (the combination between work and play):
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/05/08/weisure.interactive/index.html


Here are a few additional resources that would help male and female faculty members survive the work-life balancing act. 

San Francisco State University - Top Ten Tips on Finding Personal and Professional Balance 

http://ctfd.sfsu.edu/feature/top-ten-tips-on-finding-personal-and-professional-balance.htm

Washington University - Work-Life Balance
http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/benefits/publications/carelink/tipsheets/work-family-balance.pdf

A More Family-Friendly Ivory Tower
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/01/flexibility.aspx

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41