Faculty & CIE Articles

Test Anxiety

Test Anxiety

I have to admit, I don’t understand test anxiety. I have students that tell me they have test anxiety, and that when they sit down to take a test they go blank. I do believe these students, but I don’t understand it. I don’t understand it because I seldom get stressed...

read more
The Hardest Job Everyone Thinks They Can Do

The Hardest Job Everyone Thinks They Can Do

A suggested reading from Linda Rae, former CIE secretary. This piece was inspired by a heated discussion I had with a man who believes that teachers have an easy job. Please feel free to share it with others if you agree with the message. I used to be a molecular...

read more
Jigsaws in the Classroom?

Jigsaws in the Classroom?

The jigsaw technique is a collaborative learning strategy that was developed in the early 1970s by Elliot Aronson, a well-known psychologist and co-author with Carol Tavris of Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me). The jigsaw technique divides the class into groups—often...

read more
Guiding student preparation – a journey

Guiding student preparation – a journey

When I began teaching in 2002, I was surprised to find so many students coming to class without completing (often, without even starting) their reading assignments. Why didn't they read? How could they expect to succeed? Further, what should I do? Were my expectations...

read more

Searching for the Somatic (Week 3)

My writings involve movement descriptions taken from my classroom.  I am trying to bring the reader into a dance classroom to catch a glimpse of movement education.  (Please note:  I will be sharing this information at the Wellness Expo, hosted by NMC's Phi Theta...

read more

Writing Back In Time

Writing Back In Time By Brian Sweeney I spent 3 years teaching physics and math to first and second year college students.  I then spent 5 years teaching math to high-school students in dual enrollment classes.  I found that, in general, the focus of personal...

read more
“Food” for Tech Help

“Food” for Tech Help

Notice: Effective immediately; there has been a slight change to receiving assistance form Educational Media Technologies personnel. We ask that you donate a can or boxed item for every technical question we assist you with or idea we inspire you with. This new "can...

read more
Time To Reflect on Competency-based Learning

Time To Reflect on Competency-based Learning

At the November Faculty Friday Forum sponsored by NMC’s Center for Instructional Excellence, four questions about competency-based learning were posted.  As I struggled to organize responses to this hot topic into a meaningful context, Mark DeLonge suggested Jimmy...

read more
The Joy of Public Speaking

The Joy of Public Speaking

There's been a commercial on TV recently about glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking. It's an advertisement for a new Google tablet, which does seem pretty cool, but the message about overcoming speech anxiety is even cooler. Watch it now: Google Nexus 7...

read more