(Bringing back news you can talk about! Start a conversation about this with someone today–hopefully on the phone or, better yet, face-to-face, given the context of the topic. I haven’t tapped into general interpersonal talk in a while, and this piece has been on my mind, so here goes!). When you teach Communication, the subject of Facebook inevitably arises. From ’07-April ’11, I was absent from the Facebook scene and students did not let me hear the end of it. I told them, “I’m online all the time. I just don’t want my face in front of a computer any more than it has to be.” “Plus that,” I added. “I...
Read MoreAnother moment of staring at her computer, and then to see her prof to talk about how she feels! (Here I am again! I didn’t forget Word. Wednesday! And, guess what… it’s still Wednesday! I’m finding my footing with my new blog, so thank you for being patient today. Are you ready for what to say? You can actually use this one any day–it’s a keeper. Here goes!) What’s the word? (This week, it’s a phrase): “This feels risky/difficult/scary/awkward to talk about/mention/discuss…” A plagiarized outline. A recorded speech received in my online class where the student is reading/sitting/without a body (yes,...
Read MoreI’ve really missed my regular posting in this space and I hope you’ve missed it, too. As a new blogger (my one year anniversary is only a few weeks away), I know that failing to post regularly is blog death. However, never fear, my absence and irregularity is for very good reason. I actually have quite an arsenal of pent up student-professor communication goodness just waiting to emerge for you. For right now, change is afoot… Exciting changes. I bet you have new changes coming, too, as you move further into this academic year. Maybe you’re readying yourself for graduation. Maybe you’re finishing your first year. We’ll talk about the...
Read More(I was MIA last week. I’m never MIA, but I was MIA. I’m going to be less gone here pretty soon… adding some new and more frequent blog features. That’s right, even more communication advice, so stay tuned! In the meantime, my back was against the wall last week in a way that I haven’t experienced in a while. I know my college readers can relate and I’m sure my non-college audience can, too. That’s why I felt this topic was most appropriate. I’ll be sharing exciting updates very soon about blog changes and book news! Now, let’s talk. I’ve missed you in the past week!) 200+ pages. When I was in grad school, in one...
Read More(It’s another Tuesday! For the sake of blog brevity–which I’ve breached many times since authoring this space–I split the current discussion over three weeks. If you’re just tuning in, and even if you’re back (and thank you on both counts), I’ll recap: In Part 1, I wrote about what happens when a student changes his mind about a major/career path and others are not supportive. I discussed that I’d been to an Urgent Care where I met a lovely student who told me about her path, which contained a number of changes. I reflected that there wasn’t time for this person to tell me how those around her reacted to the...
Read More“I didn’t have a chance to ask this young woman how she communicated those changes to others in her life. Other patients began filtering in because it was a Saturday in an Urgent Care, after all.” Remember this post from last week? Guess what? The lovely receptionist I referenced remembered my blog, read about herself, and sent me an e-mail responding to the above! Quick recap, she decided to change her major and her career path several times… and is just about to get back into college. As you will see, the support she received when she conveyed her change of mind–and major–wasn’t exactly supportive. Can you relate? I can!...
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