Monthly Archives: September 2018

Encouraging Students to Use Office Hours

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Do you find yourself sitting alone during office hours, waiting for a taker to show up? Or perhaps your students visit in desperation the day an assignment is due, leaving no time to thoughtfully revise before turning in their work?

Encouraging students to take advantage of your expertise during office hours can be one of the best ways to help them learn. But how to get them through your door?

Experts offer a handful of strategies that can help. First, reach out to new and first-generation students who may not be comfortable asking for help instead of waiting for them to come to you. In the office, create a space conducive to private conversations, where “dumb” questions cannot be heard by others. You might even keep a bowl of candy on your desk to “sweeten” the experience.

Likewise, initiate discussions about assignments casually. Research shows that starting informal conversations with students before and after class can lead to productive sessions in your office later.  And while it may sound obvious, make it easy for your students to attend your office hours by holding them at times students can actually get there. Finally, some research supports keeping office hours in neutral spaces such as the library or an on-campus coffee shop as an alternative to the more formal office, especially in cases where instructors must share office space.

It’s also beneficial to discuss the value of one-on-one help with your students during class from time to time to remind them you’re available and willing to help.

The tips below can help make your office hours less lonely for you and more helpful for your students.

Publicize office hour times. List your availability on the syllabus and on the board early in the term. Post times for extra office hours when you expect more students will require help.

Create a friendly classroom space.Starting early on in the term, make yourself approachable so students feel comfortable making the effort to visit your office.

Consider one mandatory office visit per student.If done early in the semester, this initial visit will encourage future meetings.

Schedule individual meetings for important assignments.Mandatory one-on-one meetings can be the best way for students to gain from your insights. If you can schedule these during class time, better yet. Some instructors cancel class and have set appointments with students. Others hold these one-on-one sessions in the classroom while other students work individually or in groups.

Make office visits productive.Instruct students what they should have ready for your meeting, and don’t be afraid to end the session if a student comes unprepared.

Be gentle when identifying errors.Students visiting your office for help are probably already feeling insecure. While you must point out errors, try to find something the student did well, too, to encourage return visits.

Finally, consider circulating a handout such as the one below that explains the reasons for making use of office hours. We’ve created a PDF you can download at the end of the post.

A Student’s Guide to Making the Most of Instructors’ Office Hours

 Instructors want you to learn—that’s why they hold office hours. Remember that even if it feels intimidating to seek your professor’s input, getting one-on-one assistance helps you make the most of your education. Follow these guidelines when visiting your instructor’s office hours.

 Visit early in the writing process. Come before you feel the pressure of a deadline. Doing so will give you the time to make the revisions your instructor suggests.

 Come prepared. Have your work out and ready so you don’t waste time digging into your backpack or firing up your laptop. Your instructor is happy to help you but will not appreciate your coming unprepared.

 Ask specific questions. If you are coming before an assignment is due, think through what you want input on. And remember office hours are learning opportunities, not a time for your instructor to edit your work.

 Initiate the conversation. It’s your meeting. Start it off with your reason for coming.

 Take notes. Jot down pointers your instructor offers. That way you won’t have to rely on your memory to make use of the advice you sought.

 Obtain clarification. If you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to ask your instructor to rephrase it or explain it another way.

 Use your best manners. Be polite and thank your instructor for his or her help. Professors are people, too, and such niceties are good business etiquette.

A Student’s Guide to Making the Most of Instructors’ Office Hours

 

 

To Hug or Not to Hug?… Millennials Take a Gloomy View of Business… Promotions Are a Gender Thing…

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To Hug or Not to Hug?

With #MeToo accusations popping up regularly, the etiquette around hugging at work is unclear. To one, a congratulatory hug may be a sign of warmth; to another, it may signify a power play. What to do?

In many industries, hugging between clients or colleagues is fairly common. In fact, in long-term relationships between, say, a sales rep and a client, a handshake instead of a hug could be interpreted as coldness.

Still, some organizations steer clear of the workplace hug, especially since a federal court ruled that hugging might constitute creating a hostile work environment. Women in particular may wish to stay away from hugging in the workplace to appear more professional. Another reason to avoid friendly embrace: Research shows that not everyone wants or needs to feel affection at work.

A few pointers from experts:

  • Supervisors should never hug anyone they manage.
  • Everyone should avoid giving a hug if unsure how the other individual would react.
  • Hugs should always be brief.
  • Non-huggers should feel free to set boundaries with their more affectionate counterparts.

The good news is that a firm handshake can be effective at creating a bond between people.

From The Wall Street Journal

Millennials Take a Gloomy View of Business

In its seventh annual survey of millennials, Deloitte’s research unearthed the generation’s dimming view about the nature of work, politics, and the future of industry. Specifically, the survey found that millennials

  • think business ethics are declining as a result of the disconnect between what millennials believe responsible businesses should do and what businesses think they should do
  • feel unprepared for the advent of the evolving workplace and consequently appreciate and prefer organizations that train and support employees in anticipation of these changes
  • view the gig economy as a good way to supplement or replace traditional jobs
  • value good pay, positive workplace cultures, diversity, and flexibility on the job
  • consider positive workplace factors key to their loyalty.

The report states: “The message is clear. Young workers are eager for business leaders to be proactive about making a positive impact in society—and to be responsive to employees’ needs.”

From Deloitte

Promotions Are a Gender Thing 

Research has now confirmed that when promotions are given out, the sexes stick together: men promote men, and women promote women.

The survey, conducted by Fairygodboss, Female Quotient, and Progyny, found that managers tend to promote workers who are “similar” to themselves. The researchers noted that this propensity may be one of the causes for the gender pay gap, since the majority of managers are still male.

The survey also found that women were less likely to have asked for a raise than their male counterparts, and that more men claim their careers take precedence over women’s because they are their families’ primary breadwinner.

From Payscale.com

 

Avoiding Misuse of You

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When you write, reserve you for direct address. That is, use you only when you are addressing the reader of your message, for instance, in an e-mail to a specific recipient or when writing instructions for an assumed audience:  You will find references at the end of the book. Avoid the impersonal you in situations that require specific words identifying people, situations, or occurrences.

Poor:           You must pass several exams before being allowed to practice accounting.
[Here you is impersonal: The reader is not necessarily a future accountant.]

Improved: Future CPAS must pass several exams before being allowed to practice.

Rephrase the sentences below to avoid the impersonal you.

  1. If you are a healthcare employer, you should consult OSHA publications to learn about workplace safety to help avoid common accidents.
  2. You can add veterinary coverage for employees’ pets to infuse more compassion into your benefits packages.
  3. You may not achieve salary parity with men if you don’t advocate for pay equity.
  4. Interning at a legal firm can give you an advantage if you want to pursue a career as an attorney.
  5. Using platitudes and clichés when giving a talk can make you sound insincere.
  6. When Bleinheim LLC was hiring, the firm required you to take a series of psychological tests to determine if you would fit into the corporate culture.
  7. Before the writing seminar, you were supposed to complete a self-assessment form.
  8. To improve an organization’s culture, you can ask your Human Relations director to develop workshops or one-on-one coaching for management positions.
  9. If you ask for an accommodation due to a medical condition, you may be able to telecommute.
  10. You have to be careful about pre-judging others, especially if you work for an organization that deals with different kinds of customers.

Avoiding Misuse of You Key