The Adjunct Professor Fall 2020 Survival Guide

3 tips to help you survive this semester

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

When I found this photo, I had to laugh because the vast majority of my students are little black squares on my computer. Maybe they have messy rooms or are in their pajamas or are eating.

Or, maybe they just don’t want to engage in online learning.

19 years ago I started as an adjunct and I fell in love with teaching. It is far more satisfying than I could have ever imagined. Or, at least it used to be.

This semester has been hard because what I love most about teaching is the interaction with my students. I feed off of the energy in the classroom and it makes my heart happy.

Now? Not so much.

To survive this semester, I’ve had to adjust my expectations and realize that it is difficult for all of us.

Here are a few tips I’ve implemented to help me and my students:

1. Be patient — there have been many connection problems and other technical difficulties. No one was born learning how to screen share their presentation. I’ve reassured my students that technical issues will not affect their grades and this has helped them relax and do a better job.