Opinion

“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” John F...

Kristin Esterberg and John Wooding, two professors who became administrators and then returned to the faculty ranks, consider how reward structures divide these groups.

Recession Rescission Revision Review Realign Rethink Reorganize Retrench RIF Tune in next week, when the list will be brought to...

It's great to be part of this Mama, PhD community, where faculty with children can share their stories, weigh in...

Sustainability work is a continuum. Some efforts are very physical, others are hands-on in an entirely different way. Like any...

"Dr. K." asks: As an incipient Mama Ph.D., I’d like to know how parenthood affects your pedagogy. If anyone has had a before- and after-baby teaching career, aside from issues like daycare and fatigue, I’d be grateful if you could tell me how it changes a person as a teacher. Awesome question. The most immediate effect, I think, is that I am *much* more aware of, and sensitive to, the needs and challenges of students with children of their own. Those "no cell phones in class" statements on the syllabus? I bring mine in, and leave it on, in case my son's school needs to call, and I know that some of my students are in the same boat. And for all I know, other students have reasons for leaving their phones on too. So instead of "no phones," I tell them, turn your ringers down and if you have to answer the phone, please step out of the room while you do so. Missing class because of sickness or babysitting problems? It happens. Here's the work you missed; please check with a friend to look at their notes. It also, I think, makes me better at thinking about my students' educational backgrounds, the gaps they may or may not have, and the fact that they have different learning styles. My son? Bright, believes everything's negotiable, and in the wrong school environment might very well be labelled a "behavior problem." Other kids in his class, where I've done some volunteering? I can see them getting discouraged at the age of six, getting the message that they're "not good at school," checking out to protect their egos.

Science fields will lose quality if they don't attract a broader range of students, write Daryl E. Chubin and Shirley M. Malcom.

"Dr. K." asks: As an incipient Mama Ph.D., I’d like to know how parenthood affects your pedagogy. If anyone has...