{"id":441,"date":"2017-08-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-22T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northcentral.edu\/blog\/what-do-professors-do-to-get-ready-for-school\/"},"modified":"2021-12-28T22:57:33","modified_gmt":"2021-12-28T22:57:33","slug":"what-do-professors-do-to-get-ready-for-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northcentral.edu\/blog\/what-do-professors-do-to-get-ready-for-school\/","title":{"rendered":"What do professors do to get ready for school?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Classes at North Central start on August 30 and after summer vacation, our faculty are getting ready for that first day of school. <\/span><\/p>\n

They might not be buying construction paper\u00a0or making bulletin boards, but our faculty<\/a> definitely have to-do lists to be prepared\u2014and a few things planned to enjoy the last days, minutes, and seconds of summer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the most important things on your back-to-school to-do list?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Amy Anderson<\/a>,<\/b> Ph.D., professor of New Testament and Greek, is focusing on her three most important things: “Communicating with my students so they know what to expect on the first day of class, scrambling to finish Moodle quizzes for my new prep, and praying that God guides me in being the leader my students need me to be.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Planning ahead for the first day of class is where Gail Weinhold<\/b><\/a>, M.A., assistant professor of education, is spending her energy. “First day, first day, first day,” is what Weinhold repeats to herself, explaining,\u00a0“You only get one first day of class. Research tells us how important that first impression is and it sets the tone for the semester. I put a lot of thought and effort into that first day. I can’t sleep the night before classes start and I\u2019ve been doing this for a long time!”\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“You only get one first day of class.”<\/span><\/p>\n

– Gail Weinhold<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Beth Brown<\/b><\/a>, M.S.W., assistant professor of social and behavioral sciences,\u00a0and Phil Mayo<\/b>, Ph.D., professor of New Testament and Greek,\u00a0have the exact same list:\u00a0“Syllabi. Syllabi. Syllabi.” Faculty members\u00a0know the quality of what they\u00a0teach and the experience for students depends upon well-made and well-communicated plans!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The top things on the list for LaToya Burrell<\/a><\/b>, J.D., associate professor of business administration, are organization of all courses, prayer for a great semester, and prayer for a new presentation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What do you most look forward to at the start of the school year?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

“Getting to know the most unique, interesting and gifted individuals who are in my classes,” is what Joanne Kersten<\/b><\/a>, M.M.,\u00a0associate professor of fine arts, looks forward to. “Each person shines in their own way. I look forward to what they will comprehend, how they will collaborate and what they will create.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I look forward to STUDENTS!!!! Coffee with students!” writes\u00a0Nan Muhovich<\/b><\/a>, Ph.D.,\u00a0professor of intercultural studies. Since many of her students are preparing for international work, their summers involve time overseas, so she looks forward to hearing about their summer international internships, study abroad experiences, and their fieldwork trips.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I look forward to STUDENTS!!!! Coffee with students!”<\/span><\/p>\n

-Nan Muhovich<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Weinhold echoes that connecting with students is her favorite part of the start. “It\u2019s great to reunite with those you already have such meaningful relationships with and feel connected again. I love reconnecting and the excitement of a fresh start, but I also can\u2019t wait to get past the awkward phrase of getting to know all of my new students. I pray they see Jesus and know how much I care.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meeting new students and being part of new beginnings is exciting to Burrell, who says, “The freshness and excitement is contagious!”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being part of a faculty team making the difference in the lives of students is exciting, too, and\u00a0Mayo looks forward to seeing colleagues again.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking forward to gathering again for chapel with students, faculty, and staff on that first day was another theme that emerged on our faculty to-do\u00a0lists.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What activity\/activities will you try to squeeze in before summer comes to an end?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

A summer break is treasured as much by teachers as by students, and faculty definitely have plans for making most of their last days before school starts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n