Help For Adjuncts

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by jimnagrom, Jun 13, 2006.

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  1. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

  2. PhD2B

    PhD2B Dazed and Confused

    I hope they don't advocate the wearing of an old tie for a belt like the television show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

    Now that’s a fashion don't. :D
     
  3. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    An amazing number of adjuncts and wanna-be adjuncts have no clue as to how to "dress for success" in the classroom.
     
  4. little fauss

    little fauss New Member

    I think what you do and say counts about 10 X as much as how you look. After they get used to you, you could teach in a clown suit or a three piece city lawyer suit and it wouldn't make much difference.

    I teach sometimes in shorts, flip flops and a t-shirt. In one class, when I showed up on the first day, one student nudged another when they saw me walking to the front of the class and asked: "Is that our teacher?" But within 15 minutes after the start of the lecture, I don't think he was paying any attention to my attire, because I had his attention with the lecture.
     
  5. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    And again - An amazing number of adjuncts and wanna-be adjuncts have no clue as to how to "dress for success" in the classroom.

    Interesting aticle in the WSJ re: appropriate attire for the courtroom - same concept applies.
     
  6. little fauss

    little fauss New Member

    OK, Jim, real cute. Would you like to read my evals from both students and dean? And then tell me how you define success? I will be quite happy to reproduce every single evaluation right here if you'd care to read it.

    I'd also like to know if there's anything--and I mean anything at all--backing up the notion that to achieve success as an adjunct, one must dress a certain way, that there are different dress standards in students' minds for adjuncts vis-a-vis full profs as the article contends? Any studies of statistical significance? Anything whatsoever other than a few peoples' horseback opinions and gut feelings supported by thin air? No, of course there's nothing other than an article which is in actuality but a thinly-disguised advertisement for the service being offered. Watch for ads for said service in that online puiblication soon. I know how the game works.

    If you're gonna get snide and superior, then you'd better come to the table with something supporting your opinion than that. I'm waiting for that something. Something tells me I'll be waiting a while.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 13, 2006
  7. little fauss

    little fauss New Member

    As I go back and read my posts over the months, I'm struck by how downright angry I often seem. I'm really not all that angry all the time. I just get all worked up over a post, blow hot for a few minutes, then find myself unable to clean things up by that spector of the 10 minute edit limit (which got me this time with the prior post).

    Look, Jim, the only point I'm trying to make is that a lot of people with a lot of education or business acumen say things with a lot of unexpressed incentive to either make themselves look smarter (stroking their egos) or make themselves more prosperous (by selling more goods or services). When they say these things with an authoritative air and they get printed in authoritative publications, and when they are such that they appeal to first impression common sense (which often misleads), they are then accepted as beyond refutation. I just take it all with a grain of salt nowdays.

    I often dress like a slob, though I also sometimes dress like the central casting teaching college prof as well. I really can't say, in my subjective experience, that there's any difference in the delivery or effectiveness of the lectures related to dress. I also really do get tremendous evals from students and administrators. For all my mediocrity in life, I am a super lecturer (alas, I am not a similarly good scholar); I really do that one narrow thing extraordinarily well, and this shows up whenever I'm evaluated. I've taught three years at the college level, for two different institutions, and I've gotten more and more responsibility and work from them as time has gone on. I'll teach three classes on ground and develop one online for my main institution next semester. And yet, I do not pay any attention to dress and never have. This is anectdotal, of course. But at least it's something. The article cited had nothing other than a handful of opinions.

    And one final thing: I'm not even saying the presumption's wrong, perhaps there is some relationship between adjunct attire and adjunct success. But if there is, it needs to be studied and confirmed before we simply put the matter off the table and say it's settled.
     
  8. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    And part of this is simply the difference in our backgrounds. In the military, part of being a professional is dressing the part - so that people's first impression of you is a positive one. This carries over into my teaching - and I too, and considered waaaay above average - part of my "professional package" is reflecting credit on whatever institution I represent.

    And there IS documented study on this. It's called "student engagement" and "student perception".

    I am NOT saying you are a bad teacher. But what incremental advantage in reaching and motivating your students have your foregone - because you're happy with your current results?
     
  9. little fauss

    little fauss New Member

    Where is it? Not saying it doesn't exist, but I'd like you to show me.

    By the way, I come from a background--legal and high-tech B2B sales in a major metro market--where "dressing the part" is hammered into your head. So it's not like my background is that far afield from yours.

    I had an old school boss where I was a sales manager who was constantly riding me--actually, ripping me apart--if a certain sales rep of mine failed to cinch his tie up properly in the office. Sure, this rep was always getting me in trouble and was a loose cannon, but he was my number one rep hands down--he could sell. Had I demanded he look like he came off the cover of GQ, he'd likely have lost effectiveness, such was his personality.

    I remember, back when I was an on-the-street sales rep, where I was calling on a certain customer, jazzed up in my suit and tie, when I saw another guy in the reception area. He was also a sales rep, but he was in blue jeans and a flannel shirt. I was selling biz equipt with a top sticker price of $40,000, he was selling stuff that went to close to $1,000,000. He had the type of position that one in my industry dreamed of working their way up to. Yet there he was, this guy who'd obviously proven his mettle to make the big time in sales, dressed like he was ready to go to work with his hands. My opinion? He was the one dressed for success, not me.

    And it may very well be that given the audience, given the professor, there are many different ways of dressing for success. I may well be dressed for success given my style and personality, given the blue collar crowd which I instruct. I'm not willing to concede the point. I think the article's an advertisement masquerading as something more substantial.

    Just my opinion, you're free to have yours, but don't you think your dressing up may be diminishing your effectiveness, however incrementally? ;)
     
  10. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    You have no idea ;)
     
  11. Bill Hurd

    Bill Hurd New Member

    As an adjunct usually beginning my adult classes at 6:00 p.m., I wear a coat and tie the first evening (4 hours) and the last evening. For the 3 sessions in between I dress casually. After all, my students have just come from work and they wear whatever their job dictates.

    My belief is that the 1st impression sets the professor/student tone and the last impression sticks with them when they move on to another course.

    As others have said, it's what works for me and I have the student evaluations to back it up.
     
  12. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    And actually, it makes sense to me based on experience and research - depending on the definition of "casual"?
     
  13. Bill Hurd

    Bill Hurd New Member

    Always dress pants and dress shoes; on the warmer days I wear a short sleeved dress shirt, on cooler days I also wear a sweater.

    But not a snob. I talk about riding motorcycles and flying airplanes when I can figure out how to tie that to economics or leadership. I play Waylon Jennings singing the Dukes of Hazzard theme when we discuss business cycles (flattenin' the hills and straightenin' the curves). That sort of hokey thing helps them anchor a concept.
     
  14. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    You actually go one step further than I do - I wear a button-down shirt and tie and slacks, and non-sneaker shoes.

    I play "warriorsofthenet" and the Nick Burns mpeg files. Trying to get the "IT crowd" mpegs.

    Ya gotta have some fun ;)
     
  15. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    One of the things I enjoy about teaching online....I usually check into the classroom at about 12:30am, while wearing shorts and a t-shirt. :D
     
  16. little fauss

    little fauss New Member

    OK Jim, how 'bout this? I lived on a military base my high school years; dad worked in middle management for a civilian military contractor. I knew the military boys, saw 'em up close (they stole the best girls out from under us guys).

    You may be right that I never had a feller barking in my face with garlic breath at 5:30AM getting me out of bed, then seeing if he can bounce a quarter off the newly-made bed; I never learned the arcane art of heating that wax juuuusssst so to get a perfect spit shine, so I understand where you're coming from when you say I have no idea (actually, I'm not oversad that I have no idea of it--nothing against the military, it's just that I'm not a snappy dresser, as I think you know), but I did rub shoulders with the boys who experienced it, so I might have a little inkling. But I agree, our differences probably come from our different backgrounds. You sound a lot like that old boss of mine. He--and ex-military man himself and former corporate VP who came back down to be GM of a branch because he wanted to get near the people of the company--and check up on their dress--knew very well where you're coming from, I've never known anyone anywhere who had a cleaner car, cleaner office, snappier clothing. Those pleats were sharp enough to split a hair. And I worked under him for over 5 years.

    Best to you, soldier.
     
  17. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    Lil fauss,

    This is not a put-down but - You have no idea ;)

    My father retired as an 0-6 and I sepnt my life moving from one base to another. I knew more about the military than a non-military brat, but I had no idea was really went on - and anyone who indicates otherwise "has no idea" ;)
     
  18. little fauss

    little fauss New Member

    Come one, Jim, the question's about whether or not I have any familiarity with military dress codes and the effect that they have on one's perspective--no?

    Of course I have some idea, just about everyone who knows a soldier and has heard their tales has some notion. My goodness, one would think boot camp and military life was some unreal thing like going to the Moon--yet even the average Joe has some vague idea of what going to the Moon's like, just by watching the old films of Armstrong and Aldrin walking there.

    Saying what you're saying would be like me, as an attorney, smugly telling people they have "no idea" what it's like to go to law school or practice law, and anyone who says otherwise is just fooling themselves. Nonsense. People can get at least some small idea, even by watching silly stuff like Ironsides or decent stuff like The Paper Chase or pretty good stuff like Law and Order.

    And if you never served yourself and by your own admission have no idea, how can you know whether or not anyone else has one? By definition, you cannot. Case closed.

    This is a silly argument. I think it's turning into a standoff between two immature people trying to make sure they get in the last word, and both of us can be pretty insufferable about that. So, I give you the floor, get in that exquisite last word. I mean, I don't even care about this argument, so why am I debating but for the sake of the debate?

    I give.

    :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 15, 2006
  19. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    I did not realize we were having an arguement.

    I sincerely meant what I said: for example: you refer to "people screaming in my face, etc., etc., I never went to basic or advanced training - no DI ever screamed in my face.

    It's simply a matter of not having the necessary referential understanding of what goes on - I wouldn't either if I had not spent at least 5-10 years doing it.

    Equally, I am sure your have organizational understandings that I - have no idea.
     
  20. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    Boy's suit sweetens sales

    Boy's suit sweetens sales

    Ethan Esparza, 11, reveals the secret to his lemonade stand's success. T-shirt = $5 a day. Suit = $30 a day. Same lemonade. ;)

    http://www.yahoo.com/s/347687
     

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