For those who don't follow me on Facebook or Twitter...
I don't work at WKU anymore...
I am now the Director of Enrollment Management at Florida College...
I have been so since June 18, 2010...
I'll blog when I have time...
Wait when is that....

Several of you have contacted me via Twitter, Facebook, & Pleo indicating you are getting spam direct messages from my Twitter account. I changed my password on Wednesday night to try to stop this.

If you have gotten a spam direct message from me on Twitter since 9:00pm (CT) on Wednesday please let me know so I can just delete my Twitter account.

Thanks.

Okay, I think I've been quiet long enough....and I may step on some people's toes....

Stop playing rock band, guitar hero, harmonica hero, oboe hero, or [insert name of random instrument here] hero and learn to actually play an instrument! I was walking into Wal-Mart tonight and saw a poster for the new "DJ Hero" coming out soon where you can now "learn" how to scratch on your X-Box. SERIOUSLY?! I don't particularly enjoy that kind of music, but if you want to do it that badly, learn how to actually use turntables. I know that is an expensive hobby; I've seen guys set up their equipment and it has to cost mucho dinero. But do you think you're going to suddenly start spinning at your friends' birthday parties because you mastered the pressing of buttons on a game console?

If people spent as much time and effort learning how to actually play an instrument instead of trying to master the highest levels of these video games, we would see the next wave of great musicians springing forth. Instead, we get a mass of glass-eyed, zombie children who talk about how they wish they could play guitar or drums or sing. Stop sinking your money into the games, the controllers, and your X-Box live subscription; save up, buy a guitar, take voice lessons, and form a band.

My guitar has strings, not buttons....

*steps off soap box

So, my first week as a college instructor is officially in the books today. I am teaching a section of WKU's University Experience course. It is a 2 hour credit class that meets two days a week. In my case, it meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:50pm to 2:45pm.

Several have asked what I'm teaching, and in an effort to head off other questions at the pass, let me explain what University Experience is. Many colleges/universities offer a class that is designed to help its first year students be successful at their schools. They show students how to access tutoring services, major/career counseling, and how to use the library. WKU's version certainly covers all these kinds of topics.

In addition, WKU's version tries to help college freshmen to stop thinking like a high school student and start thinking like a college student. To do this, there is a big emphasis on critical thinking. We use a lot of resources from the Foundation for Critical Thinking, as well as some textbooks that are designed to make you examine things from a much different perspective than most people are accustomed. The department administers a critical thinking pre-test at the beginning of the semester (this is what we did today) and then they administer the same test again at the end of the semester. After taking this class, the test scores have increased, on average, by 28%.

At any rate, it is a new and interesting challenge that I think I'll really enjoy.

In addition to that I am starting another graduate program at WKU (pause for groans). However, it is not a full Master's degree. It is a graduate certificate in Community College Faculty Preparation (designed to help someone prepare to be a community college instructor). It is only 9 hours, so, Lord willing, it will be finished by next spring (1 course this semester and then a seminar and practical experience in the spring).

So, it should be a busy semester. I hope all of you are doing well.

...I will be a college instructor for the first time.

Is anyone else concerned for the future of America's youth?

:-)