Tag Archives: holiday

December 18, 2012, 8:00 am

What Will Your Great Winter Break Look Like?

I’ve said it probably twenty times already this semester: “Have a great winter break!”

Of course, what’s great for one person may be different from what would be great for another. Here are some questions that can help you figure out what would make your own winter break great:

How do you feel right now?

How do you want to feel during your winter break?

How busy do you want to be?

How relaxed do you want to be?

What would you like to create, build, or make?

What would you like to explore, discover, or learn?

What would you like to give or share?

(A PDF workbook with these and additional reflection questions is available from my website.)

Have a great winter break everybody!

[Creative Commons licensed image from flickr user jpctalbot]

December 10, 2012, 11:00 am

ProfHacker 2012 Holiday Gift Guide

By Brian Croxall

With the end of classes and the advent of…well, advent…it’s time for that post of all posts: the annual ProfHacker holiday gift guide!

To help you do better than you otherwise might during the Airing of Grievances, we’re here with a boatload of suggestions for your family, your friends, your colleagues, and even (on occasion) for yourself. Given the nature of our blog, you’ll see the expected recommendations for tech tools to increase your productivity. But it turns out that many a ProfHacker loves to read, some of us like to exercise, and a few of us like to cook. (All of us like to eat. You seriously don’t want to get in the way at the ProfHacker family cookouts.)

So when you need a break from grading students participation, just peruse the list and make some really tough decisions. And if you don’t find something you like here, we’ve got lists from 2011, 2010, and 2009 (AKA…

November 21, 2012, 11:00 am

Open Thread Wednesday: Balancing Holiday Workload

By Anastasia Salter

I’m always surprised by the arrival of Thanksgiving break, and with it the reminder that the days of fall are truly numbered. Whether you’re buried under snow, visiting relatives, or grading this coming weekend, the turn of seasons often brings with it unexpected work from all directions.

To keep from being completely overwhelmed, I have a few strategies I’m trying to stick to for this Thanksgiving break:

Pre-Holiday Grading Marathon: There are few things harder to face than cutting out of festivities for a pile of grading, however exciting the student work might be. I aim to enter any celebration periods with all the grading behind me, even if it means a weekend lost in advance.
Internet-free Days: Whether it’s Thanksgiving, football, or a nice day for a good meal, there may be some days of celebration on your calendar. I like to mark off those days as completely…

December 8, 2011, 11:00 am

ProfHacker 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

By Mark Sample

It’s the end of the fall semester and the beginning of December…That means it’s time for ProfHacker’s annual—and EPIC—holiday gift guide!

How EPIC?

EPIC enough for ALL CAPS. And more than a few exclamation points!!!

There’s sure to be something here for your loved ones, friends and neighbors, and just possibly yourself. We’ve got fun stuff, we’ve got work stuff. Gadgets, books, foodie favorites. And if you don’t see a gift idea here, take a look at our 2010 and even 2009 holiday gift guides. (more…)