New Semester, New Opportunities! It is already 2019 and the first week of the new semester is off to a great start! The second week of the new semester is almost done. A new semester means new opportunities, especially for students to accomplish their educational goals. Here are tips for a great semester: Utilize student…
The 2018 Fall Semester is coming to a close and Christmas is coming up. Need ideas for the perfect gift for family? Check out the Holiday Special from the Print Shop!
FAFSA 2019-2020 Have you completed FAFSA for 2019-2020 school year? You can contact OTC Financial Aid via financialaid@otc.edu or call 417-447-7500. You can also access the information regarding Financial Aid at https://students.otc.edu/financialaid/.
Finals are quickly approaching. It is a very taxing and demanding time for both teachers and students alike. The schedule for 2018 Fall semester schedules can be accessed on the OTC website through schedules, events, and important dates. Here are some tips for a successful finals experience: Grades are important but don’t let grades define…
Today, there is a lack of compassionate listening and willingness to try to understand views that differ from our own. Social media exacerbates this problem. It is easy to quickly retweet or repost views that match our own or vilify anyone who disagrees with us. I have watched in disappointment as Republicans and Democrats oppose each…
When I ask teachers what strategies they use to motivate students, one principle that comes up often is making the content relevant. Relevance is less about what content you present but more about how the learning task is presented. Students like to see how what they are learning will benefit them in their career or…
Student absences are frustrating for teachers. We spend so much time dealing with issues related to students with poor attendance that we can be tempted to throw our hands up in despair. Before you give up in frustration, over the next few weeks, I will share ideas from your fellow teachers on how they motivate…
Early Monday morning, I joined Gary Larson’s heating and air conditioning class for a presentation that he labeled as “sharks, swimming, showers, leaking water bottles and heat transfer.” I could already tell from the title of the presentation that this would not be a “dry” lecture. The topic was basic refrigeration theory. He introduced the…
On a recent trip to our Table Rock campus, I joined three classes that used a small group activity to enrich the class. If implemented well, small group work can keep our students’ energy level high and make the material more meaningful. Charlotte Choate, a nursing instructor, used small group work to introduce the topic…
Imagine teaching a child to ride a bike. You put them on a bike, give them a shove, and watch them go careening down the hill only to crash in a bloody mess after a few terrifying feet. We would never think of doing that. We put on training wheels and run beside them guiding…