November 8, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Have you googled yourself lately?  What does the Internet search reveal about you?  As a 21st century educator, I’m building my online reputation with one search engine optimization (SEO) keyword, blog post, tweet, or online project at a time.  In fact, I’ve been wanting to blog about personal branding for some time because blog posts achieve higher SEO status than static websites.   Personal branding is something that most HR leaders profess as essential in today’s job market.   With the plethora of free and simple Web 2.0 tools, it’s fairly easy to create your own online brand.  Currently, I’m developing one for my new company, Teacherrogers Consulting.  Since my name is common, I created my own personal brand—Teacherrogers.  If you google “teacherrogers,” you’ll find all of my online projects and activities.  

Personal branding for a 21st century educator means showing your work online, posting your teaching philosophy, tweeting resources, and engaging in some type of “open” learning and/or teaching environments.  Open environments refer to the various free professional development sessions that I’ve been involved with as an e-mentor.   My e-portfolio hosted on WordPress is my attempt to share my work online with potential employers, students, and peers.  I personally believe that sharing my teaching philosophy with others challenges me to revisit my long-held ideals about teaching.  In fact, it’s a work-in-progress on my to-do-list now instead of somewhere in the back of my mind.

To further identify myself on the Web, I started using my full name: Sandra Annette Rogers.  Nowadays, it’s important to not only put yourself out there, but evaluate how others perceive you.  As for social networking, there was definitely a titanic wave of enthusiasm for Google+;  however, I’m playing it safe on the shoreline to see where the the  first wave riders end up.  My first instinct about Google+ is that it’s a bit too labor-intensive and redundant.  Moreover, I’ve already established many online bridges for personal learning networks (PLNs).   I’m willing to build new ones; I just don’t want to start from scratch!

Are you on the shore or riding the wave when it comes to personal branding?  Perhaps you joined several online learning communities and then never went back to complete your profile or never really got involved.  All these attempts will remain online forever plotting your digital pathway, so make sure you cull your online image from time to time.  Set up Google Alerts on your name or any other phrase; these alerts are sent to your Gmail account.  Let me know if you need any help.

Best Wishes,

Sandra Annette Rogers

P. S. I succumbed to the intrigue of Google+.  I’ll let you know how it works out for me.

Note: This article was previously published on my eportfolio blog on WordPress: http://teacherrogers.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/personal-branding-for-the-21st-century-educator/

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September 21, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Wired Campus - The Chronicle of Higher Education
By Josh Keller—”Most colleges are underprepared for the wave of veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the largest influx since after the Vietnam War. The same is true of many employers.

It’s not that the colleges and companies aren’t looking for veterans, says Gunnar Counselman, the founder and chief executive of Fidelis College. But they often do a poor job of understanding how to attract veterans and help them acclimate to civilian life once they return, he says.

Fidelis, a San Francisco-based startup, seeks to help military members graduate from college. The company’s students will take lower-division courses at an affiliated online college while on active duty and then transfer to a traditional university. When they graduate, Fidelis will place them with employers it knows are looking to hire veterans.

Colleges and the employers will pay Fidelis for its coaching services aimed at helping students make a successful transition. “It’s like a talent agency for the military,” says Mr. Counselman.”

Sandra’s Note:  This sounds wonderful!   Please share this news with veterans.

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September 8, 2011 by Broke_Intern.

Thirty-something years after finishing high school, I’m still a student.  Rather than attending college, I accepted a job offer and joined the work force, but I never gave up on attaining my bachelor’s degree.  As a non-traditional student in my mid-thirties, I finally earned an associate’s degree and continued taking a few courses, but I struggled with juggling work, school, and family.  Since my children are now grown, I decided to try college again, only this time I know I’ll succeed because of The University of Alabama’s New College LifeTrack program.

Adult students in the New College LifeTrack program can take courses on their own schedule, and attendance on campus is not required except for the orientation course.  In fact, one of my classmates is a ferry boat captain in Canada.  This program is an excellent choice for active military personnel and veterans as well.  I was very pleased that all of my former college coursework transferred.  In addition, credit may be granted for prior learning.  For example, I received two hours of credit for a course I took through my employer.  Also, credit may be given for documenting life experience learning.  Financial aid is available, and many scholarships are offered to adult learners through the Office of Continuing Studies.

If you’re like me and desire to attain that elusive bachelor’s degree, check out the New College LifeTrack program at The University of Alabama.  My son will graduate from college in May 2013, and my goal is to graduate then as well.  Hopefully, we will enjoy a cap-and-gown photography session together.

Intern Blogger,

Linda McIntosh

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March 29, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Dear Teachers,

Would you love to work from home?  How about applying for freelance work with the Educational Testing Service (ETS).  I’m an online rater for ETS.org and score the spoken Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), as well as the written California Assessment of High School Exit Exams (CAHSEE).  I have a California teaching credential and therefore qualify to score the CAHSEE, as well as a Masters in TESOL that qualifies me to score the TOEFL & TOEIC.  There are many other k-12 and college entrance tests that you could score if you qualify.

While at the TESOL convention, I spoke to ETS regarding my desire to score the written TOEFL, something I haven’t done before.  Plus, I love the job’s  high level of professionalism on a daily basis: interrater reliability calibrations, reviewing benchmarks, utilizing a rubric, and instant feedback from a scoring leader.  Moreover, I like the flexibility of telecommuting/working online.  ETS allows you to pick your work schedule: a.m., p.m., week days, weekends, even holidays!  One thing that I’ve learned is that you have to be flexible with your work schedule.

ETS handed me a flyer with a list of freelance work and internships!  Their summer interns develop test materials for the TOEFL, TOEIC and/or K-12 assessments.  View their internships online at www.ets.org; they have some in Princeton and Ewing, NJ and San Antonio, TX.  Send questions to the ELL Summer Institute Coordinator, Jeanne Malloy at jmalloy@ets.org.  I noticed that there are other internships  throughout the year.  Remember that you’re never too old to intern and/or learn something new.  Interns earn $25 an hour while online raters earn $15-18 an hour depending on the programs.

Freelance work includes writing for the TOEIC listening test; send your resume to Carol Gitzendanner at cgizendanner@ets.org.  As well as, rating TOEFL and TOEIC tests from your home computer.  Additionally, they’re looking for photographers at the professional and amateur level; send your email to pfreeland@ets.org or ncates@ets.org.  On their career page, you can also find full-time work.  I don’t live any where near Princeton or Ewing, NJ nor San Antonio, TX; consequently, I telecommute to work as an online rater.  Best wishes in finding your new online job!

Your blogger,

Sandra Annette Rogers

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March 3, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

The 2011 Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) conference will be held on March 16th-19th in New Orleans.  As an official blogger for the convention, I’m sharing information about the job opportunities at their Marketplace.  If you’re an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, I encourage you to register and attend this wonderful opportunity for professional development.  Furthermore, you must be registered to attend the Job Marketplace.

The Marketplace consists of 84 companies with jobs both stateside and abroad.  Some jobs are local to the Gulf Coast, like the ad I saw for an ESL instructor for the University of Alabama.  Others are in places where English is not spoken.  Certain government jobs are also available through fellowships.  For example, Georgetown University is looking for 125 Junior or Senior Fellows to place in countries around the world.

I’ve been an English Language Fellow before and was placed at a university in Mozambique, Africa.  I received a monthly stipend to cover my living expenses and the host country provided housing.  In addition, I had round-trip travel paid and medical benefits.  Personally, I grew professionally from this fellowship, in that I learned to speak Portuguese, I garnered overseas teaching experience, and I was able to implement my ideas on teaching as a trainer.

If you’re interested in attending this conference, the fees are high, as with any professional organization.  Here is the link to the convention: http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/convention2011/ .  If you go, leave me a message on the TESOL Blog at: http://blog.tesol.org/  I’ve been to several of these conferences, as this is my profession, and I can tell you that it’s well worth the time and money spent!

P.S. The US Peace Corps will be recruiting at this event, as well.

Best Wishes,

Sandra Annette Rogers

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November 28, 2010 by Sandra Rogers.

 Dear Readers,

Have you ever thought about telecommuting for work or teaching online?  I just completed a certificate to teach online through my profession.  This yearlong course hosted by TESOL is conducted at the University of Wisconsin via online instruction.  What better way to learn to teach online than taking an online course!  It isn’t a very costly program.  I was able to learn enough from this course to feel comfortable in taking on a new job teaching online.

This course served me well, as I’m excelling at my new job!  Last year, I wrote about making changes, re-educating yourself for the “invisible” jobs.  Trends show that online classes at universities are on the rise, according to the Chronicle of Higher Learning.   This certification is for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) which is part of my profession, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).  However, it is open to anyone from any field.  I was able to design my Web site and learn about blogging and twittering from this certificate course.

In addition, I’ve been able to get three part-time jobs ONLINE!  Now, I’ve gone completely virtual.  I’m teaching ESL for a company in Israel, teaching reading online for the local university, and scoring tests online.  My nonprofit is wholly online, too.  I’ve even become an online mentor.  I started mentoring ESL instructors in Italy and mentoring individuals looking for work on LinkedIn.com.  If you’ve been following my blogs, you’ve heard about these different job opportunities.  If you’d like to learn about my job leads, go to the job hunt category to read related blogs.

Check out the site:

Principles and Practices of Online Teaching Certificate Program

Your blogger,

Sandra Annette Rogers

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