Snow and Ice and Answered Prayer

I'm in Princeton, Indiana, snow-iced in - bad winter storm. Brrr. It's supposed to get worse tonight and tomorrow. I'm supposed to be teaching an intensive week-long Leadership course for D.Min. students at nearby Oakland City University. Instead I'm holed up at the Hampton Inn. Oh, shucks. Free breakfasts here. Indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi, workout room, HDTV, and plenty of good reading material. Oh, shucks. And I'm being paid for this.

The ten-week Connections that Count. Forming First-Rate Relationships online course begins Feb. 10, and I need at least a couple more students so the currently enrolled students get the full benefit of good class discussions. The course is designed to have open, vigorous discussions that enhance learning. Because of the design, introverts enter the discussions as much as the extroverts, and extroverts cannot dominate any discussion. In the process students (and professor) develop warm friendships.

So, since we're missing most of our classroom time here in Indiana, I'm negotiating with the Dean to allow my students to

• take the Connections that Count. Forming First-Rate Relationships online course (at no cost)
  
• turn in their regular homework for the Leadership course (which covered the material in the Connections course plus much more)
  
• read material that covers the remainder of the Leadership course content
  
• complete an evaluation for the Connections course in lieu of a Case Study
  
• make recommendations for the Connections course in lieu of an Integrative Paper
  

The President of the University and I had already begun a discussion about me offering the Connections course to his undergrad students. Now, I can attach the course evaluations and recommendations to a formal proposal to the President. Hey, hey, hey!

Now, I have enough students to produce the desired level of fun and meaningful discussion in the Connections course. Hooray!

Thanks, Abba!