seraphcelene's World Dominating Plan of Uber Awesomeness

[seraphcelene]

So, really quickly because I need to go to bed. Tomorrow I get to go to the court house and try to get out of jury duty which TPTB very handily decided to re-schedule during finals week.

Anyway,

After finals I need to sit down and draft my World Dominating Plan of Uber Awesomness. I need a map. A solid-from-point-A-to-point-B guide for how to rescue my life and achieve my dreams. I'm in transition at the moment, or at least trying to transition, and it is challenging. Much of that challenge has to do with my severely overdeveloped fear of failure, some of it has to do with my unwillingness to be uncomfortable, and some of the challenge comes from the fact that there is more than just me at stake here; I have dependents.

I would like to go into teaching. I have always wanted to go into teaching. I wanted to get my PhD and teach at a university. Fate and the universe conspired and that doesn't look like it will happen. The alternative that I have found that I am comfortable with is to teach community college. I have a MA, but it's been six years and I'm nervous about standing in front of a class. In preparation for applying for jobs in the spring, I have signed up to take Applied Composition and Theories of Writing and Literacy. I am hoping that these classes will help me to focus and to refresh what I know about Comp and writing. Back as an undergrad and a grad student, I do not remember the same sort of formal requirements that seem to be in place, now, so in a way I feel that I am at a great disadvantage, and that makes me scared. At the same time, there is nothing that I love more than being in the classroom discussing literature and writing. So, I believe that this is the obvious path for me. It's just ... how do I get onto the path?

I know that some of you guys are teachers and what not, any advice? Suggestions? Words of wisdom and/or calm?

I am at 7 units for next semester which is half-time and I was thinking of adding one more class for fun, maybe audit or something, so that I can participate without having to worry about grades. Film, English, or Women's Studies are at the top of my list, but it really comes down to what is offered when ... I do work full time on top of everything else.

Anywho, any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

[katharine-b.livejournal.com]

Am prepping for an interview right now but will try to come back soon to comment! Quick question though: what do you mean by "formal requirements" here?

Back as an undergrad and a grad student, I do not remember the same sort of formal requirements that seem to be in place, now, so in a way I feel that I am at a great disadvantage, and that makes me scared.

[katharine-b.livejournal.com]

Okay, more thoughts -- obligatory warning: I don't have a lot of personal experience with CCs and this is mostly stuff I've gleaned from my grad program and the academic blogosphere.

Teaching composition at a community college with an MA (in English?) is definitely doable. The only unfortunate thing at the moment -- as I am in the process of discovering -- is that the job market is loaded with not only this year's PhDs but also last year's and even some from the year before. The market was so terrible that they didn't get tenure-track jobs, and so many English and comp/rhetoric PhDs who might not initially have planned to teach at community colleges may be applying for CC jobs this year, and next, and etc. It's very much an employer's market at every level, and CCs are happy to get people with PhDs as well as people with MAs. For more on community college administration and CCs in general, check out: http://suburbdad.blogspot.com/ (a blog by a community college dean)

If you're aiming to get a tenure-track job at a CC, that'll be tough to do without already having some college teaching experience. The classes you want to take sound good. Once you're done with coursework, you might try finding work as an adjunct while still keeping your full-time job -- teaching one course a term for a school in your area to build up your credentials. This will not pay well at all, but it will demonstrate to CCs that you really do want to teach and are accumulating teaching experience. There's a lot of discussion in academia these days about the fact that many schools are hiring adjuncts/contingent faculty for courses that used to be taught by tenure-track profs, and many people feel that adjuncts are almost always taken advantage of by schools. ("Freeway flyer," for example, means an adjunct who has to commute between multiple schools every week in order to cobble together a full teaching load -- often four or five classes a term at a CC -- and a poorly-paid living, possibly with no benefits.)

You may know all this already, and if so, sorry! And I don't mean to be a horrible downer -- but the reality of the job market in English and composition is pretty scary right now, and I'm not sure it's going to get much better soon. State schools are cutting humanities programs because of budget crunches and contingent faculty are the first to get laid off. (This happened at UT last year and this year.) So while I think you should absolutely pursue your goals, I also think that you are being VERY smart to develop a clear plan for how to achieve them while maintaining some financial stability, especially given that you have people relying on you.

Hugs to you, my dear.

[seraphcelene]

Hey! How did your interview go? I hope that it went very well. My fingers are crossed!

For CCs what you mention doesn't surprise me not one little bit. From all of my reading it is what I've been expecting to hear. In fact, my assumption has been that I *will* be a freeway flyer for a while. I don't mind (with the exception of health benefits, etc) but it's the pay thing and the number of weeks in a school year that freaks me. I figure about four classes per semester in a 30 school year should keep me in milk and toast. I haven't even thought about benefits.

To start off, I've been focusing on the idea of just teaching Composition, hence the classes that I'm taking next semester. Tenure track and teaching an actual literature class is not even in my purview at the moment. I really want to just break into the field without killing myself or destroying all hope for financial stability. Academia has always been where my interests and passions lay, and if I weren't such a chicken shit I might have gone on to get my PhD.

I'm sort of between jobs right now, even though I have a job, making just above min. wage and floundering as I try to go to school and work full time. Next semester, I am hoping to transition to another job with an early shift that will allow me to also try for a position in the Writing Resource Center at the local CC. The theory is for me to start building that teaching experience. Trying to transition and combine all these elements without starving, ending up homeless or failing miserably is the challenge these days.

On the plus side, with the increase in four year fees, I know that there is increased interest in cc's. Of course, that goes for students as well as the PhD's who don't get hired at the four-years. All of the job outlook data says that the industry is on an upward trend and looking at the numbers for CA anyway, much of the current instructors are already up in age (with averages at the late 50's to early 60's) with the exception of Cerritos College. So, I am hopeful that I will eventually get there. "In the meantime" is the hard part. MLA is in LA this year, so I'm thinking of going. They have quite a few sessions on community college and teaching this year, so that may be insightful. Of course, it could also scare me back into the public sector. LOL!

Anyway, once I get past the classes that I need to feel more secure it may be easier for me. My work hours are deeply affected by the times that my classes start. The times that my classes start are deeply affected by who gets to teach the classes and what kind of class it is. Apparently, tenure track gets to pick and schedule first (of course) and most of them don't seem willing to work after 4. There was a Grammar class that I wanted, but the latest class for that starts at 2. Some things, I suppose, I will have to re-teach on my own.

Once Finals are done, I'm planning to sit down and really figure out some steps for this transition. In part I feel like I'm too old for this, but then I realize that I'm not that old and I've got another 30+ years of work left in me. How much would it suck to be doing jobs that I hate for the next 30 years? Mucho! So, here I am and here I go.

I really appreciate your thoughts. Blast me with anything that you think of ... Are you planning to come to LA for the MLA convention by any chance?

[katharine-b.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the good wishes on the phone interview! I think it went well, though it's so hard to tell when it's a conference call with five people plus me -- I'm pretty sure that's automatically awkward no matter how well they actually like your answers.

Re: MLA, I don't know yet. Sigh. I have a hotel room reserved with a friend from UT and I'm registered for the conference, but I'm still waiting to hear from a few schools that requested my dossier. It also seems like many places are doing phone or Skype interviews this year, so even if I do hear from them, it may not be for an MLA appointment.

I think going to MLA to check out panels on CCs is a really good idea -- especially because I imagine that you might be able to find a few panelists who would also be willing to talk to you personally about their experiences working at CCs. I understand how adjuncting could be a worthwhile decision in contrast to minimum wage work you don't love, for sure. So in that case you'll just want, as you say, to be sure there is actually adjuncting work available. The Writing Resource Center position is a great idea too, in terms of getting more experience. And maybe other staff members there will be able to help you plan, as well?

I wish I had more CC-specific advice -- or useful advice in general! I'm feeling kind of down about the job market at the moment too, and I may be back at it next year.

you've just got to ignite the light

[seraphcelene]

Ugh. I always hate phone interviews, it's really hard to gauge response in an interview at the best of times, let alone over the phone where you can't *see* them. I really hope that it went well. I really hope that the job hunt turns out well! Part of the reason (a small fraction, but still a consideration) that I didn't apply for PhD programs back in 03 was because of job market fears. I was talking to a PhD student and she was talking about how her boyfriend had graduated two years earlier and was still looking for a job. She was on track to graduate that year and was not excited about joining him in unemployment. I was all over the place emotionally what with my mom being ill and me trying to adjust to graduate school AND New York City. Another doctoral candidate that I took classes with and got to know kept pushing me to apply for the PhD program and I just didn't. Part of me wishes I had. I feel like I've wasted so much time. But then a lot has also happened in the last six years. Now that I'm officially out of my depression I'm being really hard on myself about having Wasted So Much Time.

Anyway ... I'm planning to make it to MLA. Let me know if you decide to go. If the collision of Meatspace and Cyberspace aren't too weird for you, it would be cool to meet up. I have a mentor prof going and I will get to see her, as well. Plus, serious academia! YAY!! I really miss this kind of stuff and part of my promise to myself for the coming year is to be more proactive about attending cons and stuff (fandom related and otherwise).

And thanks for chiming in. Even though you don't have cc specific advice, I really appreciate that you're willing to share your perspective. Try not to feel down about the job market, it is rough, but hang in there. We'll hang in there together!

[seraphcelene]

It seems like there are stricter requirements for graduation and advancement. I don't know if my programs were just kinda loosy-goosey or what ... I mean, I don't remember taking a Rhet-Comp course or Freshman Comp. But, then again, I hit college with 24 units from the AP exam, so I skipped a few things. I've also been out of the game for better than 6 years and I feel like maybe I've forgotten everything.

I don't know ... I might just be crazy scared and nervous about this whole project imploding. AAAAHHH!!!

[katharine-b.livejournal.com]

Ah, gotcha. You probably did test out of it? I know I tested out of intro writing/comp at my school because of AP credits.

[seraphcelene]

One of my prof's also just commented that I may be suffering from what apparently many grad students suffer from. I have always had this deep and abiding fear that someday someone is going to realize that I am not as clever as they think I am. The grades and the degrees were all a mistake, achieved by sleight-of-hand. I was surprised to hear that other people think like that. I really keep waiting to be Found Out. I think that the fear is exaggerated by the gaps when I'm not in school. Nothing makes me feel dumber than being immersed in non-academia. Academia is so specific in a way and insular. It has its own vocabulary and ways of thinking about things that do not extend to the way that most people function in the "Real World." So, I feel out of step and less clever when I try to re-engage in academic conversations. Not dumber in any real intellectual way, but in a subject specific way. Because what I am NOT trying to say is that The People are stupid. Not at all. Just different ways of thinking about different things that do not translate.