Careers in teaching
Are you interested in exploring and applying for careers in teaching in non-R1 institutions? Check out the report below for our Careers in Teaching panel on 03/21/2019. We got great advice and insights from current faculty. If you have any questions feel free t contact GSC Ignacio at iescalante@berkeley.edu.
Careers in teaching panel Report
Moderator
Ignacio Escalante, Graduate Student Coordinator (GSC), Spring 2019. iescalante@berkeley.edu
Details
Hilgard 112. Thursday, March 21, 2-3:30 pm.
Goals
1. To provide an overview of ways and resources to explore and apply to teaching positions, mostly in non-R1 institutions.
2. Compile a list of relevant online and campus resources and make them available for students.
Logistics
The panel was an open Q&A session. The panelist were 3 faculty from the CSU system and community colleges in the Bay Area. 16 attendees, graduate students, and postdocs of the ESPM, IB, and MCB departments.
Resources
Below is a list of available resources to support your professional development, particularly teaching.
Summer Institute for Preparing Future Faculty
https://gsi.berkeley.edu/programs-services/workshops-seminars-institutes/summer-institute/
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award
https://gsi.berkeley.edu/programs-services/award-programs/ogsi/
Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
https://gsi.berkeley.edu/programs-services/certificate-program/
Graduate Writing Center
https://grad.berkeley.edu/professional-development/graduate-writing-center/
Graduate Division’s Career Plan Essentials
https://career.berkeley.edu/Plan/Essentials
UCB Career Center
CSU system Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP)
https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/faculty-staff/cdip
Below are some resources to look for and apply for teaching positions.
HigherEdJobs
https://www.higheredjobs.com/
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity
https://www.facultydiversity.org/
EvolDir
http://evol.mcmaster.ca/brian/evoldir_instr.html
Texas A&M job board
https://wfscjobs.tamu.edu/job-board/
Earth Science Jobs Announcements list
https://mailman.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/es_jobs_net
Notes from the panelists' responses
BENEFITS OF THE POSITIONS
Teaching: research requirements, infrastructure, and support varies a lot between institutions.
Some financial support for research, including support for students (REU)
No research obligation for research at CC
These positions are not only teaching, but you should also still focus on research, don’t let it slide.
Some of these institutions are big in science communications.
Probably these institutions work similarly outside of CA
The tenure process is different
Buckets of what you spend your time on are very different, but the same amount of time [as in R1s].
Tenure success is high.
LIMITATIONS OF THE POSITIONS
Benefits (health, insurance) are sometimes not included with positions
Sometimes people teach in many institutions at once
Positions are sometimes part-time
Starting as an adjunct certainly will NOT guarantee to get a tenured position
Startup and salaries are not as good as UC’s.
Salaries are high starting but don’t climb much. In contrast with UCs.
INSTITUTIONAL ATMOSPHERE
Some institutions have masters, but not PhD students
The proportion of students that work while studying is higher at non-R1 institutions
Complete different demographic and life experience in CC, compared to R1s. “There’s true diversity”.
Class sizes are variable but usually small. However, CSU general classes could be 200/300 students.
Students want to connect with the place they are from. Do local research
WHILE EXPLORING AND APPLYING
There is a good number of tenure track position being offered in the 13 Bay Area CC districts
Apply for positions there it if that’s your goal: having this balance and work with this student body.
Make sure that you interview them also. Give the expectation that you do want the job.
Works if you are an alumni/ae from that type of institution (when applying to positions there).
Suggestion: Do informational interviews with people already in those positions that you would like to work on.
Don’t be an adjunct for too long, will look weird in hiring committees.
Sell ‘cheap research’ as ‘accessible for student research’
Still, need to demonstrate that you can bring money. But make sure you ask for a good amount in the startup
Sell initiatives focuses on future jobs. Partner with state $ support. When applying, talk about the tools in educations, communication, management, policy, etc. that you can bring
It’s good that you market your teaching as specialists. Sell 1 or 2 specialty courses, and it’s implied that you can teach general classes (ecology, geology, etc.). But also make sure to outline that you bring something new.
The number of people applying for positions: ~85-120.
*There are also teaching postdocs.
COURSEWORK LOAD
-varies widely across institutions, and within institution based on the nature of classes assigned (big lectures v. small upper division classes v. labs, field sections, etc).
- load can also be covered with research and service (including mentoring, advising, etc).
Some examples from the panel include:
-full time, 5 3-unit courses/semester. 3 preps max. Could be less if some are a lab. This includes Office hours, service, etc.
-15 weighted teaching units. Some can be covered with service. Pre-tenure at CSU teaching with lecture and lab. 1
-you can negotiate for teaching credits for doing research with undergraduates (and other students). Also with service, including UG advising. Serving in committees also covers units.
SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT COULD MAKE YOUR APPLICATION STRONGER
1. Become an instructor on record, not only GSI. If you have a masters or have past your quals, you qualify for. This work also if you’re a postdoc.
2. Getting a teaching award! (outstanding GSI and teaching certificate from CTL).
3. Still important to write papers, especially if it involves undergrads in them as co-authors. Additionally, conspicuous forms to demonstrate that you have done undergraduate mentorship, support and/or advising.
4. Anything related to the professional development of undergrads. Evidence for the teaching statement.
5. Teach as a part-time adjunct already. That you can prove that you care and can succeed
6. Come up with an actual philosophy.
7. Teaching methods and how people teaching and learning. Coming up with tools, i.e. evaluation, resources.
8. Demonstrate that you can make local connections and local research. I.e. collaborations with other local institutions, do fieldwork in the area, with local organisms, etc.