Now that my classes next semester are writing intensive, by decree, I must remember to use them, or at least one of them, to write a paper as well. I have that exceptionalism paper to write, and that earlier article to finish; for my modern Latin American course, where everyone is responsible for presenting work on a twentieth or twenty-first century writer, I should write a paper on Vallejo.
We have nice sunshine here this week.
As I keep saying, I think the emphasis placed on not spending too much time on teaching is overblown. Apparently what is “really meant” is that you should not let the students take over your entire life, or offer to teach extra classes, or out of field classes. Apparently many do these things. Then, certainly, you should not spend too much time on teaching.
However, the things to truly not do are buy houses, or houses that need work or yard work, not to take jobs at universities without libraries, not to live in places that do not offer the things you need to be you and especially to be the person you are requested to be in the profession, and not to listen to administrators or privileged advisors who believe the problem is your putative lack of organizational skills.
On the other hand, or furthermore, the errors I see new faculty actually make are (a) assuming the institution is their enemy, (b) being incredibly rude to or dismissive of, or even exploitative of colleagues who would be or would have been their allies.
And I just looked at the vita of someone who is not getting job interviews and it is a good vita, although I see the problem: too much lower division, generalist work. I almost think he should downplay this teaching experience somehow; his publications are good and his Ph.D. is real. But he wants to be on the tenure track in Spanish, while he looks like someone who would be a great instructor at the non-graduate level in interdisciplinary Humanities and English.
That, of course, is not a criticism of the person, but it is an example of putting too much energy into teaching, or appearing to do so (although it is a double bind, of course, because one does have to support onself).
I, of course, mostly say you should take authority and believe in yourself, and not listen to all the “professionalizing” discourse designed to sow self-doubt and promote the false notion that by using the right “strategies” you will control everything.
#OccupyHE
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 