[NIFL-ESL:9576] Re: Fw: [PartTime] article from The Chronicle of Higher Education

From: mdryden@mail.utexas.edu
Date: Sat Oct 25 2003 - 18:32:36 EDT


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Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9576] Re: Fw: [PartTime] article from The Chronicle of Higher Education
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For 15 years, I taught 27 hours of adult education ESL (plus preparation,
reviewing books, meeting with students, etc.: I also taught nine hours of
academic courses in English composition and literature(twelve in the summer);
in addition, because the college paid so little, I had another part time job
running a refugee program (my favorite job)and after the refugee program ended,
I traded that job for my own educational consulting business. During these
years, I also raised a daughter, earned my MA, and completed many hours for my
doctorate.

And I was very proud of much of my work--especially the evening hours in the
classroom with adult ed ESL students, four nights a week; and the morning,
noon, evening and weekend hours I spent with the refugees.

I was fortunate; because I worked so many hours and so many part time jobs, I
had health insurance and retirement.  However, by Friday afternoon, I was
unreasonably, painfully tired.  The treatment I received in the college adult
education program was very bad. Once I began my Ph.D program, however, my love
for my students and the knowledge that I could give them increased benefits
because of the additional education that I was gaining, made me even prouder of
my dedication to the profession.

Yet I cannot deny that it was a difficult life, in terms of the energy I needed
to gather, and sometimes could not gather,  because I was overextended.
I think that most of the people with full time positions have no idea how
difficult the life of an adjunct is.

I finally earned a full time administrate position.

Marianne



uoting Ujwala Samant <lalumineuse@yahoo.com>:

> Dear Dottie,
> 
> What an insightful and incisive article. I see this
> everywhere, and have been a part of the adjunct system
> for a while. When working with teachers of adults,
> part timers work longer hours than a number of full
> timers for little or no benefits. At one point the
> NJALL even organised a session at their annual
> conference on how to make a living as a part timer (or
> something to that effect) by inviting people from the
> insurance/pension companies, etc. It is a very hard
> choice (?) to pursue a career as a part timer in
> education.
> 
> I remember working as an adjunct as a graduate student
> as well...
> 
> regards,
> Ujwala 
> 
> 
> __________________________________
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