One of the principal reasons I don't want to teach is the Groundhog Day Feeling. Teaching multiple sections of the same course simultaneously sounds dreadful. Offering the same courses semester after semester sounds even worse. I like the feeling of progress I get with research projects -- an idea manifests into experiments that develop into presentations and papers, and then you build on those results for the next project so that ideas and knowledge grow over time. I like that feeling of moving forward. I think teaching would feel like starting over time after time without making progress.
I talked about this with a friend who loves her job as a university lecturer. She like the sense of renewal she gets at the start of each new semester -- the clean slate to try new things, improve on last semester's disappointments, and influence a new set of students. I imagine she also feels some measure of personal progress as she polishes her syllabi with each new course.
I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder.
6 comments:
the first time when it's not the same thing all over again (the second time teaching for me) it makes that feeling go away..
but that was me- maybe I was lucky? ;)
Interesting post! I prefer teaching to research because I feel accomplished when I give a good lecture. The rewards come more often, which I think really makes a big difference for me.
And I feel like I get to make progress when I teach. There is clearly an end date for any particular assignment, unlike research which lasts forever with no real end date for any project.
Also, at this point, I prefer teaching the same sections because it is less work overall. :) I can see when that might get boring, and I may be able to teach different classes in the future.
I second almost everything that Caroline said. I would add that, if it's helpful for you, think of the two classes as two distinct groups of people, rather than thinking about it as two copies of the same material. Courses with multiple sections that I have previously taught usually turned out very different based only upon the personalities, strengths, and weaknesses of the students.
J
Chall, it's always good to feel lucky. :)
Caroline, that's a good point about the rewards coming more often. I hadn't considered that.
J, I think I'm not good enough at getting attached to many people at once to feel like the personalities of the students would provide the feeling of progressive accomplishment that I need.
I think this is one of those "takes all kinds" situations. I'm really glad there are people who get satisfaction from teaching, and I hope that think are happy I want to do something else. :)
I definitely need a job with both the rewards of research - which are slow to accumulate - AND the rewards of teaching. Each class is different, and the rewards are much more immediate (so are the problems though :-( ).
The worst kind of colleague is one who does NOT like teaching, but becomes an academic because it's a way to get a steady job (no short contracts) and still do research. They are horrible. Especially because in the current system good researchers gain so much more respect, kudos and even promotions than those who are happy to teach!
I don't mind the repeats; imagine life as an actor- they must do it nightly for months or years.
Even if the shtick is exactly the same- the students are different in each section. Imagine life as a comedian, on a "tough crowd" or a "good crowd" night.
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