Job offer!
I don't know if I mentioned it here, but back in June I saw an opening for a visiting assistant professorship at the University of Toledo. It seemed like a gift from Heaven: full-time academic jobs don't grow on trees (I haven't worked full-time since Rhode Island four years ago), yet here one was, literally a mile from our house, and the late advertisement meant much less competition (all the best candidates already got their jobs). However, I was anxious about the job too: I *haven't* worked full-time for four years and I know how teaching can expand to fill all available time; I had thought I might expand my research work this year and teaching might thwart that idea. Furthermore the classes at UT tend to be large (80-200 students), something I'm not used to and don't really approve of. So I applied, but thought to myself that I would feel an equal ambivalence no matter how it turned out.
Well, I got the offer today! :) And while the ambivalence may kick in later, right now I just feel happy-- I forgot the whole ego boost part. :):):)
Random thoughts about it:
1. The courses I'd be teaching are actually more interesting than I thought they would be. They have me teaching two sections of introductory E&M for engineering students and physics majors: big classes, but more mathematically sophisticated students. That's cool. I'm also going to teach a "bridge class" for students who started out in algebra-based physics but really should have taken calculus-based physics-- it sounds like a math course, sort of. In the spring, they have me actually teaching a mathematics methods course for physics majors, along with a thermodynamics course. That's three upper-class courses over the year: I did *not* expect that, and I'm happy about it.
2. Jen and I are working for the same university; haven't done that since Williams. We're on different campuses though.
3. The one question we have to resolve is childcare. Miriam has a babysitter for 15 hours a week, and I think we could probably continue something along those lines. We also looked at the day care center the University runs, but neither of us are comfortable with Miriam in daycare full time. I think Miriam would be fine with it if it were our only option-- she is pretty open about new people these days, and she doesn't require my constant full attention-- but we don't know that it would benefit her yet, maybe not for another year. Jen's looking into the daycare on HER campus, which is better set up for part-time kids, but the added distance to her campus makes logistics a little trickier; the one on the main campus is within walking distance, but it's more set up for full-time students, you pay a fixed amount per week, and you are locked in for four months.
4. I have some neat ideas about how to approach these large classes. I've been thinking about video podcasts: both videotaping each class (for students who would normally slouch in the back of the room in case I say something important), and supplemental video podcasts addressing remedial topics or things I don't cover in class. I don't know how much I'll be able to implement in time for this semester. Maybe I'll write more about my ideas later, to see if they sound sensible or insane to other people.
Well, I got the offer today! :) And while the ambivalence may kick in later, right now I just feel happy-- I forgot the whole ego boost part. :):):)
Random thoughts about it:
1. The courses I'd be teaching are actually more interesting than I thought they would be. They have me teaching two sections of introductory E&M for engineering students and physics majors: big classes, but more mathematically sophisticated students. That's cool. I'm also going to teach a "bridge class" for students who started out in algebra-based physics but really should have taken calculus-based physics-- it sounds like a math course, sort of. In the spring, they have me actually teaching a mathematics methods course for physics majors, along with a thermodynamics course. That's three upper-class courses over the year: I did *not* expect that, and I'm happy about it.
2. Jen and I are working for the same university; haven't done that since Williams. We're on different campuses though.
3. The one question we have to resolve is childcare. Miriam has a babysitter for 15 hours a week, and I think we could probably continue something along those lines. We also looked at the day care center the University runs, but neither of us are comfortable with Miriam in daycare full time. I think Miriam would be fine with it if it were our only option-- she is pretty open about new people these days, and she doesn't require my constant full attention-- but we don't know that it would benefit her yet, maybe not for another year. Jen's looking into the daycare on HER campus, which is better set up for part-time kids, but the added distance to her campus makes logistics a little trickier; the one on the main campus is within walking distance, but it's more set up for full-time students, you pay a fixed amount per week, and you are locked in for four months.
4. I have some neat ideas about how to approach these large classes. I've been thinking about video podcasts: both videotaping each class (for students who would normally slouch in the back of the room in case I say something important), and supplemental video podcasts addressing remedial topics or things I don't cover in class. I don't know how much I'll be able to implement in time for this semester. Maybe I'll write more about my ideas later, to see if they sound sensible or insane to other people.