Okay, my half of this blog was going to be about my transition from the tenure track to teaching at prep schools, but it now appears it may be rather less informative and rather more depressing.
I just received the nicest, most apologetic rejection of my career. (And I've recieved over a hundred rejections, so that's saying something.) To make matters worse, I really loved the school, and they really liked me. But they had 200 applicants.
One year ago last month, I recived precisely the same news, also from a dream school. This hurts as much, and raises the very real possibilty that (for this year at least) the prep school market is not one whit better than academia. I mean if you don't get a job, who cares how many interviews you had, right?
So I've got one on-campus interview left at a school I'm having a hard time loving. And after that, I've got fuck-all.
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SOS says: Problematic Headline.
9 hours ago
6 comments:
So sorry - best of luck on a really tough job market.
Ahh yes. Expreience is absolutely crucial. And not just any experience, but high school teaching experience. I have been told (in my indeoendent school job search) that neither a PhD nor a teaching credential is enough--actual experience in a secondary school classroom is absolutely necessary. Unless you have an MA in education from Stanford, Harvard, or Columbia. Therefore, I am enrolling at Stanford in the summer.
Very dismaying news for you. Always disappointing to get your hopes up and to have them dashed. Perhaps you can tell yourself all the things that would not have been good about the job, and all the things that are good about your job now. In any case, it is indeed discouraging news. Are there other job openings coming later?
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you with this school; a pox on them! Best of luck with your next interview, and I hope you discover that you like it better than you thought you would. Prestigious Preps can be dazzling, but there are plenty of really bright kids and great colleagues at smaller schools--and the later it gets in the season, the more likely they'll roll the dice on a personable PhD without experience teaching teenagers. If you really want to teach private school, look into teaching at CTY or some other summer program. It gives you teaching experience and it pays. You might also check the NAIS website which lists positions CSA doesn't. Bon Courage!
-Uta Hagen
Sorry to hear this - but best of luck next time. I like the sound of Uta Hagen's suggestions.
This is depressing news, Ben. And, oddly enough, I'm in the same boat wih my academic job search: I've got one campus interview left to go and if that fails will most likely have fuck-all left as well.
Then this blog may temporarily be be more about bitching about our lot and angst about the future than helpful career advice! Sorry, readers!
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