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[harmless_eccentric]

Hey folks,

This is not to sound rude, but after reading a number of these threads on the horrors of being an adjunct, this question came to mind, since I am a high school teacher.  Why suffer with the disrespect/uncertainty/other griefs of being a perpetual adjunct without benefits/security when both the high school (independent and public) ranks are desperate for qualified educators?  I am studying for an M.A. in my field, and a graduate professor of mine (tenured and respected professor at a public Ivy) noted, "Why would you want to go for a PhD?  No doubt you could do it, but why suffer the uncertainty/lack of geographic control when you could find a good high school job and live a happy life where you know your students?"  This comment has stuck with me for a bit, and I wonder if you think it has merit.  So, why "stick it out" as an adjunct?

-Harmless Eccentric

[dr_dre]

Good question. Some of my colleagues are career adjuncts. I think they like the college atmosphere and relative lack of discipline issues in the classroom. Some teach in primarily a lecture format, and really enjoy just showing up, holding forth on the subject, and going home. No meetings, etc., and that seems to suit their personalities. A few also have very streamlined grading processes (no comments on papers, use of scantrons, etc.), which cuts down on their prep time. They have free reign at our school, and seem to like that--no set curriculum. It's not my path, but I respect their choices.

[sciencephd]

I have no personal experience of either of these things, and cringe at the expression "public Ivy", but suppose the obvious retort is "why suffer the indignities of teaching high school ?".

[gennimom]

Oh, the reasons. Hmm. There are a lot of pros and cons for both. As one who spent 10 YEARS in a high school classroom, I have no intention to EVER go back. With NCLB, too often our hands are tied. And if you are in a school district where the parents have the upper hand, your life is miserable because you have no control over your students.

I'm much happier with the PhD I'm working on as I already have the job I thought I wanted when I began work. I feel like I can only go up from here.

[prytania3]

I've done both, and I say, "Why do either?" You can always be an accountant.

[canadatourismguy]

I think you make an interesting point.  I have friends who are working at multiple schools teaching earning $30-$40 K.  After spending the amount of time, effort and resources required to do a PhD, I do not understand it myself.  Add to that, the fact that they have to teach so much to make a living wage, really giving them time or resources to  do research which in turn sends them into the unemployable TT category thus perpetuating the cycle.

I really do think the majority of adjuncts should be either, a) grad students getting teaching experience; or b) professionals in the field teaching as a part time gig either for some extra cash or because they enjoy doing it.  

I know there are speciality cases, like a spouse is teaching at the uni and the other is adjucting in hopes of one day landing a TT there but these should be the exceptions rather than the rule.  

As for teaching high school as the alternative though, I am not sure about that.  Maybe in Canada where highschool teachers are well paid and heavily protected through unionization but generally, I would stick to industry if I was not going to be TT.  The pay is nicer though the hours typically stink (at least in my world).

CTG

[muchtrouble]

High school... isn't that the place where they start early every morning and work all day teaching a fixed curriculum to large groups of hormone-crazed teenagers, all on a fixed schedule of back-to-back classes?

Hmmm. I'll stick with the peripatetic intellectual joys of a large campus with good coffee, thank you very much.

[phdbliss]

I've done both, and I say, "Why do either?" You can always be an accountant.

Or a lawyer. They make bank!

But seriously, I've been struggling with this issue recently too. High school teachers have sick days (imagine that?!?) and they really DO have the summers and breaks off (no requisite publications, conferences, or research). Yeah, the schedule is less flexible, the rules are stricter, the discipline aspect can be challenging, and the parent factor can be a huge pain, but those are small tradeoffs for more job security and more free time to have a life outside of work.

As some of you know, I'll be a VAP next year, but after that's over, going back to teaching public school is definitely an option. I'm not even on the tenure track and I feel pressure all the time to be producing, producing, producing. I feel guilty for not working all the time. When I taught public school, that pressure wasn't there. And when I taught public school, if I got sick, I could call in and have a substitute teach my class - now I have to go no matter what unless I want to get in trouble for cancelling class. I also had personal days so if I wanted to take the day off for a three day weekend, a friend's wedding, or to go to the beach, I could and no one said a word. It was lovely.   
 

[zuzu_]

In my darkest days of adjunct hell, I seriously considered this. I would have done this.

Except state certification requirements not only would have required me to get another degree in education--they would have required a semester of unpaid student teaching. With all of my experience in the classroom, I think I would have found this quite degrading. Not that I would have minded taking some graduate courses in education as professional development, but it was just too much time, money, an humiliation for $35K career.

[scheherazade]

I've done both, and I say, "Why do either?" You can always be an accountant.

But seriously, I've been struggling with this issue recently too. High school teachers have sick days (imagine that?!?) and they really DO have the summers and breaks off (no requisite publications, conferences, or research). Yeah, the schedule is less flexible, the rules are stricter, the discipline aspect can be challenging, and the parent factor can be a huge pain, but those are small tradeoffs for more job security and more free time to have a life outside of work.   

Not so small in many, many high schools.  Trust me.

[ontoit]

I got out of the business because the pay made it an expensive diversion, but I kept one class for fun.

Being able to teach without having to deal with anything else is a great pleasure.

[wsr88d]

Well, I can certinly say that I have been a high school science teacher for 5 years now in Florida and it is not getting any easier. A vast majority of students, whether its 9-12, are lazy, inconsiderate, rude, whiny, spoon-fed crybabies that would rather socialize than work at anything. It is a constant battle to teach them anything and get them to work and participate in class. I do two (out five days) of notes, and they complain like its the end of the world.

Thank God, I have my Master's and working on completing my doctorate (have 2-3 yrs left), not to mention that I am adjuncting at the same time.....which is paradise and a wonderful experience - having real students that want to learn and work (that compared to HS students) is much better.
Luckily, the small cc I am adjuncting for is extremely pleased with my teaching and performance, that we are in talks to bring me aboard in about a year and a half (fall 2009) full time. Though budget cuts prevented the science department allocating another position for 2008-2009....so they are up for the next year, and I am at the top of their list.

Not to mention all the elementary and secondary teachers losing their jobs beginning in June! I have read in the papers and through the union, that so far in 6 districts, close to 500 teachers are out of a job due to budget cuts, and these are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year new teachers!!!!!
Luckily, my district will not be cutting teaching positions in the core academic areas (science, math, english, social studies) -  but the rest of the areas are "open season"! Looks like the market is going to be flooded this summer!

[king_ghidorah]

With a lot of luck, I will only be an adjunct for another year.  I will say that I enjoy the college age crowd and I enjoy teaching, but I cannot figure out why people do this as a career - too much work for too little pay and the possibly of unemployment always a few months away.  I'm doing it for the same reason I did grad school: I figure there is a tt somewhere down the line and the sort of career / lifestyle I was looking for in the first place.  If not, I'm looking for another line of work.

This does NOT include high school.  No offensive to the OP (who I am sure is an outstanding educator) but I remember HS - the students, the classes, the lack of intellectual stimulation (again, no offense) and it is actually a bigger mystery to me why someone would do that for a living.

[big_giant_head]

I would chew off my leg to avoid both high school teaching and accounting.  :-)

I adjuncted because it is pretty much required my field.  We adjunct until we get a TT job.

I cannot imagine doing it for much longer than I did, though.  It's mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting, and it pays for crap...rather like teaching high school?

[phdbliss]

While the pay for teachers in general is appallingly low in most states - my salary next year as a VAP with a 4/4 at an R2 will be less than what I would make as a full-time high school teacher in my local school district. And from what I understand, my state is among those with the lowest salaries for public educators. Where I live, pay wouldn't really be the deciding factor. Though for other locations, there could be a bigger gap.