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[peanuttyxx]

Hi. I have a contract position at a university. I was lucky enough to earn some extra money teaching a summer class. There's one day, however, that I need to go out of town. I asked a coworker, who I'm friends with (not drinking friends, but lunch friends), if she'd cover it for me. She was teaching a summer class earlier in the summer, and I offered to take over one of her classes in return. In passing, I said, "I'd even pay you." I was half kidding. I even laughed at the end.

I reminded her when she was teaching that I was happy to return the favor and come into her class, but she said she didn't want me to. Now she's emailed me, asking if I will indeed pay her. She came up with a rather expensive day rate. I've also told her that all she needs to do is press play and have them watch a movie.

Should I pay her? Is that unethical? Or just odd? If I'm paying, part of me thinks I should make her teach a real class instead of watching a movie. Any thoughts?

[goldenapple]

Cancel the class and give the students an assignment to do at home (or in the computer lab, or whatever). If you have a film for them to watch, see if you can have it made into a streaming file that the students can watch from home.

Tell your colleague that you just calculated how much you actually get paid per class, including prep time, and after you finished drying your tears, you realized that you couldn't pay her.

[magistra]

This is odd.  And not very collegial.  This is where the beauty of the interwebs comes in -- have them do an online assignment of some sort, or an extra reading, watch some clips, whatever.  Have them do a discussion board post, or a short (very short) essay, or an online quiz.  Or even just have them bring in something the next day you teach.  Why pay someone when you can easily give them something to do on your own?  I'm assuming that there's no difference in pedagogical benefit between the film and something else you could do.

Just be sure that the students can handle the technology -- i.e. have some experience with your course website -- and that instructions are clear.  But I'd guess they'll actually prefer a short assignment they can do at home rather than come in and watch a movie.

[womanofproperty]

Other posters have good suggestions.

Another possibility:  Can you put the film on library reserve & have students watch it at a time during the week that's convenient for them?  If I did this, I'd probably give the students some note-taking guidelines and include some questions on the final that relate to the film, so that students would be motivated to view the film.

[kedves]

You offered to pay her and left the amount open, laugh notwithstanding.  It sounds as if you are annoyed that she took you up on the offer and started a negotiation.  It's up to you to decide how much the assistance is worth to you and how much you are willing to bargain to get it.  I would avoid the whole thing by having the students do a substitute at-home assignment, as suggested above.

[peanuttyxx]

These are all great ideas. Thank you so much. This is my first year teaching, and this is another of many poor decisions I've made. I appreciate it.

[marigolds]

I think it's weird for her to ask you to pay her (although you did mention it first!)  However, several of my colleagues (I'm a grad student) send out emails to the departmental listserv asking people to cover classes and offering to pay.  I've seen a $25 gift card, $50 cash for one class, and $100 cash for covering three classes for a week of on-campus interviews.  

So...different departmental cultures?  Or a difference between grad student/adjunct mentalities and TT professor mentalities about collegiality and the worth of investing in long-term give-and-take relationships with people who are not necessarily going to be around to return the favor?  

I'd do something online if I were you.  I've also had students do independent draft workshops with prompts that I made available online (I had them post the drafts and feedback after the workshops.)  Is there anything comparable in your discipline that they could do for each other?

[carebearstare]

I've recompensed colleagues who offered to cover my classes, but only in dinners, bottles of wine, or baked goods.

[systeme_d_]

If your colleague is an adjunct, I can understand her wish to get paid, but I do not think you should acquiesce to her request.

If she is tenure-track or tenured, she's way out of line.

See if you can put the movie on reserve for your students, and create a short assignment related to the film that is to be turned in upon your return.

[peanuttyxx]

She is on contract but full time, like me. I'd like to put a movie on reserve. Or do something online. But the problem is I need to take two days off. I've scheduled group work for the second day. Is it too many missed classes if I have them watch a movie and then they do group work the next day? I fear that if I pay her, I'll hold it against her forever.

[systeme_d_]

Missing class for two days would not be an issue at my place, but you may want to check with your chair.

I personally see absolutely no problem with film one day, and assignment in lieu of the next class session. (I am not sure about group work -- I very rarely require it, so I am not really qualified to comment.)   Just make it an assignment with some substance.

[larryc]

Give the film to one of the students to show and tell the class you want one page reviews of the movie from each of them on the day you get back.

[der_gadfly]

the colleague with the inflated dayrate has a greatly inflated self-view as well.

make the students watch the film on their own, and have  a paper on it due the following class. 

[crowie]

I think your co-worker's request is bizarre and I don't think you should go along with it.  I think two sessions is fine too, if you have appropriate material for them to work on at home, online, or in the library.

By way of possible explanation for this behavior, it occurred to me that your co-worker may not be thinking straight because of the economy.  There are a lot of hurting people out there who have lost a lot.  Sometimes fear and anxiety about money cause people to do things that they wouldn't do under normal circumstances, like request money for something that they might have in the past done as a favor.  It's sort of the reverse version of the way that some people are more likely to offer to pay for everyone's drinks when they are feeling "flush."

This doesn't justify the request but it may help you to be able to chalk it up to the economy and what it's doing to people's brains, rather than just weirdness on the part of your colleague.

[zuzu_]

Please tell us how much $$ she requested. I'm dying to know.

Just tell her, "After thinking about it, I've actually designed a terrific online activity/discussion for the class. Thank you SO MUCH for your willingness to help me out."

Also, let her know that you'd be glad to cover her class if she ever needs it, and that you will only charge half of whatever she charges.

http://www.nicenet.org/ is a great site to set up a quick group discussion if you don't already have access to online tools at your college.