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[coffeemug]

Hi all,

I'll be applying to English PhD programs next year. This spring, I have the opportunity to teach a college English course at a 4 year university. However, I'm also presenting a paper at a national conference. I've never taught at the college level or presented at a conference before (and, as of yet, have no peer-reviewed publications). Due to time overlap between the conference and the class, along with some other complicating factors, I'll only be able to do one or the other. For grad schools apps, does anyone have an idea which would look better? I'd love to do both and am torn. I'm looking for something to tip the balance in one direction or the other; any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

[academic_cog]

Would this be leading a class discussion for a day, or designing and running a course (or maybe TAing for one?)? Teaching a class when you don't know how to teach is an incredible amount of work. And if you are young or look young and don't have experience keeping discipline in a classroom, keeping control of the class is also incredibly hard.

Also, would you be getting paid for this, considering you don't have a degree that would qualify you to teach at the college level? I hate to see people going into my profession, where I am looking for a paid permanent job, offering to do work for free/peanuts/good experience. (OTOH, you could have or be getting an MA ---- my point about not underbidding the job you hope to someday get paid for still stands though.)

I'm just a postdoc, but from what I've heard, the writing sample is the most important part of the English application, followed by a strong letter of application that shows you have good ideas and a good understanding of what academic research and the profession is all about. Both teaching experience and a conference presentation would help, but I think the conference presentation, as it is a sign that you are already attempting research, would be more impressive. It's also probably less work on your part than teaching an entire course.

Of course, if you have already accepted the conference invitation, you don't want to back out unless there is an emergency.

PS I think it is still incredibly rare for people applying to PhDs to already have a peer-reviewed publication. You can work with one of your advisors on expanding and revising the conference paper into an article once you get in, if you choose.

[lasquires]

academic_cog is correct. As a rule, people applying to PhD programs in the Humanities do not have peer-reviewed publications. It is also rare to have teaching experience at the college level. It's hard to say whether the teaching opportunity is really going to help you without knowing more about it. 

As I understand it, admission to a PhD program is primarily based on your potential for research as demonstrated in your writing sample, SOP, and letters of rec. This conference might provide an excellent opportunity to get feedback on a potential writing sample.

[charlesr]

Conference.  At this stage research dominates teaching.

[watermarkup]

OP, your post does not quite compute. Are you talking about teaching a semester-long course? That kind of teaching experience can look very good on an application to programs where grad students will be TAs. A senior faculty member (at state flagship R1 in a humanities discipline) whom I recently asked about a similar issue mentioned teaching experience as one thing that would make an application worth a serious look.

But if you're teaching all semester, why do you think you can't get someone to cover your class for a day or two while you present a paper at a conference? It's what grad students and faculty members are already doing. Why do you think you can't do both?

[coffeemug]

Thanks to everyone for the responses and advice. The course is the entire semester. The time conflict arises more from other commitments that will cause me to miss some classes already. Missing more class time for the conference would probably be pushing it. I don't want to agree to teach the course knowing I'll be absent a significant number of times. I'll be talking to the department head this week to see if there's any way to work something out, but right now it's looking like it will be one or the other.

[lohai0]

Thanks to everyone for the responses and advice. The course is the entire semester. The time conflict arises more from other commitments that will cause me to miss some classes already. Missing more class time for the conference would probably be pushing it. I don't want to agree to teach the course knowing I'll be absent a significant number of times. I'll be talking to the department head this week to see if there's any way to work something out, but right now it's looking like it will be one or the other.

coffeemug, you are not in my field, but my understanding is if you want a job in academia with an English PhD, you have to ruthlessly professionalize yourself. That probably makes conference > teaching. Would it be possible to "co-teach" a course with someone, where you help with the course and shadow them? Your co-teacher could then write you a recommendation letter other applicants may not have. How valuable that is, I will leave for the experts. Good luck!

[kron3007]

I'm not sure which would look better for your application, especially in your field, but I would personally think teaching a semester long course would trump a single conference presentation.  To me having a paid position would suggest more about you than being able to pay to attend and present at a conference, even if it is good experience.  It will also potentially provide you a LOR, which would be more useful IMO. 

Ultimately, I doubt that this decision will make or break your application package so you need to consider which is better for your personal situation.  I assume the teaching position pays right?  Do you have another job to fall back on if you dont teach?  Obviously I think the job is likely the better choice.     

[tuxedo_cat]

I am in English, although I have not reviewed applications for a PhD program.  It it those respondents whose advice will likely be the most helpful for you here (if any of the people who have already posted fit that profile, I imagine they will speak up).

So, from my somewhat limited perspective:  conferences?  Well, if it's MLA, then by all means do it.  But if it's just a regional or subfield meeting that wasn't that competitive to get into (very few are, they want all the conference fees they can get), and it's going to cost you hundreds and hundreds of dollars to go?  I would skip it.  The teaching job, by contrast, will actually *put* money in your bank account.

More importantly, as others have indicated, it will make you a top candidate for a TAship in a PhD program assuming you have gained admission.  It also signifies that the Chair of this dept. feels that you are already qualified to be teaching a class on your own.

Lots of undergrads have a conference presentation under their belt.  It is certainly a good thing to have, but it does not automatically indicate the brilliance of your work, since lots of people have mediocre, half-cooked research accepted to conferences.  

Your writing sample will be far more important and concrete evidence of your potential as a scholar.  That is something the Admissions Committee can actually look at.  They won't have access to your conference paper.

Last item:  

I don't want to agree to teach the course knowing I'll be absent a significant number of times. 

I would be very careful about skipping more than one class in a given semester.  What is "a significant number?"  I believe adjuncts can be docked pay for cancelling any class -- and that also might not be viewed well by the Chair that hired you, unless you make it clear up front that you will need to miss those classes for very important, unavoidable reasons.  You don't want to nix your opportunity to get the teaching appointment by being honest, but this is not considered a perfectly acceptable thing to do, especially for a new adjunct.

[coffeemug]

It's a once-a-week class. The presentation is at exactly the same time as the class (unfortunately). Between this and another obligation, I would be missing 2 sessions out of 14, which seems like a lot to me. Thanks again for all the helpful comments everyone.

[lasquires]

It's a once-a-week class. The presentation is at exactly the same time as the class (unfortunately). Between this and another obligation, I would be missing 2 sessions out of 14, which seems like a lot to me. Thanks again for all the helpful comments everyone.

Yikes. I would this that having to miss 2 weeks of class would automatically disqualify you. Is the person hiring you aware of this?

[tuxedo_cat]

It's a once-a-week class. The presentation is at exactly the same time as the class (unfortunately). Between this and another obligation, I would be missing 2 sessions out of 14, which seems like a lot to me. Thanks again for all the helpful comments everyone.

If this is a full-credit class (3 hours a week?), then missing two classes is really like missing 4 or 6 classes from the perspective of an administrator.