I’ve been through a lot of life changes in the past three years – including getting divorced and losing a job, two of the biggies – but I’m now contemplating perhaps the biggest change yet.
I’m thinking of going to grad school to get my master’s so I can teach full-time.
I have loved what I do for nearly 30 years. Many’s the day when I’ve had an “I can’t believe they pay me for this” experience. Newspaper reporting is one of only two careers I ever seriously considered.
The other was teaching. Well, a couple of years ago, I finally got a chance to do that when I was hired as an adjunct at Minnesota State University Moorhead to teach a section of media writing.
And God, I love it.
In the first place, at the risk of sounding egotistical, I’ve discovered I’m a bitchin’ teacher. I don’t know a lot about most things, but I know writing. I’ve discovered I also know how to teach others to write. I long ago developed this grand theory about writing (it basically boils down to clarity of purpose, clarity of thought and clarity of word) and discovered that the theory is actually teachable. I also run a pretty relaxed classroom and the students seem to respond to me. I could be totally full of shit about all this, but I don’t think so.
I know this: No matter what kind of day I’ve had, after an hour and a quarter in the classroom I leave energized and happy. I’ve been consistently impressed by how hard the kids work, how hungry they are for knowledge, and there’s nothing like seeing the light come on.
My original intent was to get a master’s at one of the schools up here and just try to get on full-time at MSUM. I figured what the hell – why move?
That was until yesterday, when I had a long talk with the department chairman. He thinks I should apply to the University of Missouri, one of the best graduate journalism programs in the country, go full-time and get a master’s that will make me more marketable as a teacher.
I looked at some of their materials online last night and was struck by a very important thought: I can do this.
The thought of making this kind of change terrifies my lizard brain, but from a rational standpoint I realize the fear is, well, irrational. My kids are in college and don’t live with me; I have work I love, but I know I’d love becoming once again immersed in the life of the mind; and there’s absolutely nothing that makes it necessary to stay here, other than inertia.
I realize this is all very, very banal. It’s hardly worth writing about on here and I’m afraid it looks like I’m soliciting pep talks (which I probably am, at least subconsciously).
But good Lord, for a 50-year-old man to contemplate a total change of life direction is one of two things: lunacy or courage. I like to think it’s courage, and if I do it I’m nearly certain it will work out splendidly, but there’s always that little coward on your shoulder that whispers sour nothings in your ear.
Maybe the best thing to do is just start the process – job one is to take the GRE – and plunge ahead. That’s often what I’ve done at the decision points in my life and it’s been a hell of a good ride so far.
That’s what I’m probably going to do, that and try to make some contacts at Mizzou.
What the hell; at worst I’ll be able to finally, after more than 20 years, not worry about North Dakota winters.
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R
Either way it's going to be good to push forward. Don't let yourself get stuck trying to figure it out.
My Dad switched careers to being a grade-school teacher after his factory shut down when he was 49. He'd been a steelworker for 25 years.
I think you've got your answer already.
Good luck! The world needs more inspired and inspiring teachers.
So Tom, by all means go for it! I envy you the dream that you have and the opportunity to make it happen. Do it!!
Good luck whatever you decide to do.
Someone with 30 years experience (and your obvious passion
and natural ability) should be able to slide in w/out the additional bs.
But. Best to you. And thanks for sharing your story.
Best of luck ~ Catherine
Teach, Hell Yes.
Get a Degree? Not so much.
Only if someone else pays and there is a guaranteed payoff at the end of it. If not, after the age of 30 ,go straight for the payoff. This is a point of view. You have to really really really question whether a degree is worth $100k or whatever it will cost if you include the opportunity costs. If you put 10% of the effort to get a degree to just getting a job, you can have a pretty good chance of ending up in the same place at a much lower cost, and I am not just talking about money.
In a sense, they train you for the past.
In media, no one knows what the future holds, except it is likely to be bleak for writers. As a paying career. Good communication skills are always essential to being a well educated, productive citizen.
So, I like everything but the graduate school thing.
But, if it is right for you, and you deem it essential to do what you want to do next, then go for it.
I would look to see just how this year's grads from journalism school are doing, job wise.
Just saying.
Why limit your ambitions to teaching? A masters degree all by itself cannot lead to a full-time tenure-track teaching job. At best, it means a long time with a heavy teaching load and low pay, with no guarantee of job security. If I were you, I'd set my sights higher. You can do it!
Thank you so much for all the comments and encouragement (and the different perspective some of you also provided). It means a lot, even more so because it comes from people I've come to respect enormously.
i wish you well
Sounds great. Sounds like you have a plan. And while you are thinking about risk taking and change- keep in mind that you have lots of options.
Becoming a high school teacher traditionally or non-traditionally, for example. Getting a Teach Grant (accepted by some universities, and not based on income.)
I have heard that there are 1 year programs that are available for "fast tracking" from a bachelor's to a masters. I would like to learn more about that (and possibly teaching college) myself.
She said: "I turned them down. I'll be fifty when I'm done. What I didn't think about was that I was going to be fifty no matter what."
And yes, you are a damn good teacher. "[Writing] basically boils down to clarity of purpose, clarity of thought and clarity of word." That's a first-rate writing course in a single sentence!
Rated
Rated.
If you teach in a public school I wonder how well you would like working in the educational bureaucracy. Many of the public school teachers I've known love teaching, but the bureaucracy is something else.
If you teach in a college, I wonder what kind of position you'll end up with. So many schools now focus on part-time faculty so that they don't have to pay any benefits. Some people end up working for two or three institutions, working more than full-time, but without any benefits. You might want to investigate the hiring practices of the schools you'd like to teach in. Also, teaching jobs can be highly competitive, sometimes with literally hundreds of applicants. And as a straight white male you're not going to have the affirmative action edge, in addition to having the extra burden of being an "older" worker.
There certainly is a NEED for good writing teachers. But what is the actual MARKET for them, as measured by real job recruitments? I would want to know that before I went back to school.
Maybe the institutions themselves tend towards the conservative - being pulled by rankings, alumni, and reputation - but the faculty themselves are often given wide berth, especially once tenured, to be creative and explore without being tied to a financial bottom-line or demonstrating accountability for public dollars.
And Tom, I think you're just setting off on a really cool adventure. Keep us posted on the journey!
I did just that a year back - I am now a professor of management teaching MBA students after thirty years in the corporate world - not Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, but I did make CEO!
I am now wrestling with the problem of how to pick up a PhD.
This past year has been one of the most satisfying of my life. There's no question about it - your Third Chapter can truly be your most productive and happy.
As one who taught writing for many years, I found great satisfaction.
Go for it Tom; it's time to do something that makes YOU happy.
Go for it, Tom! And best to you. R Tracy
Just GO for it!