Anyone here ever or presently teach at the community college level?

[Chris in CA]

I'm getting my MA in English and the goal will be to teach when dds graduate, it's coming sooner than I think : )

I was just curious to know if anyone here teaches at the cc level and how you like it?

thanks

Chris

[Jenn in CA]

DH teaches physics at the community college... what's not to love? Great time off, more mature students (than high school, anyway), returning students who really want to "do it right" this time. Part-time is definitely not as great as full-time; part-timers often get stuck with night and weekend classes (unless that's what you want, of course).

[Chris in CA]

Thanks for the response, I'm hoping to work part-time only when youngest dd is in the last year of hs, then move into full-time. From what I understand part-timers get paid per class, but full-time staff is salaried and get more perks : ) I see your in CA I was hoping someone would respond from here as that is where I'll be teaching. We're down south in Orange County.

thanks again

Chris

[Susie-Knits]

before kids. I taught full time in the Electronics/Computer Science department of a community college. I loved it. Great students, subject I loved, somewhat flexible schedule.... I really just love teaching.

 

Susie

[Hoggirl]

I loved teaching at the CC. I started out part time and then moved into a full-time position after a semester. It really is a great gig as it is all about the teaching. I continued for full-time for a year after ds was born and then went back to part-time, but "retired" when I started home schooling. If someone asked me the best and worst things about teaching my answer to both questions was the same: the students. It will depend on your mix. Initially, I had a lot of non-traditional older students. Generally, they are terrific. Concientious and hard-working. Over time, however, we got a lot more traditional students and the work ethic just wasn't the same. This is a blanket statement, of course, and there is quite a spectrum of skill, intelliegence, and interest level for ALL types of students. I taught accounting and business law, and I got MANY fraternity boys from the Universtiy down the road who thought they would get an "easier" class at the CC. Some did fine, some flunked. But, I don't think my class was any "easier." ;)

[Chris in CA]

Good news, I'm so excited : )

thanks

Chris

[Chris in CA]

Thanks so much, I can't wait to start, of course I have to complete the MA first : )

Chris

[WABeth]

in Washington State. I am a counselor and teach classes in college success skills. I love my job. You are right about the huge difference in pay for F-T versus P-T faculty (at least in WA). Some Part-timers load up and teach more than would be required by a F-T faculty and end up paid less than 1/2 and have no office space to work from. Our college is working hard toward creating a more equitable pay scale but we are far from it now.

[AngieW in Texas]

I taught physics part-time at the community college before I had kids. I enjoyed doing it, but the pay was awful and the cc didn't treat part-time teachers well. At any point in time, the full-time teacher for the department (each department had just one full-time teacher) could take your class away so she could get extra money by teaching more hours. There were no benefits and no guarantees at all. The cc I worked for was rather unusual in the way that it was run though. I know that most cc have more than one full-time teacher in each department. I was fortunate that I was teaching the one calculus-based physics. That was more than the full-time teacher wanted to handle, so I got to keep my job. She kicked out the guy who was teaching algebra-based physics so she could have a bigger paycheck. All she let him keep was the lab (because she didn't like teaching labs).

 

I have thought about teaching again after my kids are done, but the only class I could teach is physics, because that's what my degree is in. I'd much rather teach math, but I'm not willing to go back to college to get a master's in math so I can teach it. I'll probably offer hs classes in Jacobs Algebra and Jacobs Geometry. There are hs math courses in my area, but they all use Saxon.

[Jane in NC]

I taught physics part-time at the community college before I had kids. I enjoyed doing it, but the pay was awful and the cc didn't treat part-time teachers well.

 

 

 

I had hesitated to post because I did not want to rain on Chris's parade! But my CC teaching experience was less than stellar, also. Here in NC, the majority of CC faculty members are part time. The pay is miserable although things have improved since my first teaching experience in a CC in the early '90s when teachers were required to have office hours without compensation!

 

That said, I will note that I also had a wonderful experience while on the payroll of the CC. My students were all adults in two different local industries. These non-traditional students were so grateful for the opportunity. I count these classes as high points in my educational career.

 

Jane

[Jenn in CA]

At any point in time, the full-time teacher for the department (each department had just one full-time teacher) could take your class away so she could get extra money by teaching more hours. There were no benefits and no guarantees at all.

 

That's true at dh's school as well... bigger schools have more FT, and currently dh is one of 6 FT physics teacahers, but at his last school (Bay Area) he was the only FT physics teacher. PT do have lower priority than FT.

 

In OC, you most likely have lots of schools to choose from and they are probably all pretty big. You should be able to figure out which are the best ones, the ones with the highest transfer rate.

 

Another downside of PT is that you get last choice of classes and for English, the classes they offer most of are... remedial. And, the pay is per class, which may not translate into much per hour. But, PT is your best way to get your foot in the door for FT.

 

But don't let me discourage you. There are downsides to every job. Go for it!

 

Jennifer

... dreaming of starting classes for homeschoolers after I'm done with my kids

BTW I'm in Sacramento.

[Chris in CA]

it really helps to hear the pos and neg side.

We do have about 6 large cc's here in the area. I'm going to meet with my professor after spring break and get her advice as well.

thanks so much

[Blue Hen]

I had hesitated to post because I did not want to rain on Chris's parade! But my CC teaching experience was less than stellar, also. Here in NC, the majority of CC faculty members are part time. The pay is miserable although things have improved since my first teaching experience in a CC in the early '90s when teachers were required to have office hours without compensation!

Jane

 

I taught Statistics and productions & operations courses P/T at CC in MA. My experience was similar; pay was poor, req'd to have office hours w/out compensation and w/out an office, no bene's, no assurance either that you'd have the classes next year either.

 

The students were great though.

[Chris in CA]

These posts make me think, it would be best to go f/t as soon as possible

thanks

Chris