If you teach at a community college...

[Sunshine State Sue]

I know there are a few parents here that teach at a community college. Would you share any advice you might have for me?

 

Background: I have a bachelor's in math and computer science and a master's in industrial engineering. I've been working as a programmer for 25+ years and am ready for a career change. One idea I am considering is teaching (remedial) math at our community college. Part of the appeal to me is that I would be able to teach a class or two at night to see if I enjoy it enough to actually change careers.

 

Here are the minimum faculty preparation requirements:

ACADEMIC

Bachelor's degree in a teaching discipline related to the teaching assignment and at least 18 graduate or undergraduate semester hours in Mathematics or Statistics

WORK EXPERIENCE

Teaching experience in Mathematics or Graduate training in remedial education

 

I have spoken to both the math dean and the math chair. I asked both if a bachelor's degree in math was a "teaching discipline related to the teaching assignment" or if I needed a degree in math education instead. I did not get an intelligible answer from either :001_huh:, but I gathered that I was okay. Do you have any idea what a "teaching discipline related to the teaching assignment" means?

 

I do not consider that I have teaching experience, though I have tutoring experience from graduate school (20+ years ago), homeschooling, and I am currently volunteering as a math tutor at an adult learning center for GED students. I got the impression from both the math dean and the math chair that they would consider this teaching experience. However, *I* do not consider it teaching experience and would like to find some training in teaching in a classroom. They had no advice when I asked how I could get this training. :001_huh:

 

Both people were very interested in my volunteering as a tutor on-campus and/or as an "assistant" in a classroom. I am not convinced that either of these will give me any more experience than I have now.

 

So...I have researched a bit and found a 12hr Certificate in College Teaching at a nearby university that looks promising.

 

I will be contacting them again, asking the same questions that I didn't get clear answers to, and asking for their input on the certificate program.

 

I just wondered if any CC teachers here might have some advice for me.

 

Thanks!

[Dana]

The computer science undergrad would be enough for the related undergrad degree. The number of graduate hours in the subject is needed for college accreditation purposes. So while at the cc I teach at, you don't need graduate hours to teach developmental math, they will always choose someone with the graduate hours over someone without. The hours need to be in the subject area too: math, not math education. Statistics is even borderline :)

 

I started teaching at the cc with 18 graduate hours in math, some experience working as a graduate assistant and in the tutoring center. My interview consisted of me showing my transcript, stating when I could teach, and getting the textbooks and syllabi. I said, "Don't you want to ask me any questions about how I teach?" :lol: For an adjunct, they often just want a warm body with the degree in the classroom. It's a lot harder to get a full-time position.

 

I would not take the course you're looking at unless you are told that it'll be a help to you. The way to get the experience is really to just jump in.

Syllabi are generally standard, so you won't be picking a textbook or topics that are covered.

 

Where you'd have freedom is in how you run your class. Do you want to collect homework? Have quizzes?

 

Working in the tutorial center is probably the best way to get a feel for the school. I wouldn't volunteer though. At our cc, those are hourly paid positions & the director of the tutorial center would be the person to talk with. Work there a couple hours a week for a semester or two and you'll have a very good feel for the college and the courses. You also get to see what ways of explanation get through to the students.

 

Students at the cc are very different from students at the university. Night students have a lot more going on with work, school, and family.

 

AMATYC is the professional group for math teachers at 2 year schools. Their conferences are very good and their affiliate groups can be good - some states have more active groups than others.

 

I'm happy to answer specific questions about my experiences via PM.

 

In your situation, I'd suggest working in the tutorial center first, then just asking for a course :) If the department is satisfied you meet the qualifications, then you're in. Learn on the job. I have training in teaching (I'm credentialed to teach h.s. math) and it's utterly useless.

 

I find the classroom "assistant" to be strange - unless their classes are structured at a self-paced level. I'm teaching a course this spring that'll be self-paced and I understand that some schools do many courses that way. Ours is called a "modular" course.

 

Good luck! The first time teaching is a TON of work but it gets easier each semester.

[Sunshine State Sue]

Thank you so much, Dana!

For an adjunct, they often just want a warm body with the degree in the classroom. It's a lot harder to get a full-time position.

Yes, a warm body with a degree is what I gathered they like for an adjunct. Good to know about full-time positions. I took a Statistics class there for fun 2 summers ago and had several conversations with the prof about teaching there. He taught high school and was an adjunct for several years before he was able to transition to full-time.

 

I would not take the course you're looking at unless you are told that it'll be a help to you. The way to get the experience is really to just jump in.

Syllabi are generally standard, so you won't be picking a textbook or topics that are covered.

I'm too scared to just jump in. :scared: What do you think about this class?

ADE 6360 Methods of Teaching Adult Education

 

Working in the tutorial center is probably the best way to get a feel for the school. I wouldn't volunteer though. At our cc, those are hourly paid positions & the director of the tutorial center would be the person to talk with. Work there a couple hours a week for a semester or two and you'll have a very good feel for the college and the courses. You also get to see what ways of explanation get through to the students.

OKAY! I will definitely follow-up on getting paid to tutor.

 

AMATYC is the professional group for math teachers at 2 year schools. Their conferences are very good and their affiliate groups can be good - some states have more active groups than others.

Thanks! There next conference is in FL. It could be a nice weekend get-a-way for me.

 

I'm happy to answer specific questions about my experiences via PM.

Thank you for the offer. I may take you up on it.

 

In your situation, I'd suggest working in the tutorial center first, then just asking for a course :) If the department is satisfied you meet the qualifications, then you're in. Learn on the job. I have training in teaching (I'm credentialed to teach h.s. math) and it's utterly useless.

Thanks. I'll definitely follow-up on tutoring there.

 

I find the classroom "assistant" to be strange - unless their classes are structured at a self-paced level. I'm teaching a course this spring that'll be self-paced and I understand that some schools do many courses that way. Ours is called a "modular" course.

Yes, I had visions of me sitting uselessly in a classroom, and I've done enough of that already. I thought I discovered a class that used a computer-based program, but when I tried to find it again, I couldn't find it.

 

Thanks again, Dana.

[Dana]

Seriously...you've had the experience of being in a classroom for many years. You know what makes a good class. It's not that tough.

 

Sure you get better with time. I know my later students get a better instructor than my earlier students did...but that's true of anything.

 

I don't think the course would likely get you any further with what you want. The way to get more comfortable is by jumping in.

 

None of the education courses I took did anything for making me more comfortable teaching. Drama classes actually probably did the most good. :lol:

[Lori D.]

Hey Sue -- You go girl! :)

 

 

No experience with teaching formally, and esp. at a CC level. However, in the past few years I have taught 2 short homeschool co-op classes, and have been a speaker at about half a dozen homeschool seminar workshops on several different topics. The big thing I have learned about teaching as a result is that I need FAR more time preparing for each class or session than I thought I would. And even MORE time on top of that if I need to put together an accompanying Power Point.

 

(Now, in my case I was completely starting from scratch and was not working from any pre-prepared curriculum or working out of a textbook, so that may not be as much of a concern for you.)

 

 

But still, for your first semester, plan on spending AT LEAST 3 or 4 hours OUTSIDE the class for every ONE hour spent IN class:

- available for regular, scheduled, office hours for student access to you

- preparing what to teach and how you want to teach it

- grading homework, quizzes, and tests

- learning how to do, and then doing, the administrative paperwork/online work that comes with teaching

 

 

Another thought: it will save you a lot of time and effort if you can work from an already-prepared syllabus and class lectures.

 

 

A final thought: especially since you are looking at teaching a remedial math class, the more resources you have to help you have multiple ways of explaining the math topics in class, the more effective you will be as a teacher. (However, since you've already been tutoring, AND you've used various homeschool materials which explain math in different ways, this won't be a problem for you. ;) )

 

 

I think you would be an excellent instructor, Sue, and hope you look into this further and give it a shot! BEST of luck, and warmest regards, Lori D.

[kiana]

I'm too scared to just jump in. :scared: What do you think about this class?

ADE 6360 Methods of Teaching Adult Education

 

Well -- the full amount of my 'teaching training' in graduate school consisted of presenting one problem to 3 other graduate students and getting critiqued on it. At my university, we have a master syllabus for each class anyway, laying out the suggested homework assignments and suggested pacing. Now, we don't HAVE to strictly follow it, but if someone who's presumably more experienced has paced the class I'm happy to follow their pacing in general. If you adjunct, you should be able to acquire (even if by just printing it off someone else's website) a copy of a sample syllabus for the class.

 

Honestly, most of what I needed to know wouldn't have been taught anyway.

 

For example: Never, ever discuss a grade with a student during the period right before or right after class. Have them visit your office hours.

 

Practice your poker face, so you don't burst out laughing when someone asks if they can avoid having any quadratics on the algebra test because they can only solve linear equations.

 

Remedial students (particularly in math) particularly appreciate clear, direct instruction. Explaining reasoning goes over quite well -- theory and proofs do not. They're already math-phobic in most cases.

 

Don't be surprised by gaps in knowledge, no matter how far back. I had someone in the lowest-level class who couldn't do 6x8 without drawing 6 rows of 8 dots and counting them.