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I was shocked at the pay scale! Unless I am reading it wrong, or someone inserted the wrong values, this part-time Instructor work will pay $56.80 per hour which is more than my full time job. I would sooner expect that amount per week than hour, if a week required 3-4 hours of work.
Thanks again to everyone!
Divide that $56.80 by 3 to get your "real" hourly rate. That's what I was told when I did it. You need an hour to prepare, an hour to teach, and an hour to grade. The reality is that you will frequently need more than an hour to grade, but that depends on your subject. I taught English 101 and 102 so the essays require a lot of time.
Most community college teachers teach four classes. That's 12 hours a week. That gives you some idea of how labor-intensive the non-"teaching" part can be. That's why people call the pay low while you think it is high. You are just looking at the actual hours spent in front of the class.
I teach a form of this now, doing a Dual Enrollment class as part of my job as a classroom teacher. I'm given guidelines and a required text. The rest is on me to create such as the syllabus and the lessons. It's a lot of work until you get a few years' experience. It's still a lot of work after that, but not as much. But when the department changes textbooks, you start all over.
It can be some spending money for you, but I'd rather go the substitute route. You show up, supervise, and go home. You don't actually teach. You are there for legal liability reasons.
I talked to my co-worker today who is pursuing his Ph.D in the same field which is advertising for Part-time Instructors at the local community college. He also teaches as an adjunct professor at the same university where he is working on his degree.
He reiterated what everyone here is saying. Expect three hours of classroom teaching per week, hours of preparation outside of the classroom each week, and the first semester is brutal because you are expected to create your own syllabus, teaching aids, and lectures.
His comment was that the money quoted will likely translate into about $3K per semester, and the job is a lot of work to start!
Well, if you're still working, you're not retired. You're just moving to another job. Its just part time.
You all-or-nothing purists are a hoot! Working (and hence retirement) is a concept which is on a continuum. Here is one way to look at some points along that continuum:
1. At one extreme would be the person whose career demands hours considerably in excess of the 40 hours a week which are traditionally thought to define full-time work.
2. A somewhat less intensive point is the traditional 40-hour per week job.
3. Taking a rather large step down, one can work half-time, say about 20 hours a week, perhaps spread out over five days, or three or four days.
4. Even closer to full retirement would be occasional work - either a few projects a year which might last a couple of weeks each, or some very easy going schedule involving working one or two days a week but less than eight hours a day.
5. Then finally we have full retirement (the other extreme) - no paid work whatsoever.
Numbers 3 and 4 above are called "semi-retirement" for obvious reasons. Your assertions that no middle ground exists are ludicrous and absurd. The only adjectives I know of which are absolute are "pregnant" and "dead". "Retired" is not in that absolute category.
As one who has had personal experience going from full time work plus to semi-retirement, I can testify that there is all the difference in the world on multiple levels.
Don't care to be semi-retired? Fine with me (as there is nothing wrong with number 5 above), but why claim the concept doesn't exist?
^Thanks, Escort
I say I am retired because I DID retire from a 37-year career, and I receive a pension.
But I work part-time, and I also did some work as an independent contractor. It's not black and white. The State of New York considers me retired because they deposit a check into my account every month, so I'm going with their definition.
The local community college is seeking part time instructors in what has been my nearly 40 year career.
No certainty of getting the job and I have never worked as a Teacher or Instructor, although I was Cub Scout Leader, Boy Scout Leader, worked with all the Eagle Scouts in my Council as the Director of Advancement, and volunteered in the Public Schools with Math and Science Enrichment.
My wife says this would be a perfect part time job for me after my retirement in a 3 to 5 years.
Anyone here moved into a part-time community college gig prior to or after retirement? Any words of advice?
Thanks,
It may be just a community college but depending on the class there may be more involved than you think. Is this a "fun" class more like on a hobby of sorts or is this academic? Usually academic courses require a masters in the subject area and some teaching experience. If it is a class that doesn't give actual credit then that's different.
Also, if the class is online there will be a fair amount of technology involved in the presentation of materials, class "discussions", and having all presentations available online.
Try taking a similar class first to see if it is at all what you think it is.
Divide that $56.80 by 3 to get your "real" hourly rate. That's what I was told when I did it. You need an hour to prepare, an hour to teach, and an hour to grade. The reality is that you will frequently need more than an hour to grade, but that depends on your subject. I taught English 101 and 102 so the essays require a lot of time.
Most community college teachers teach four classes. That's 12 hours a week. That gives you some idea of how labor-intensive the non-"teaching" part can be. That's why people call the pay low while you think it is high. You are just looking at the actual hours spent in front of the class.
I teach a form of this now, doing a Dual Enrollment class as part of my job as a classroom teacher. I'm given guidelines and a required text. The rest is on me to create such as the syllabus and the lessons. It's a lot of work until you get a few years' experience. It's still a lot of work after that, but not as much. But when the department changes textbooks, you start all over.
It can be some spending money for you, but I'd rather go the substitute route. You show up, supervise, and go home. You don't actually teach. You are there for legal liability reasons.
When I taught a class for the first time I spent at least 2-3 hours prepping for each hour of lecture - and that was when I was in graduate school at the top of my game, so to speak. To go back NOW...it would take longer. But most adjuncts don't have to teach a set number of courses - it's whatever you can get hired for - definitely don't take on more than one to start with! You may have to show your presentation materials to even get hired.
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