Preparation and Travel
After a strenuous hiring process, Op and Adrienne approached Deb, Jason, and I about the possibility of presenting at the ECCTYC conference in October. Prior to starting the Fall semester, Patrick Bettencourt, a full time professor at MJC and board member of ECCTYC, inspired and launched an idea to present a workshop on "How to Get Hired for a Full-Time Gig," tentatively to be presented by new full time faculty hired at MJC in the fall. After agreeing to create and present a workshop on this topic, we focused on getting to know our own strengths/weaknesses, creating materials, and organizing our travel information.
posted by Emalsam | 9:46 AM
24 Comments:
Hello,
[Attached] is the accepted proposal that Adrienne and I submitted for the next English Council of California Two-Year Colleges (http://www.ecctyc.org) conference, which will be held in Long Beach on Oct. 13-15. We kept the number of people open with the hope that each of you would like to join us. Our thinking is that we could each discuss one key component of why we think we got hired, which will then add up to a cumulative message for those still seeking full-time work. Of course, we will be able to add to gaps as the session progresses, and Patrick Bettencourt will be the moderator, so I'm sure he will prod us along as needed. This will not require any intense preparation or research because we have already done it. We only need to meet briefly to discuss who is covering what. I should also mention that Brenda is giving us $600 each if we want to participate. Based on my hotel, flight, and registration fees, that amount covers everything but food. In addition, there is a $250 college grant that's pretty easy to get.
Let us know if you want to join in. I'll provide travel details/assistance when and if you confirm your interest.
Emily, Debbie, and Jason--
If you want to get to the airport and back together, Adrienne and I are booked on the 8:05 pm flight on Wed., Oct. 12 out of Oakland (Jet Blue). Also, we are returning on the 3:30 pm flight on Sat., Oct. 15 out of Long Beach. We intend to drive to the Bayfair BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), park there for $5/day, take a short train ride, and then take a little shuttle to the airport. It's a slight hassle, but economy parking at the airport is $19/day.
As for lodging, we went with the Long Beach Convention Center Travelodge for the entire time. It was $89 for the first two nights and $149 for the third, a savings of at least $90 over The Westin, where the conference is being held. The Travelodge is less than a half mile away.
Also, you should know that registration for the conference is $120, and the priority deadline is Sep. 12.
I found out from the conference organizers that our panel is tentatively scheduled at 1:45, Friday and that works for me. I'll either take a flight late Thursday or early Friday and meet you guys there. I can meet on Friday at 10 but I think one of us is gone for the weekend, no?
After some initial brainstorming and collaborative discussion, Op presented us with the possibilities below:
Options (not exhaustive, and some of which overlap):
teaching in diverse environments
committee work
community service
division meetings
publication
conference attendance and presentations
social gatherings
curriculum development
interview preparation and execution
CV building (campus workshops, seminars, special training, etc.)
CAI (computer-assisted instruction)
All of these categories seem to fit into these five overarching themes: Being Seen, Surveying the Scene, Behind the Scenes, Making a Scene, and Shooting the Scene.
Presentation Title:
How to Get Hired for a Full-Time, Tenure-Track Position
Please write a 50–word synopsis for the program book:
This panel, moderated by a member of the hiring committee at the same school, will discuss the various philosophies and approaches that we think were crucial in our recently getting hired for full-time, tenure-track positions at Modesto Junior College..
250-word abstract summarizing your proposal:
Because five of us from a wide variety of experiences, backgrounds, ages, and locations were recently hired as full-time, tenure-track instructors at the same school, we are anxious to share our different insights, secrets, and survival tips in the oh-so arduous hiring process in the two-year college system. We will discuss how teaching in diverse environments, committee work, community service, division meetings, publication, conference attendance and presentations, social gatherings, curriculum development, and saying yes to everything else not only distinguished us from the highly competitive field of qualified applicants, but also taught us what being full-timers is all about, at least for now.
Op and I are both booked on Jet Blue flight 249 from Oakland to Long Beach (departs at 8:05 pm on Wednesday, Oct 12) and flight 250 from Long Beach to Oakland (departs at 3:30 pm on Saturday, Oct 15). Also, we both chose to stay at the Travelodge Long Beach Convention Center rather than the hotel where the conference is actually located. The Travelodge is less than ½ mile from the conference, and staying there saves us about 100 bucks over 3 nights.
Thanks for the travel info. I made my reservations, and I'll be on those Jet Blue flights and at the LBCC Travelodge. My car fits four comfortably, and if anyone wants a ride I'd be glad to have the company. By the way, if you have AAA, Travelodge offers a discount for that.
Can you three please send me your (short) bios as soon as possible? They need them for the conference program. Thanks.
Perhaps we can have a short meeting/division of labor discussion after our meeting with Dr. Robert next week.
I can attend this meeting, Op.
Next Friday after the dept meeting works for me.
I'm in.
Great: we're all on board. Unfortunately, the small conference room is already booked, but it will be easy to find an open classroom in FH on a Friday
Patrick--I’ve been meaning to tell you (and kinda wondering if I already did) that the five of us are meeting today after the division meeting in order to hash out who is doing what at the conference. If you want to join us, you’re certainly welcome. Alternatively, I can give you an update on what we came up with, after which you can suggest whatever you think is appropriate (or not).
How about after lunch after the division meeting, which is after the Learning Communities class? (Whew! That Friday’s getting booked up fast!
Here's my bio:
Adrienne Peek has been teaching as an adjunct instructor at Modesto Junior College since earning her M.A. in English Composition Theory from CSU in 2002.
And here's mine:
Debbie Gilbert received her PhD from Stony Brook University in New York in 2005. She has taught composition, literature, and film at Laney College, San Jose State, San Francisco State, and Stone Child Tribal College. Her interests include building up the academic field of California Studies in the two-year colleges.
Jason Wohlstadter earned a B.A. in English from UC Davis and an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from UC Irvine. Before being hired at Modesto Junior College, Jason taught writing at UC Irvine for nine years, the last two of which he spent as a teacher and Writing Program Administrator.
Emily Malsam earned both her B.A. in English Education and her M.A. in English, Rhetoric and Linguistics from North Dakota State University, preparing her to teach at North Dakota State University, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls and Moorhead, MN.
Optimism One received his A.A. from Modesto Junior College in 1991, his B.A. from UC Berkeley in 1994, and his M.A. from CSU Stanislaus in 2004. He worked part-time for one year at Merced College, CSU Stanislaus, and Modesto Junior College before becoming a full-time faculty member at MJC.
Comrades--It just occurred to me that we should think about what kind of media we will be using so that we can request the proper equipment in a timely manner from the folks who are running the conference. Also, I am thinking that our handouts should be completed by the time we meet on Friday. This will give us a chance to critique and clarify one another’s material, and provide the weekend for any small revisions, after which we can get the stuff to Debbie on Monday morning. As for the meeting itself, I’m cool with a ten-minute break after the division meeting, then a quick thirty-minute run-through in FH 227.
After the division meeting works for me, though, as I mentioned at our last meeting, I was really hoping to leave as early as possible that Friday because I have other plans. Could we meet after a short break following the division meeting?
I'm wondering if you (Emily) have ordered a computer or anything for your presentation. If so I might also use it just to show what kinds of things I looked for on the college website and other pages when gathering info. If you haven't put in an order I might do so though it's late for it. Let me know if you'd be interested in using it.
Deb- I didn't request a media set-up because I wasn't really sure we'd have time to walk people through the sites, programs, etc. But, if you're considering it, I'd happily build it into my presentation.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home