I love my job!

So just what is it that drew you, reader, to teaching at a two-year college? For me, it was the opportunity to spend time with students who are highly motivated, yet often dramatically different from each other. I started teaching in a community college setting in 1995, and in the years since then I have never had two similar groups of students. The drama of discovery keeps me enthused and on my toes every day in the classroom. These students include the bold, the brazen, and the barely able to keep up.

One of my classes currently includes students who range in age from 16 to 55 years old. Most students came from the local public schools, several students have been home schooled, two are from countries other than the United States, and six others got their K-12 education in other states. There are at least four of my 28 students who speak a language other than English as their first language. In the same group, I have three students who have never left the county in their lives. Several students are working at such an advanced level that I must constantly provide them with additional challenges.

I teach on a quarter system, so I teach three five credit classes to make up my full time load. My other two classes have their own mix of students. What works in one section of a class often needs to be adjusted to meet the needs of another section.

For those who are considering a professional life in the two-year college setting, the TYCA publication “Guidelines for the Academic Preparation of English Faculty at Two-Year Colleges” is a great place to start. You can peruse an online copy at the NCTE website: http://www.ncte.org/groups/tyca/featuredinfo/119956.htm