File spoon-archives/phillitcrit.archive/phillitcrit_1997/phillitcrit.9707, message 80


Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 08:47:15 -0600
From: George Trail <gtrail-AT-UH.EDU>
Subject: Re: PLC: Personal plea for advice


>I'm going into my senior year as an English major and am trying to make
>the difficult decision between getting a teaching credential / teaching
>high school and going on to graduate work.
>
>If anyone has the time and is interested, I would be grateful for any
>private advice/discussion concerning my decision.
>
>Sorry if this goes outside the charter of the list.
>
>Paul "Hoping not to get kicked off another list" Smith
>smithpe-AT-flash.net

Graduate school will not hurt you if you can afford it. Graduate hours will
not hurt you if you later decide to go into secondary education. Graduate
hours will not hurt you if you decide you are not cut out for the life of a
high-school teacher and opt instead for a position as a full time community
college teacher.
Indeed, again, if you can afford it, in each of these situations graduate
hours will help you, and an advanced degree will help you.

I would suggest, again, if you can afford it, putting off getting
credentialed by an "education" program until you need to, which is usually
after you have a job teaching high school, which you can get, but cannot
keep, without the credential.

If you have the notion that you want to become a university professor be
aware that you are one of thousands who so aspire and who are already on
the market. Be aware that Duke placed 1 of 40 Ph.D.'s last year. Be aware
that tenure will not survive far into the 21st century, and be aware that
the business of graduate schools in their constant growth, will become to
create the cadre of part-time workers who will force the death of tenure by
their sheer numbers and availability.

G


George Trail
gtrail-AT-uh.edu
U.of Houston



   

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