These past few weeks I’ve been going through an application process for a summer teaching position here at WashU. I had to give a sample lecture last week as the final part of the selection process. I don’t think I did a very good job, but I learned last Friday that I got the teaching position. I don’t think there were many people to choose from either. The course is a semester of freshman physics condensed into 5 weeks. It is going to be very intense, as there will be 3-hr class periods everyday (even on Sundays, I think).
When I found out that I got the position I hesitated to accept because I was afraid the experience would be too overwhelming. Preparing for the 40-minute sample lecture alone wiped me out. After the lecture I went to my apartment and took a nap. My adviser, though, told me that this is a good opportunity that I should not dismiss lightly. I have also felt recently that God may be leading me to teach, and I have been compelled to try to get some teaching experience before I graduate. I am not sure why I feel the need to do this before I graduate. I guess partly the reason is fear that I would have difficulty finding a teaching job after I graduate without some solid teaching experience. I am not sure if doing the summer teaching is the best option, but I’m sure it will be a stretching experience. Pray for me, though, as I prepare for it.
Along the lines of teaching, someone from my church brought to my attention a while ago the International Institute for Christian Studies (IICS), which is a Christian organization that places highly qualified Christian scholars in secular universities worldwide. The intention of the organization is to have at every university a Christian professor who can be a light to the people who will very likely be future leaders in their country. This guy from church suggested I look into the possibility of going to teach in Chile through IICS. I looked on their website www.iics.com at the various countries where they are currently placing people, but Chile is not included. I e-mailed IICS a couple of weeks asking about possible openings in Chile, but they haven’t responded yet. I am not sure if this is a route I want to take, but it sounds interesting. I could probably get a teaching job in Chile, though, without going through IICS, since I have Chilean citizenship.
Please continue to pray for me as I seek what God’s will is for me in relation to jobs. Pray that I would not put off looking for jobs. Before I can apply for jobs, though, I need to write my Curriculum Vitae (CV), which I have been putting off. I hope to have a rough draft done this week.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
These sound like great opportunities. Despite your worries, I have no doubt you can rise to the task. I’m also considering teaching as a career option after I graduate, so I’d be interested to hear about your teaching experiences (once they’re all over).
That’d be awesome if you could teach in Chile. I will be praying for you.
I, too, think it’d be really cool if you taught in Chile! I hope that you find the task of teaching so very enjoyable. It seems you won’t have as much pressure during the summer since teachers won’t be scrutinizing your teaching abilities.
Funny…I may have the opportunity to be an elementary Spanish teacher at a home school co-op (Hilger Higher Learning) next year. The prospect of teaching is rather overwhelming to me, too. We’ll see!
We shall be praying as you begin to prepare for the summer course and that you will be guided as to your future. Grandpa Tom & Grandma Judty
I think teaching gives a great opportunity to influence the next generation! It also provides a nice opportunity to delve into a subject and explore. So much of life is very surface and does not offer the opportunity to go deep. So, in that sense, I think teaching fits very well into our family’s gifts. I’m sure you will learn much in this experience. Just love what you love in front of your students and your enthusiasm will be contagious!
Very exciting! I will be praying. Thanks for sharing.
I like that advice, Aunt Janice, to love what you love in front of the students. I think that’s a neat way to put it…
I will be praying for you as you seek God’s will.