Interested in Becoming an English Teacher? Real Teachers Share Their Advice

1. From Dr. Dana Key, Assistant Principal, University Adjunct Professor, and State Department of Education ACCESS teacher:

Take your school career seriously! From the freshman year onward, work hard to become the best reader and writer that you can be. Take advantage of every opportunity to challenge yourself as a learner, take AP classes if available, take online or blended learning classes if available. Use summers to get ahead on your reading and check for the required reading list for all college-bound students. Visit teachers' rooms to see different teaching styles, and remember the great and not so great teachers you have had. You will remember behaviors you want to emulate and those you want to avoid.

In college, grades DO matter. Study and take the challenging courses that will make you a well-rounded content empowered graduate. The practicums are all geared to make sure that teaching is your career choice. Make the most of every moment; try to tutor if your school has a free tutoring lab; it will make you practice your teaching skills. Most of all, teach from your heart and not from the book. Students will not remember what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

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2. From Tina Bausinger, Professor of English:

Building your network really does matter. Coming out of graduate school, teaching jobs are few and the competition is stiff. The importance of the impression you make as a student cannot be overstated. For every job that opens up there are 100 people applying, and most of them are smart and articulate. What makes you different? Why should they waste their time hiring someone who just graduated? Have an answer ready. DO ADJUNCT WORK. It pays terribly, but it shows you can do it, don't mind putting in your time, and you will usually get placed before people they have never seen before. PAD YOUR CV. Publish anywhere you can--the local paper, the school's journal/paper, wherever you get the opportunity. Jump at any chance to present a paper or teach a workshop. These things separate the women from the girls.

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3. From Martha Cothron, Middle School Language Arts, Reading and Journalism Teacher:

First, you have to know if teaching is right for you. I see so many people enter the teaching field as their back up plan. The students and the school district don't care if it’s your back up plan. Make sure you want it for real.

Second, make sure you have prepared yourself mentally and financially. Teaching doesn't pay the big bucks. You want to retire some day so make sure to budget and save as much as possible. Mentally working with children can be tough. Working daily with teens has taught me to have a thick skin. They think with their emotions and have no concept of logic. Always know you are the boss and they will follow your lead. Be kind and don't be afraid to let them know you care.

Finally, HAVE FUN!!! Life is short so do what you love. Work hard for your dreams and don't ever take no for an answer. If one door closes go knock on another until you get what you need to be happy, healthy and successful.

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4. From Jasara Hines, AP English Literature and Associate Professor, Valencia College: Online Freshman Composition I and II:

Wow! This is a tough one. Honestly, don't do it if you cannot stand kids/young adults. Don't think that a high school class is going to be anything like your LIT 451 class - you know, where all 15 of you sit down with the professor and discuss Frankenstein through a Freudian lens. Don't think that all your kids are going to like reading Jane Eyre because you like it. Know that parents are going to blame you for every horrid grade/missing assignment. Know that when you finally get used to one lesson plan format or standardized test, that the state will change it and you'll have to learn something new. Understand, quickly, that the bad days will probably outweigh the good ones, but that it only takes one student to grow to love reading to make you feel accomplished and appreciated. Understand that students rarely will understand why they have to read classics and why your class is important when they know they want to major in Biology, but that in a few years one of them will send you a letter in the mail thanking you for all you did for them.

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5. From Rachel Nenna, 5th Grade ELA/SS Teacher & Online English Adjunct Professor:

Teaching is not for the money, it’s not for the vacations; it’s for the students.  We are preparing the new generation to go out in the world and be well-rounded citizens.  It is rewarding in a way that is not always recognized. You see the reward in your students, while you go unnoticed and that is okay because it’s not about you, it’s about the students.  Yeats says it best: "Education is Not the Filling of a Pail, but the Lighting of a Fire.” We need to light the fires in our students, because without that what do they have?

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6. From Kate Miner, English/Language Arts Teacher & Department Coordinator:

Do not expect your students to be English majors. Understand that they don't all share the love of reading and writing and all things literary. If you understand that; if you meet them where THEY are (not where you expect or want them to be); if you are flexible with your time and your resources; and if the curriculum is not always the stuff the kids NEED to know, you'll be just fine. Also, keep granola bars in your desk drawer for the kids who didn't get breakfast (or for when you forget your lunch on the kitchen counter), let students stand up and move around a lot - literature is really, really boring for some (I know, weird, right?), and even honors students can try your patience daily.

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7. From Michelle Greco Adjunct Professor and Freelance Copy Editor:

Take an improv class. No, seriously, this is probably one of the best things you can do to prepare yourself to become an English professor. Every day in the classroom is different. Some days your plan will work flawlessly; other days, you won't even like your plan. Be adaptable and willing to adjust. You never know what students will throw your way!

Other than that, try to stay in touch with professors you admire. Look at their syllabi. Ask them questions. What was the most crazy request they got in class? What was their best moment in the classroom? What was a time they problem solved while thinking on their feet? Keep this information on file for use when you start teaching on your own.

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8. From Tiffany MacBain, Associate Professor:

As much as it pains me to write this, my advice is to find a different career. It's not that being a professor is so bad--there are many good things about the job, including a certain amount of flexibility of schedule and the experience of going to work and learning alongside colleagues and students each day--but the job market is just. so. bad. Odds are that you will labor for 6 years to obtain a PhD in English, all the while earning very little money and going into debt, and when you graduate you will be unable to get a tenure-line job--even if you are a gifted teacher, even if you are a talented writer, even if you are a superstar. If you do get a tenure-line job you will find yourself working long hours but earning far less money than do others with advanced degrees, and you will find that the realities of the profession are out of line with what you imagine the profession to be. I once believed that I would have the leisure to think and to write--that's what professors do, right? Not so much. When I was much younger I even imagined that I would spend some time each day sitting under a tree and reading a book. I'm serious! I thought that. My life bears zero resemblance to the fantasy. The ground under the trees is always a little wet, and there's too much of a glare on my laptop to work outside.

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9. From Brett Ashmun, Full Time Graduate Student/Teaching Associate:

In determining whether or not he should become a teacher, I once had a student ask me how much an English teacher makes. I explained to him that I teach for many reasons but money is not one of them. I then recommended that if he was going to decide on becoming a teacher depending on the pay, to find another career. I truly believe that the outcome of obtaining an English degree should be a better life. I don’t mean this from a financial viewpoint. Gaining an English degree is a privilege. It indicates that you appreciate life. You value your fellow human being. You cherish relationships over money. If I was looking to “get ahead,” gain as much wealth as possible, and live a quick-paced life, I would have decided to look into the majority of all other majors available. For me, it is important to slow down. It is important to listen to my breath. It is important to engage in quality conversation. My advice: don’t try to compete with business, engineering, or science majors. That is not you. Don’t try to make as much money as possible. You are the rarity in a fast-paced world. You are the glue that holds society together. Own it.

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10. From Debrah Clark, Director/Teen Parent Educator:

I am not an English teacher, but I wanted to be. I started college with dreams due to my experience with my high school English teacher. In college, a professor yelled at me for the content in a persuasive essay. It was a composition class. He said my composition was exemplary, but my content would elicit a response that was too emotional for a reader. He gave me a C. I left his office and changed my major to Sociology. Although I love teaching the subject I teach, there is a gaping hole where English content should be. I find myself purposely seeking interaction with my English content area colleagues. I love assigning readings and papers so that I get to grade as an English teacher would. My advice? Do not allow others to dissuade you from being an English teacher. Do not become a professor who devastates the ambition of an aspiring English teacher. I love what I do, but if I had it to do over again, I would have become an English teacher. Teaching is a gift to your students, their families and yourself. Never lose sight of the privilege and honor it is to be welcomed into the lives of those you teach.

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11. From Lorraine Hirakawa, Former English Teacher and Current Assistant Principal:

If you only love your content, and not kids, DON'T do it. Frequently English majors love literature, or grammar, or writing, but they aren't passionate about helping kids. Don't let your NEED to cover content outweigh the real work of helping kids. Be prepared to feel tired and under appreciated, but know that one day, the least likely kid will come back and tell you that you are the reason they made it. That is why you teach.

It's also fun. Kids are fun and funny. They are also frustrating, so are their parents, so are your colleagues, so is your admin, but it's the best job in the world.

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12. From Wendy Harriford-Platt, Language Arts Teacher:

You will love and hate it. One year, you will discuss literature with students (maybe five) who cannot get enough of it. The next year you may be bogged down in capitalization rules and the basics of writing. Take small bites. Ramp up to bigger things in logical steps. Think and work smarter, not harder. Embrace reading struggling writers' essays. Enjoy teaching poetry. Love knowing you are laying a foundation for students that they will build upon for the rest of their lives. It makes it worthwhile. My first year of teaching, I was determined to get them to remember and use behoove. 12 years later when students see me, it is the first thing out of their mouths. That's being an English teacher, being as memorable as the language itself.

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13. From Robbin Copeland, Professor:

Not everyone can teach, no matter how knowledgeable he or she is in any subject. I began teaching Grammar, and quickly learned the text the students were made to buy was extremely puzzling...so I made up my own weekly Grammar Packages. Then I started teaching Composition 101 and learned that the most difficult task for students is focus...working on this alone helped many of my students. Later I taught Intro to Literature. This became a passion of mine because I had to allow for many different insights to a poem or story. Keeping in mind that another won't quite reach the same conclusion to Literary Writings made teaching this subject very successful for me.

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14. From Alexia Brooks, Lecturer in First-Year Composition:

Aside from establishing boundaries with your students and yourself (because let's be honest, this job will have you working nonstop if you let it), I would say to allow yourself to be a beginner. I am 27 and have been told I look 21, so my first semester, I was really worried about that. I cut my hair in an attempt to look older, had my students call me Ms. or Professor Brooks, and would avoid answering questions from my students about how long I'd been teaching or how old I was.

When I finally realized that I was new and that no haircut or name change would fix that, I felt liberated. If you try to pressure yourself to be a veteran in the classroom on day 1, it will just add more stress than you need. Now, my students call me Alexia and know I've only been teaching for two years. I feel like it's helped facilitate a stronger bond in the classroom.

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15. Samantha Glassford, Adjunct English Instructor and Professional Writing Tutor

If you're considering graduate school and teaching on the college level, understand that you HAVE to love what you do. You will have to start as an adjunct and work several part time jobs to make ends meet, but if you really love the work, you won't mind doing it. In these beginning years, you have to really work to find that work/life balance. I often have to tell students if I'm going away for the weekend and won't be able to keep to my 24-hour response promise. I do take one or two weekend getaways each semester to keep myself sane :) If you love it, it really won't feel like work!

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If you are an English teacher or professor and would like to contribute your answers to this blog post, fill out this form!

Tiffany Aldrich MacBain: Associate Professor

Name: Tiffany Aldrich MacBain

Age: 46

College & Majors/Minors: English

Current Location: Tacoma, WA

Current Form of Employment/Job Title: Associate Professor/Dept. of English

Where do you work and what is your current position? What are your responsibilities? 

I work as an Associate Professor at the University of Puget Sound. 

My professional responsibilities can be separated into three categories: teaching, scholarly growth, and service. At my private, liberal-arts university, my teaching is considered to be the most important of the three, and so I direct the majority of my time and attention to the three courses I teach each semester. My work in that area includes new course preparation and ongoing course revision; class preparation (reading and figuring out how I want to teach the materials I've assigned); assignment creation; evaluation of student work; and meeting with students. My schedule has me in a classroom for 6 sessions each week. You might imagine that as roughly equivalent to having 6 Big Presentations every week for 3.5 months. It's a lot. By mid-November in the fall and mid-April in the spring, my colleagues and I are toast. 

My growth as a scholar is also very important, but historically, due to the demands of my teaching schedule, I have had to limit my work in that area to summers. That schedule creates a certain amount of anxiety, though—a lot is riding on those few months!—so lately I have tried to carve out a few hours a week for research during the regular school year. This past semester I managed to devote 3 hours each Friday to archival work, and it felt like a victory.  

Of all of a professor's job responsibilities, people may be least familiar with what "service" means. In short, it involves working for, and on behalf of, one's department, university, and community, and can involve committee work, department or university governance (e.g., serving as Department Chair), arranging for and hosting a guest speaker or special event on campus, advising students, writing letters of recommendation for students and former students, leading a discussion for a community reading group, and volunteering with local schools. The list goes on.

How did you find your job?

Every fall, universities post their job openings in The Chronicle of Higher Education and elsewhere. PhDs scour the ads and apply for the positions. The 10-12 applicants selected for interviews tend to meet with a committee of 3-4 faculty members at the annual conference of the Modern Language Association, which takes place in a different city each year. (Happily, more departments are opting to use Skype for these initial interviews; attending the conference is an expensive proposition for someone who's been living on a graduate student's income, and universities, too, are looking for ways to cut back.) If the initial interview is successful, a candidate has a campus visit, which is basically a 2-day job interview on-site.

““I got very lucky. Not only did I get a tenure-line position, but I also live in a wonderful place that is just a short plane ride from my family. I cannot emphasize enough that my experience is not the norm.””

Prospects in the field of English are dismal right now, and they were slightly less so when I was on the job market. My first year "out," I had one campus visit that did not lead to a job offer. My second year, I had three campus visits, one of which I cancelled because I was offered the position I currently have. I got very lucky. Not only did I get a tenure-line position, but I also live in a wonderful place that is just a short plane ride from my family. I cannot emphasize enough that my experience is not the norm.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

The most important thing I did in college was to major in English. At the time I had absolutely no intention of being a professor; in fact, I was eager to graduate and be done with school. But I believed that the English major was the perfect major regardless of which career I chose because it taught me to write well, to think carefully, and to express myself clearly. What more could you want? Another good move I made in college was to apply for an internship in the film industry. The internship was terrific—I had a summer in L.A.!—but, more importantly, it convinced me that I did not want to work in film. What a terrific experience to have had. 

You can read some of Tiffany's writing over on her blog, A Mere Thread. 

Callie Kitchen: Full-time Lecturer and Adjunct Professor

Name: Callie Kitchen

Age: 26

College & Majors/Minors: B.A. in English, M.A. in Rhetoric and Teaching Writing

Current Location: Merced, CA

Current Form of Employment/Job Title: Full-time Lecturer and Adjunct Professor

Where do you work and what is your current position? Please elaborate on your responsibilities, too!

I am a full-time lecturer in the Merritt Writing Program at the University of California, Merced and an adjunct professor at both California State University, Stanislaus and Columbia Junior College.

I prepare curriculum, teach various writing courses, grade essays, then grade more essays, attend committee meetings, and attempt to ignore social media so I can do all of it over again the next day.

Teach. Write. Repeat.

Tell us about how you found your job! How many places did you apply? What was the application process like?

After receiving my Master of Arts from CSU Stanislaus, the job application and interviewing process began. During this time, I began to experience an extreme allergic reaction to some unknown allergen. When I was called into my first interview, my eyes were bloodshot and after introducing myself I nervously made a joke about my red eyes and a certain recreational drug. You can imagine how much I regretted that statement. Apparently the interviewing board did not find my awkward comment to be too inappropriate and we continued the interview.

During the interview process, my interviewers asked several questions that I expected:

• What experiences have prepared you for this job?
• Describe your teaching philosophy.
• How would you handle an unruly student in your classroom?

Once the question and answer portion of the interview was finished, I began my teaching demonstration: a paragraph rearrangement activity. In another teaching demonstration, I used old advertisements to demonstrate how to effectively analyze an argument. In another interview, I was asked to grade and comment on a sample student paper in a short period of time. This particular activity was the most stressful experience I had during my interviewing process. You can prepare and practice for a teaching demonstration, but when called upon to assess an assignment that you are unfamiliar with, you must demonstrate composure and confidence.

““In another interview, I was asked to grade and comment on a sample student paper in a short period of time. This particular activity was the most stressful experience I had during my interviewing process.””

Even though I am semi-secure in my current position, I continue to interview for other teaching positions as a form of self-assessment. The application and interviewing process forces you to constantly think about who you are as an instructor and what you can do to improve.

I was hired at five different college campuses the fall semester after my graduation. I accepted the teaching offers from four of those five. Before interviewing, I had taught three college English courses (each one during a different semester) at my Alma mater. I went from teaching one class a semester to teaching eight. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

At the beginning of my first graduate class, my professor asked each of us to explain why we were there and what it was that we were working toward. I remember panicking. Everyone seemed to have well-thought-out answers, while all I could think of was how I probably should have brought a pen to class so I could actually write in my notebook. When my turn came, I was honest and explained that I had no idea what I was doing with my life or what I was working toward exactly. The professor moved onto the next student without comment.

After that class meeting, I felt humbled by my lack of self-direction and decided it was time to remember who I was and what it was that I wanted. Over the course of the next two years, I reconnected with my creativity and love of learning to implement unique and innovative teaching methods into my classrooms. In addition to building my curricula vitae by conferencing and attempting to publish, I made sure to stay true to myself by trying out new ways of teaching when they came to me.

One semester as a teaching associate found me taping fake leaves to the trees around campus. I had had students write fall-themed haikus on these leaves a few days before. We then walked from tree to tree reading one another’s creations. That moment, meandering back and forth on the grass with my students, solidified what exactly it was that I was working toward: more moments like that one.   

Take risks and don’t worry if other people think you are crazy.

What has been the most surprising thing about being a teacher?

The most surprising thing about being a teacher is how many mistakes I make in front of my students. Whether it is tripping in front of my class while lecturing (I am up to twenty-two trips, but only one actual full-on-all-the-way-to-the-floor falls) or forgetting how to spell a word like physics (P-S-Y-H -No, that’s not right. Erase. Begin again. P-S-Y- No. Erase. Puts pen away. Pretends it never happened.) while writing on the board in my classroom, I have accepted the fact that I am human and that I am not always going to be the “professional” I once thought I was going to be. I should have learned this lesson on my very first day of teaching as a teaching associate when I wore two completely different shoes to my class and didn’t realize it until a student pointed it out at the end of the class. I have learned that being able to laugh at these mistakes is the difference between having an awesome teaching day and crawling up into a ball because you never want to face your students again. Don’t take yourself too seriously and definitely write down the unexpected things that seem to happen when you teach.

Visit Callie Kitchen online at CallieKitchen.com and follow her on Twitter at @calkit89!

English Teachers & Professors Talk About Work-Life Balance

While many English majors may be tired of having people ask if they're going to be teachers, the stereotype is there for a reason—many English majors do want to become teachers! We know that teachers work incredibly hard, and we want to provide you with as much information as we can to help you make an informed decision about your career. We asked English teachers and professors what their work-life balance is like, and we received some excellent insight and information!

1. From Michelle Greco, Adjunct Professor and Freelance Copy Editor:

Goodness, most days, I don't feel like it's balanced! I don't have a typical day because my teaching schedule shifts depending on the day of the week. However, I do most of  my teaching in the mornings, which leaves afternoons and evenings open for rest, grading, and writing.

In a typical week, I'll focus on schoolwork and copyediting from Monday through Thursday. I usually have Fridays off and will use that day for errands, personal projects, or for any leftover work from the beginning of the week. I try to go to as many readings as I can, typically on weekends, to fill my creative well. Because I lead a freelance lifestyle, I have to be disciplined, relying heavily on my calendar and to-do lists to keep myself organized. Otherwise, I'd spend most of my time at home directionless and, probably, watching Netflix!

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2. From Martha Cothron, Middle School Language Arts, Reading and Journalism Teacher:

My life might seem overwhelming to some but to me it’s just right. I'm a full time wife, mom, business owner, teacher, MBA student, mentor and volunteer. My day starts at 7am and ends around 11:30pm. I juggle my schedule with that of my husband, two kids, classwork for my MBA program, and foster parenting association I'm on the board for.

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3. From Lorraine Hirakawa, Former English Teacher and Current Assistant Principal:

As an English teacher, I easily spent 9 hours a day at school, choosing to go in early for quiet prep time. After school, some days I would spend an hour working with students or two hours coaching the debate team. Typically, I would get home by 6, cook dinner, and spend the evening with my family before reading myself to sleep.

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4. From Jasara Hines, AP English Literature and Associate Professor, Valencia College: Online Freshman Composition I and II:

Being a teacher requires significant work outside of work. Typically a teacher will have at least one small assignment to grade on a daily basis (that can sometimes equate to 100+ paragraphs or math problems, etc.). Obviously, this has to go home with the teacher. An English teacher can have this, plus essays and other lengthy assignments. I typically have essays to grade every weekend.

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5. From Rachel Nenna, 5th Grade ELA/SS Teacher & Online English Adjunct Professor:

With teaching, my brain is never off. I am constantly trying to find better ways to do things. I come up with plans and then change them midway through a lesson. I often teach through experiences and life stories. I want my students to feel my passion for literature, not just see the passion. I am constantly on the go and am forever working on something, whether it is for my 5th grade students or my college students. I am also a mom of two and believe in getting my kids out there to experience their own experiences. My son is in jiu jitsu Monday through Thursday right after school, so I am hardly home during the week. I’m on Pinterest like most people are on Facebook, Twitter, etc. I am constantly connecting my daily life with my teachings. My students learn about the lesson through my daily life as well as my past life. My life is an open book, which I find makes my students trust in me more.

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6. From Kate Miner, English/Language Arts Teacher & Department Coordinator:

If you ask my husband and children, I spend far more time with my school "family" than the one at home. I volunteer my time (and theirs) once a week for three hours in the evening to supervise our open-library time for students to come get help, work together, or use the wifi with their laptops. I also sponsor a club and serve on a few committees. I spend my evening hours grading, answering emails from parents and students about questions or concerns, and planning for the next days, weeks, or months. I attend curriculum meetings for the district after hours, as well as vertical team meetings with teachers from our feeder middle and elementary schools. However, on weekends, I give myself fully to my family (unless there's a school function for which I've volunteered). I've learned that I must try to get as much work done at work instead of bringing so much home. My sanity and my family are much more important than tomorrow's lesson plan's wow-factor.

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7. From Tiffany MacBain, Associate Professor:

Work-life balance is very difficult to achieve for me, for the work in my profession expands to fill as much time as I allow it, and the work I do not do does not go away: it piles up. Because I am also the mother and primary caregiver of a young child, though, I have created boundaries where none existed before. For instance: except on rare occasions I do not email students or colleagues after 5pm or on weekends. On one weekend day, usually Sunday, I do no work. Perhaps one day I'll be able to say the same about the tother weekend day. This schedule suited me just fine when I was younger, but the truth is, it feels really uncomfortable these days. I would like, and I believe I would benefit from, more downtime.

My typical workday: Wake up early (between 5 and 7) and check email or read for class. With the help of my partner, care for my daughter and get her and me out the door. At work, finish prepping for my first class; teach; prep for my second class; teach; meet with students; deal with email; begin to prep for the next day's class or do some light grading. Go home. Make dinner; play with my daughter; go to sleep. On some days I have committee meetings thrown in there. Fridays and weekends I do the intensive grading. I spend some time every evening zoning out before bed, either online or with a crossword puzzle. I rarely read for pleasure, except during the summer.

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8. From Allison Ryals, Middle School English Teacher:

I get up around 6:30, even though I set my alarm for 5:40. I get dressed and go to school. As soon as I walk in the building, there is usually something to do or someone that I need to talk to about curriculum or behavior problems. Students come in at 7:30 and begin reading their library books. At 8:00, we begin class. I have double-blocked classes, which mean students are with me for 90 minutes. We get a great deal of work done. I teach for the first half and students work in groups or on independent work for the second half. The days usually go pretty well, but sometimes teaching middle school is like stapling jello to a tree. I have meetings all week and parent conferences. I try to leave work by 4:00, but some days I do not leave until 6:00. I would like to think that I have a balance between work and my regular life, but I really do not. When I get home, I am exhausted and sometimes have activities to plan for the next day. I squeeze in dinner between my work things and grad school things. I try to do at least one fun thing on the weekend, but it usually ends up being sleeping in.

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9. From Brett Ashmun, Full Time Graduate Student/Teaching Associate:

As a graduate student and teaching associate, my schedule may look a little different than most teachers. A typical week begins in a graduate class on Monday morning. After class I have an hour break then I teach freshman composition. Once I finish teaching, I hold office hours from three until five then it is time to head home and begin preparing for the rest of the week. On Tuesday (ah Tuesday), I am off all day. Any teacher knows that by “off all day” that doesn’t mean I am off, but it does mean I usually do not have any obligations that require a shower or a change out of my pajamas. Wednesday is my long day. I attend class in the morning, teach in the afternoon, hold office hours, and then attend a three-hour graduate class in the evening. Thursday is somewhat of a prep day. My only obligation is a three-hour graduate class in the evening. On Friday, I teach in the afternoon and hold an open conferencing/workshop for any writing students from three to five. While what I have mentioned are on the top of my list of priorities, I also have a book I’m trying to write, try to get published whenever possible, and deal with long phone calls from my mom and father-in-law. Lost in all of the busyness are my fiancée and my black Labrador. They truly keep me sane and are the best friends a man can ask for.

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10. From Debrah Clark, Director/Teen Parent Educator:

There is no such thing as a typical work day, unless you consider the consistency of change and having to adapt on an hourly basis typical. Arrival to my office is the most peaceful time in the day. I grade, create, plan, reflect, and sometimes cry about the lack of resources teachers, students and families have. The teenagers arrive and the magic happens! I find that I teach the content less and the skills of being a human more. Role modeling and counseling sometimes take precedence over the daily plans. Caring for overwhelmed colleagues, data collection and processing, and professional development come next. I regularly reach out to the community for resources and guidance in this adventure. Teaching is an adventure. When I do go home, I struggle with shortchanging my own children due to my thoughts and concerns about my teenagers at school. I struggle with not being present enough at my own children's school due to the workload. I love this work, but it takes an emotional toll.

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11. From Dr. Dana Key, Assistant Principal, University Adjunct Professor, and State Department of Education ACCESS teacher:

A typical teaching day would include 100-150 students in a high school setting with classes ranging from regular English to AP English or Literature. On a block schedule there are four classes a day, one of those would be a planning period. For the three classes of 90 minutes, there are blended classes with technology infused to the regular state mandated content to enrich and empower students. I am not a skill and drill teacher, so there are a lot of project-based learning opportunities, reading of required materials, and many writing assignments that help to polish writing skills. The planning period is used for meetings with departments, class level, and parent conferences; the remainder if any time remains is used for grading and planning; however, I usually have two or three hours daily that I work from home. There is never enough time to finish everything at school.

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12. From Tina Bausinger, Professor of English:

I'm getting the hang of MOSTLY finishing work at work—though there are times I have to grade/plan on the weekends or after hours. I don't mind, really. It's true what they say about loving your job and feeling like you are never really working. I make a general lesson plan on Sundays, and fine tune it daily. A friend of mine who is also a teacher and I meet up for coffee and companionship. It's not unusual for one of us to ask advice of the other. Plus, coffee! Always my best friend. I teach five college level classes during the week (one English Comp I, three sections of English Comp 2, and one section of World Literature). I have ten hours a week (minimum) in the office, but I'm usually here early and I usually leave late. I try to grade all assignments as soon as possible.

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13. From Alexia Brooks, Lecturer in First-Year Composition:

I only teach Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8a-10a, so after I leave class, I head to my office on those days and prep, grade, and respond to student emails. I will typically stay on campus until 3p or 4p if I've had enough coffee that day to keep myself going. When I leave campus, though, I turn my email off. I let my students know about this on day one. I tell them that I will be available from 8a-4p on those three days, so they can email me or stop by my office to get clarification on something, but that when I go home, I unplug. I have found that this really helps me maintain a life outside of teaching. Now, sometimes I will have to stay later or keep my email on if we have a major assignment due, but for the most part, I try to maintain this boundary.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I don't teach, but I will turn my email on from 8a-4p to allow my students to communicate with me. On those days, I grade for a few hours, but I also run, write, and watch Netflix.

I typically work one day in the weekend, but I always try to have Sundays off from email and grading so I can recharge for the next week. It took me a while to stop feeling guilty about this, but I told myself that I am no good to my students if I'm overworked and stressed out.

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14. Samantha Glassford, Adjunct English Instructor and Professional Writing Tutor

As an adjunct, there is rarely a day where I'm in only one place. I teach at three different colleges, and tutor in a writing center. Because I spend my day time teaching/tutoring, my nights are usually for grading and emails. If I have a busy week or a long paper due in a class, the grading typically spills over into the weekend. Sunday nights are usually for prepping lesson plans. I currently am not married and don't have kids, so I don't mind working all the time. Not only do I enjoy it, it keeps me busy.

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If you are an English teacher or professor and would like to contribute your answers to this blog post, fill out this form!

Sue Ayers: Senior Learning Associate

Name:  Sue Ayers

Age: 53

College & Majors/Minors: Virginia Commonwealth University - BA English, St. Joseph's College - M.S.Ed - Adult Education & Training

Current Location: Richmond, VA

Current Form of Employment:  Senior Learning Associate

Where do you work and what is your current position?

Currently, I am a Senior Learning Associate at Capital One. I oversee new hire training curriculum for a variety of fraud departments. 

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different). 

After I graduated from VCU, I had a variety of jobs, but none in a field I really loved. I took some time to raise my children and went back to work full-time in 2006 at Circuit City. I worked as a training designer, writing curriculum for home-theater and PC installers. I was hired in this position because of my English degree and my writing skills. After Circuit City closed in 2009, I developed training for a non-profit for four years. After that, I was hired as a contractor to work as an Instructional Designer at Capital One. After seven months, a position became available. I asked the manager if she would be interested in considering me for the job and I was delighted to be offered the position.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career? 

After Circuit City closed, I began writing for a variety of online sites which I still do today. I wrote for AOL, Yahoo Sports, eHow, and a host of other sites. A quality writer can find a lot of work writing for the web. I had a few mishaps along the way (clients who didn't want to pay, potential clients who wanted me to write for free to get exposure, etc); however, I was fortunate to find many good sites that paid well so I was able to build a significant online presence.

““Even though I work for a large company, I am fortunate to be able to be creative in my position. The best thing I did in college was to change my major to English.””

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life? 

I started out as a business major but my love of writing and literature kept pulling me back to the world of the arts. Even though I work for a large company, I am fortunate to be able to be creative in my position. The best thing I did in college was to change my major to English.

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Use your skills and knowledge to your advantage. Writing is becoming a lost art with people using abbreviations and emoticons in texts and emails and it is showing in important correspondence. Make sure your command of the English language shows in your resume and cover letters when job-hunting. Do so with spelling and punctuation, too. Make sure your online presence (LinkedIn, etc) has perfect grammar and punctuation.  Also, use your imagination when job hunting. I worked in a variety of jobs throughout my life but I always highlighted my excellent communication skills and my writing ability when interviewing. Having these skills will set you apart from the crowd. And keep reading... always!! You'll be surprised at the conversations about books and authors you will have with people in the business world.

To explore more of Sue's work check out her website at sueayers.com.

Brett Ashmun: Teaching Associate & Graduate Student

Name: Brett Ashmun

Age: 32

College & Majors/Minors: English (Undergraduate) Rhetoric and Composition (Graduate)

Current Location: Turlock, California

Current Form of Employment/Job Title: Full-Time Graduate Student/Teaching Associate

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I work at California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock, CA. I am a teaching associate.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

I started my first (and current) job in education as a teaching associate due to wonderful advice from my aunt who works in the financial aid department at UC Davis.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

As an undergraduate, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work as a tutor in the Writing Center at California State University, Stanislaus. Working as a writing tutor helped me become comfortable passing knowledge on to other writers, assessing students’ writing, and solidifying my own understanding of writing. Along with the benefits I mentioned, I also learned a lot about my particular approach to teaching writing.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

To put it simply, I built relationships. I have strong connections with many of my peers and professors. I have always been hesitant of the term “networking” because it implies a motive. I built relationships because I value the individuals who helped shape the man I am today. I am extremely thankful for the bonds I have forged during my education, and while many in academia will stress the importance of presenting at conferences and getting published, I think our main priority should be building genuine connections with human beings.

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

In determining whether or not he should become a teacher, I once had a student ask me how much an English teacher makes. I explained to him that I teach for many reasons but money is not one of them. I then recommended that if he was going to decide on becoming a teacher depending on the pay, to find another career. I truly believe that the outcome of obtaining an English degree should be a better life. I don’t mean this from a financial viewpoint. Gaining an English degree is a privilege. It indicates that you appreciate life. You value your fellow human being. You cherish relationships over money.

““You are the rarity in a fast-paced world. You are the glue that holds society together. Own it.””

If I was looking to “get ahead,” gain as much wealth as possible, and live a quick-paced life, I would have decided to look into the majority of all other majors available. For me, it is important to slow down. It is important to listen to my breath. It is important to engage in quality conversation. My advice: don’t try to compete with business, engineering, or science majors. That is not you. Don’t try to make as much money as possible. You are the rarity in a fast-paced world. You are the glue that holds society together. Own it.

As a teacher, what is your work/life balance like?

As a graduate student and teaching associate, my schedule may look a little different than most teachers:

• A typical week begins in a graduate class on Monday morning. After class I have an hour break then I teach freshman composition. Once I finish teaching, I hold office hours from three until five then it is time to head home and begin preparing for the rest of the week.
• On Tuesday (ah Tuesday), I am off all day. Any teacher knows that by “off all day” that doesn’t mean I am off, but it does mean I usually do not have any obligations that require a shower or a change out of my pajamas.
• Wednesday is my long day. I attend class in the morning, teach in the afternoon, hold office hours, and then attend a three-hour graduate class in the evening.
• Thursday is somewhat of a prep day. My only obligation is a three-hour graduate class in the evening.
• On Friday, I teach in the afternoon and hold an open conferencing/workshop for any writing students from three to five.

While what I have mentioned are on the top of my list of priorities, I also have a book I’m trying to write, try to get published whenever possible, and deal with long phone calls from my mom and father-in-law. Lost in all of the busyness are my fiancée and my black Labrador. They truly keep me sane and are the best friends a man can ask for.

To sample some of Brett's writing, check out Effigiesmag.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn. 

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READ MORE:

Jasara Hines: AP English Literature Teacher & Associate Professor

Frances McCue: Writer, Lecturer & Arts Instigator

Rebecca Andruszka: Director of Development & Communications

Frances McCue: Writer, Lecturer & Arts Instigator

Photo courtesy of Mary Randlett

Name: Frances McCue

Age: 52

College & Majors/Minors: English Major

Current Location: Seattle, WA

Current Form of Employment: writing, teaching, instigating.

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I have three streams to my work river: I write poems and prose which I publish in books and in magazines or journals. I am an Arts Instigator who helps individuals and organizations start or sustain creative projects. And my third stream is as a Senior Lecturer and the Writer in Residence in the University Honors Program at the University of Washington.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

When I was in high school I took a summer job cutting trails and doing a tree sampling project for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. I lived in the woods and took showers at Falling Water, Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural wonder. I got it through a family member. My first internship as a writer was actually as a “distribution manager.” I took literary magazines around San Francisco on my bike, delivering them to bookstores and coffee shops. I actually have never really had an actual job as a writer, but all of my teaching and administrative jobs have demanded that I write well.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

I was the Founding Director of Richard Hugo House, a literary center in Seattle. A friend from college said, “Wow. You have a job running a place that brings in famous writers AND it has a bar? Sounds like a dream situation.” Truly.

““Look for new economic models for sustaining a life in literature and writing. In other words, skip applying for academic jobs and don’t bank on the novel becoming a best seller.””

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

I hosted a lot of parties. I was interested in bringing people from all different parts of campus, with all sorts of interests, together. I still do that!

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Look for new economic models for sustaining a life in literature and writing. In other words, skip applying for academic jobs and don’t bank on the novel becoming a best seller. Find work that relies on the THINKING and WRITING skills you’ve acquired, rather than the direct passage into the literature industry. Everything is changing; we’re all going “Adjunct.” And, if you know that, and you work it, you might find some great opportunities in piecing things together!

To learn more about Frances McCue's work, check out her website, FrancesMcCue.com. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Calling all English teachers and professors! We want your input.

While many English majors may be tired of hearing the age-old "So, are you going to be an English teacher?" question, many have the privilege to answer "Yes! Yes, I am going to be an English teacher."

Of course, having an English degree does not automatically qualify anyone to become an English teacher (but we're preaching to the choir here, aren't we?). Dear English Major would love to provide some insight to those who are interested in becoming English teachers, English professors, and educators from those who know best. 

We will be sharing a compilation of your experiences, advice and insight in an upcoming blog post on DearEnglishMajor.com. If you wish you share more about your experience of becoming an English teacher, please submit a separate inquiry on our CONTRIBUTE page. Thank you for encouraging and helping to inform aspiring teachers!