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"Doorknobs & BodyPaint, Issue 66 has gone live and I've been honored to have another story selected in this "work" theme issue." Enjoy.
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Would you quit teaching?
I know I don’t contribute much to this page, but I do love reading everyone's comments. Which is why, when I recently had a conversation with a friend that made me quite annoyed, I thought this would be an interesting topic for 'Teacher Writers'. So, yes, this is just a bit of a rant, but I would also like to know your opinions. If you could afford to, would you stop teaching to write full time?
The way this question arose was because my boyfriend is up for a job that will double his salary. He very loosely suggested that if he got the job, I quit working to focus on my writing. I told my boyfriend that I wouldn’t be comfortable with not working for several reasons – one is that I quite like teaching. Granted, I predominately teach adults, and I predominately teach ‘writing’ and literature subjects; maybe I’d feel differently if I were teaching maths to pre-teens.
I told a writer friend of mine (a journalist who is moving into fiction) about this situation, who told me that I was nuts for not dropping the teaching. Her statement was, “You’re a writer or you’re a teacher. Pick your vocation.”
I tried to explain to her that I get a lot from my teaching: that not only do I usually enjoy it, but I gain a lot from teaching. I tried to explain that the more I interact with students, the more I learn about writing, and that the last ten years of teaching have certainly helped my writing. I believe writing and teaching go together, even if I don’t always like the ethos of the institutions in which I may be teaching. (But, well that’s another story.)
Her response is that people only teach because they can’t afford to write full time, or they only teach as a method of promoting their work. She argued that I would get as much from focusing on writing full time, as I would from teaching.
In the end, we agreed to disagree, especially as she’s never been a teacher. And, for reasons other than the inspiration that comes from teaching, I am very unlikely to give up my day job. But, I wanted to know your opinions. Would you stop teaching if you could? And why?
The way this question arose was because my boyfriend is up for a job that will double his salary. He very loosely suggested that if he got the job, I quit working to focus on my writing. I told my boyfriend that I wouldn’t be comfortable with not working for several reasons – one is that I quite like teaching. Granted, I predominately teach adults, and I predominately teach ‘writing’ and literature subjects; maybe I’d feel differently if I were teaching maths to pre-teens.
I told a writer friend of mine (a journalist who is moving into fiction) about this situation, who told me that I was nuts for not dropping the teaching. Her statement was, “You’re a writer or you’re a teacher. Pick your vocation.”
I tried to explain to her that I get a lot from my teaching: that not only do I usually enjoy it, but I gain a lot from teaching. I tried to explain that the more I interact with students, the more I learn about writing, and that the last ten years of teaching have certainly helped my writing. I believe writing and teaching go together, even if I don’t always like the ethos of the institutions in which I may be teaching. (But, well that’s another story.)
Her response is that people only teach because they can’t afford to write full time, or they only teach as a method of promoting their work. She argued that I would get as much from focusing on writing full time, as I would from teaching.
In the end, we agreed to disagree, especially as she’s never been a teacher. And, for reasons other than the inspiration that comes from teaching, I am very unlikely to give up my day job. But, I wanted to know your opinions. Would you stop teaching if you could? And why?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rachel Marsh on -
Hello everyone. I just want to say thanks for all the responses regarding ‘to teach or not to teach’. It is so fascinating to read everyone’s opinions on writing and teaching, and how/if the two work together. You've really helped me clarify certain elements in my life. However, as fate is a bit fickle, the decision about teaching has been made for me. I had been on a rolling contract with the College where I teach, and due to budget cuts they have terminated all non-permanent contracts. I have also been on a one-year part-time contract with an academic publishers (one day a week), but that too is coming to an end, plus I'll be submitting my research thesis on 10 September. So, it looks like I will officially be unemployed and completely out of education come September. How terribly scary.
I have decided to look for a job, because the thought of unemployment (even if my partner is secure in his position) fills me with dread. But, I have also decided to use this employment/research downtime to plough through so many projects that I have been putting off.
I will keep you all posted on the progress, and thank you so much for all the comments and support. -
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Permalink Reply by Valerie Furnas on -
I've been a teacher for 12 years. I also have a second job, teaching drivers education. I write so I can eventually give up the second job. I agree with earlier conversations about the standardized testing, and the parents that can be a handful can be draining of creativity. It is draining there, in the building. However, when I get home in my office void of distraction I have all I need to write. Granted the time is shorter but It is what it is. I love teaching, and I love writing. The idea that I can't be good at one without giving up the other is sad.
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Permalink Reply by Ann Anderson Evans on -
I know exactly how you are thinking. I would not give up teaching. I teach college freshmen how to write, and they teach me so much about what the world of the future is going to be like. They introduce me to new words, new attitudes, and they show me that the struggles of my generation to place equal value on people of different genders and races has paid off.
I learn from them how a person learns to write, and their essays inform me about their own lives, which are so different from mine at their age -- they work, they aren't so interested in getting married, many of them don't eat dinner at a family dinner table, and on and on and on -- not to mention the musical groups they introduce me to. Sheesh!
It depends on whether you love it, of course, but I would not give up teaching.
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Permalink Reply by Tracy Krauss on -
Although I love teaching, I would definitely quit to write full time if I had the chance.
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