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I always wonder if I'm going to be able to get a good prof's job when I get done with the program here. I wonder not because it's a bad program or anything like that, but because it's a scary thought: ten years of school, and no job.
Then, there are the times when the department I'm working at brings in candidates for positions. I would have no problem settling into a Kent State-like department once I get done. It's a PhD granting smaller department with good people... all-in-all, not a bad gig. The jokers that we get applying for the faculty positions here, though? Shit.
It was the same way when we had candidates in at Ball State. Rarely do they speak a lick of English, so they're impossible to understand. They never have teaching experience, so they're awkward and oftentimes downright terrible in the classroom.
The department is interviewing for a GIS faculty this week, which I think is a mistake, but that's a topic for another day. They wanted students to attend the lectures and presentations. Instead of going to his colloquium tomorrow (and being late to the Barons game) I went to his classroom lecture today.
The guy's name was Dr. Pu. Ouch. Kids are not going to let that one sit there untouched.
He spoke English in a choppy manner with a very harsh accent. I had an incredible time trying to understand him. Double ouch.
He presented his research to a classroom of upper-level undergraduates (mostly GIS majors) and had many of them sleeping. His presentation was disorganized, used old data and made very little sense. It certainly didn't inspire any sort of thinking.
Hopefully, this means that poor Dr. Pu (who seemed to be a very nice man) will be shown the door. Brutal? Sure, but why hire someone to teach if he can't?
So, situations like this tend to build my confidence quite a bit. I may not be the strongest future faculty, I may not be the best teacher, but.... I can speak clearly, concisely and understandably, I can teach and organize lectures, and I can inspire at least an inkling of thought in my students.
If Dr. Pu was my competition in a future job application process, I would certainly hope that I could kick his ass.
Posted by Your Friendly Neighborhood DJ on February 14, 2006 03:35 PM | Permalink
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