So it turns out that the job that Spouse had applied for at QuirkyU had already been filled. It's a department of Underwater Basketweaving and Macrame. The ad was for either, but he does macrame, but they really wanted underwater basketweaving.
But, after they filled that job, the senior guy in macrame announced he's retiring at the end of the year, which puts Quirky in a bind for next year and the future.
Since Spouse has a lot of experience as a macrame prof, the department wanted to see if he passed the smell test. If so, they wanted to try to convince Quirky to hire Spouse to fill that senior spot. It's not a new line, and they kind have done a national search already.
So we'll see. He apparently did pass the smell test, since they told him that they'll let him know what the admin. says.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Tips
So Spouse is meeting with folks from a university that would make a reasonable split-the-difference commute for us both and that competes pretty strongly with NewSchool.
He didn't really interview for his present job - they talked to him on the phone a bit and hired him on the basis of his credentials. So he hasn't interviewed for a job in about 15 years. He's nervous.
Here were some tips I gave him:
1. Read the bios of the people in the department on the department web site. People like it when you make it easy for them to talk to you, and knowing a bit about people will make it easier for you to come up with things to talk about.
2. Read what you can about the characteristics of the school and its students on their institutional research site (which this school does not post on the web, which is strange). Knowing things like where most of the students come from or what they major in can really help you think about how you can describe yourself as fitting in.
3. If there's food involved (and there is today), order something you can eat without thinking.
He didn't really interview for his present job - they talked to him on the phone a bit and hired him on the basis of his credentials. So he hasn't interviewed for a job in about 15 years. He's nervous.
Here were some tips I gave him:
1. Read the bios of the people in the department on the department web site. People like it when you make it easy for them to talk to you, and knowing a bit about people will make it easier for you to come up with things to talk about.
2. Read what you can about the characteristics of the school and its students on their institutional research site (which this school does not post on the web, which is strange). Knowing things like where most of the students come from or what they major in can really help you think about how you can describe yourself as fitting in.
3. If there's food involved (and there is today), order something you can eat without thinking.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
This just in
No progress on the career front, and I am still up to my a$$ in paper, but I had to make a trip to Capital City this a.m. to pick up something for work, and stopped at the mall on the way back. I found jeans that fit and cost less than $40 and do not have ridiculous things on the back pockets.
I'm giddy!
I'm giddy!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Rays?
So the school that wanted to talk to Spouse asked him to interview during a class. When he said he needed another time, he hasn't heard from them again. Weird.
On the positive side, we have a contract on our house in Central State.
On the neutral side, it's spring break and I have been working about 12 hours a day. Something is wrong with this picture.
On the positive side, we have a contract on our house in Central State.
On the neutral side, it's spring break and I have been working about 12 hours a day. Something is wrong with this picture.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Ray of hope
Spouse got a call from one of the places he applied to and he's not on the short list, but I guess he's on the long list? Anyway, they want to meet him and see if he's short list worthy.
Fingers crossed...
Fingers crossed...
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Blerg
So I am working with a colleague of mine on some research. As I've mentioned before, basketweaving is a thoroughly hybrid field. We have the science aspect, but we also have the applied side.
They are both important, both benefit society, and are both things we need to teach our students.
Well, New School started a masters degree program that is both theoretical and practical, but has a good, healthy dose of the practical. So to teach that practical stuff, we need people with mad basket skillz, which typically in our field means a professional degree.
Some of my co-workers are these people with the mad skillz, the practical degree and they are really great.
What they don't have is a research degree.
And the colleague I am working with is one of those people and tells me that she had her mid-tenure-track meeting with the dean, who told her that she had to have peer-reviewed research published in a journal in order to get tenure. With no research training or experience.
That seems wrong to me - why bring someone into a position where they will not conceivably be able to succeed?
I'm new here, so I'm disinclined to make waves, but I feel like something needs to change to give these colleagues some path that can lead to success. NewSchool's not an R-1, so co-authored papers count. I don't know if I need to encourage some of my colleagues to try to come up with projects where they can publish with eachother, like I did for this one colleague?
They are both important, both benefit society, and are both things we need to teach our students.
Well, New School started a masters degree program that is both theoretical and practical, but has a good, healthy dose of the practical. So to teach that practical stuff, we need people with mad basket skillz, which typically in our field means a professional degree.
Some of my co-workers are these people with the mad skillz, the practical degree and they are really great.
What they don't have is a research degree.
And the colleague I am working with is one of those people and tells me that she had her mid-tenure-track meeting with the dean, who told her that she had to have peer-reviewed research published in a journal in order to get tenure. With no research training or experience.
That seems wrong to me - why bring someone into a position where they will not conceivably be able to succeed?
I'm new here, so I'm disinclined to make waves, but I feel like something needs to change to give these colleagues some path that can lead to success. NewSchool's not an R-1, so co-authored papers count. I don't know if I need to encourage some of my colleagues to try to come up with projects where they can publish with eachother, like I did for this one colleague?
Sunday, March 13, 2011
RBOC for a Sunday
Sorry the posting has been so spotty lately. We've got a lot on our minds/plates. Without further ado:
1. We, as a family, gave up meat for Lent. Then, today, we found out the only Indian restaurant in town has closed.
2. In New State, we are living a townhouse, where we share one wall with a neighbor. I am pretty sure he has his woofer next to the wall in our downstairs bedroom. We use that room as a living room, so it's not such a big deal, but we have booming pretty much every single night and all day on the weekends. I'll say something when things are loud enough that I can hear the words (which has happened 3 times), but, since I have a beginning trombone student in the house, I usually let it go.
3. I hate springing forward (and I'm not too wild about falling back, either). It takes me about 10 days to get over small time changes.
4. We are getting a little freaked out by Spouse's job situation. A little.
5. My work is getting me an iPad 2. I think I'll get it tomorrow, and it's pretty exciting.
6. I have one more full week, then Spring Break. This is followed immediately by a very major deadline for me, that I think is what I will spend Spring Break working on. But if I can make it through this month, I'm golden.
7. We are loathe to plan a family vacation, due to our impending financial situation, but we could really, really use one.
1. We, as a family, gave up meat for Lent. Then, today, we found out the only Indian restaurant in town has closed.
2. In New State, we are living a townhouse, where we share one wall with a neighbor. I am pretty sure he has his woofer next to the wall in our downstairs bedroom. We use that room as a living room, so it's not such a big deal, but we have booming pretty much every single night and all day on the weekends. I'll say something when things are loud enough that I can hear the words (which has happened 3 times), but, since I have a beginning trombone student in the house, I usually let it go.
3. I hate springing forward (and I'm not too wild about falling back, either). It takes me about 10 days to get over small time changes.
4. We are getting a little freaked out by Spouse's job situation. A little.
5. My work is getting me an iPad 2. I think I'll get it tomorrow, and it's pretty exciting.
6. I have one more full week, then Spring Break. This is followed immediately by a very major deadline for me, that I think is what I will spend Spring Break working on. But if I can make it through this month, I'm golden.
7. We are loathe to plan a family vacation, due to our impending financial situation, but we could really, really use one.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
To test or not to test
The school district had an information session about the advanced learner programs this week, which I went to. I'm glad I did. I learned that although Offspring's program is really good and very appropriate for her (for the most part), the early years are really lacking.
They don't evaluate for GT until 3rd grade, and even then, a GT placement gives you a 90-minute pull out a week and that's it until 6th grade. They they provide different classes in math and language arts, unless you are top level and go to Offspring's program. They do allow/encourage subject and grade acceleration, though, which was strongly frowned upon in Central State.
So I am looking at Bun, who is reading on what I'd guess is a 1st-grade level right now, with another year and a half to go before Kindergarten.
Kinder and first were a disaster with Offspring, especially first, and I don't know if Bun is at her level, but I could see similar issues cropping up.
They did individual meetings for people with concerns after the presentation, and I talked with the coordinator lady about Bun and our concerns. She said that for anything other than the standard K-3 curriculum to happen at the standard age levels with Bun, we'd have to pay for private ability and IQ testing and present those scores to the school. That's super expensive, though, and with a spouse who will lose his job in a couple of months, I don't want to spend huge piles of cash that I don't have to (the district will do it, but only if your family qualifies for free lunch). So I don't know. She'd have to test at that top level like Offspring, even in that case.
She's doing great at the Montessori school and we're fine with keeping her there for next year, but I don't want to put things off and have her be miserable like Offspring was.
They don't evaluate for GT until 3rd grade, and even then, a GT placement gives you a 90-minute pull out a week and that's it until 6th grade. They they provide different classes in math and language arts, unless you are top level and go to Offspring's program. They do allow/encourage subject and grade acceleration, though, which was strongly frowned upon in Central State.
So I am looking at Bun, who is reading on what I'd guess is a 1st-grade level right now, with another year and a half to go before Kindergarten.
Kinder and first were a disaster with Offspring, especially first, and I don't know if Bun is at her level, but I could see similar issues cropping up.
They did individual meetings for people with concerns after the presentation, and I talked with the coordinator lady about Bun and our concerns. She said that for anything other than the standard K-3 curriculum to happen at the standard age levels with Bun, we'd have to pay for private ability and IQ testing and present those scores to the school. That's super expensive, though, and with a spouse who will lose his job in a couple of months, I don't want to spend huge piles of cash that I don't have to (the district will do it, but only if your family qualifies for free lunch). So I don't know. She'd have to test at that top level like Offspring, even in that case.
She's doing great at the Montessori school and we're fine with keeping her there for next year, but I don't want to put things off and have her be miserable like Offspring was.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
New life plan
Spouse writes the next Angry Birds and we all retire. We'll homeschool the kids on the sea days on our life of round the world cruises. Sounds like a plan, right?
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Overconfident
So I had the meeting, and all is well. It was pretty easy to switch me to something I know I am good at that was scheduled for an adjunct and hire an adjunct to teach the classes I was struggling with.
So I was feeling pretty good. Then I was discussing this with Spouse, whose comment was "Yeah, I wish I had a job."
So I was feeling pretty good. Then I was discussing this with Spouse, whose comment was "Yeah, I wish I had a job."
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Terrific Tuesday
Today I meet with the chair to tell her I'm screwing up her whole schedule for the fall, since I don't think I should teach in the grad program any more. Should be awesome.
I also have a research meeting with two other faculty. We're working on a project together that's research about teaching. Really, Sally and I are working on it. Sally said we really need to include Liza, because she has been involved in such problems in the past. It's a qualitative method project, so I'm down with that, since you can't really have too many pairs of eyes. But on the flip side, Liza has shown a real reluctance to do anything on the project that involves work, and Liza was responsible for many of the things that were said at last week's meeting that had to do with my deciding maybe working with this program is not for me. It's ok - I'm a grown-up.
I also have a research meeting with two other faculty. We're working on a project together that's research about teaching. Really, Sally and I are working on it. Sally said we really need to include Liza, because she has been involved in such problems in the past. It's a qualitative method project, so I'm down with that, since you can't really have too many pairs of eyes. But on the flip side, Liza has shown a real reluctance to do anything on the project that involves work, and Liza was responsible for many of the things that were said at last week's meeting that had to do with my deciding maybe working with this program is not for me. It's ok - I'm a grown-up.
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