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Can any academics re-enthuse a disillusioned and stressed early career person?

6 replies

understandablybemused · 06/07/2012 15:16

Hello! I've done some searches and I see that there are lots of academics on here, so you might be able to help. I have just started my first year teaching, having been enjoying a lovely research only postdoc. Of course, I knew that this luxury couldn't last forever but I am having a hard time adjusting. I have just been given my full teaching timetable and although the university says that early career academics should have a reduced load, I just can't see it. I am teaching a subject with which I am not at all familiar, and am having to design one course from scratch and learn another in eight weeks. With admin and other duties, I just can't see how it's possible to do any research, and if I did, whether I would ever see my kids! Having felt slightly in love with this job, I am now feeling horribly disillusioned and stressed. Not to get too emotional it feels a bit like the end of a lovely relationship. Can anyone tell me roughly how much teaching and admin you would expect from an early career person? Quite honestly, I'm scared about whether I will be able to manage the workload given to me but perhaps this is just standard for the first year or so? Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
Familyguyfan · 06/07/2012 15:35

I can't answer your specific question but I can sympathise. It can be very harsh dealing with the realities of the job. I've taught more courses outside my specialism that in it, and am routinely disillusioned. However, we do have a good job really. That's not helpful is it, but I think you'll find many of us share your pain...

fluffyanimal · 06/07/2012 15:56

Hello, I'm a uni lecturer and I have some responsibility for the workload of the staff in my subject area. I also have 2 DC, one primary school-age and one pre-school.

Workload models will vary from institution to institution and probably from department to department within a given institution. The UCU also isn't very in favour of workload models so it may be a contested issue in your uni. But ask to see whatever passes for a workload model or guidelines, to see if you are being hard done by. it does no harm to make sure that you are not being put upon by some lordly professor who has creamed off a small amount of the best teaching for himself (it can happen!). But don't forget the workload will also take into account admin roles, so if your admin roles are quite junior, your teaching load may go up to compensate.

Tbh the job is very hard on new academics, as you are having to learn the ropes of teaching as well as trying to maintain a research profile, and quite possibly you might be asked to fit in a staff development course for new lecturers too! But it is not at all uncommon to be asked to teach something within your subject area but outside of your specialism - what level of study is it? If it's only first year level, then it could be a survey course with only foundational knowledge. It's OK to go on the learning journey with your students together and be a facilitator, teaching them about the context of your subject, helping them with study techniques and academic skills, and quite OK to admit to a class you don't know something. Also, one of the best ways to learn about something is to teach it, doing some reading for the course might open up interesting new avenues for your own research.

Module design is also an excellent skill to have, and your uni may have staff development workshops on this - see it as your chance to transmit your enthusiasm for your subject to your students.

As for the research balance and work-life balance, I hear you, sister! Do you get a research day? If so, be absolutely ruthless that you use it for your research and be shameless in telling colleagues that other stuff will just have to wait . Likewise, be shameless in maintaining your time with your family. I refuse to work weekends apart from the occasional conference, and in the evenings I don't do anything apart from simple marking or a little bit of reading for the next day. It does mean I may not be on a fast track to professorship, but I have to be more circumspect about my career and think long-term rather than short-term.

Hope this helps a bit!

fluffyanimal · 06/07/2012 15:57

Forgot to add, presumably you'll be on probation and have a mentor? Do talk this over with them and lean on them for help learning the ropes.

teatimesthree · 11/07/2012 15:03

Some great advice from fluffy animal there.

In my experience, it gets easier year by year. So grit your teeth and tell yourself that it will get better from here on in.

This is a very good guide to balancing teaching and research - it's focused on the American system, but I think the advice holds true.
www.amazon.co.uk/Advice-New-Faculty-Members-Nihil/dp/0205281591

In my experience, the secret to balancing academia with kids is to learn to write/do research in small blocks of time. Even if you can only squeeze in 30 minutes a day, it's enough to keep your momentum, and make progress towards publications. It is a completely different way of working to the PhD/postdoc mode, but it's the only way to get anything done!

Good luck, and hang on in there.

maryoz · 11/07/2012 21:25

More sympathy here... I remember very clearly my first few years of teaching being full of late nights writing lectures and feeling always that I was barely ahead of the students when I had to teach on topics I knew nothing about. My DH has only recently moved from research only posts to a lectureship and he also has found it very difficult with loads of preparation and far too much admin. But it definitely gets easier and once you have the main things under your belt improves significantly. I reckon it takes about 2 years before matters calm down. They will get easier. In the meantime, cut corners, don't worry if not every lecture/seminar is polished.. invite in guest speakers? think of creative ways to ease up on yourself... good luck!

CatHackney · 12/07/2012 22:59

I think the key is to do what you can to make sure you teach on the same courses from one year to the next. It's really hard and time-consuming the first year, but becomes much, much easier when you only need to remind yourself of the material rather than learn it entirely (or, indeed, design it entirely) from scratch. And, if you haven't already taken workshops or qualifications in teaching, you may want to give them a try. I have found them very helpful both on a practical level and simply in increasing my confidence. Your uni should have these sorts of things on offer for staff. But, issues of teaching load vary hugely by uni and subject area, as I'm sure you know. Mine is very, very low.

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