April 2018 – Dr. Diva JC – Scholar . Teacher . Author

This article helped me understand difficult students:

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/the-hardest-students-to-teach/print/

You have not had difficult students until you teach in a foreign country. Usually, foreign students are much more respectful than American students. However, cultural differences make for challenges.

In my first week of teaching Speech Communication to Chinese students, I realized that the majority of them were not going to be as responsive as I needed them to be. In each of two classes, one or two students answered all the questions. One reason is that those students who responded had a better command of the English language. The second reason is that they were more outgoing than their fellow students.

One professor informed me that Chinese students do not want to be embarrassed in front of their peers. That helped me to understand them better. But I thought because they would be chatting away with each other as they entered the class that they would be talking to me much more. NOT. I had to drag answers out of them, making my job more difficult than it should have been.

In July 2017, I graduated with my Doctorate in Business Administration/Marketing. I was so sure I would be teaching my discipline at a college or university. But here I am, nine months later, and I’m still only teaching Speech/Public Speaking. Even though I teach at three different schools, adjuncting is not secure income because most classes run four to six weeks every three to four months. So, there is a lull between classes, making me feel very uneasy.

From January through February 2018, I drove 300 miles per week to teach at two schools in Miami Lakes and Pembroke Pines. I earned good money but my body suffered tremendously. My right foot began to pain me around the sixth week of driving and, now, two months later, I can barely walk.

However, I am fortunate to be teaching online, finally. But online teaching pays $1,000 less than teaching in the classroom. Of course, I get to stay home and not pay for gas to run up and down I-95. I need at least two online classes per month to sustain myself, financially.

This article, Instead of Gaslighting Adjuncts, We Could Help Them, motivated me to write this blog post. I have submitted so many job applications to colleges and universities that I lost count! Now, I’m looking at editing positions because I am really good with APA Style since I teach it to my Speech Communication students.

My concern is that I suffer from ageism. I studied for my DBA from the age of 63 to 69. Now, at 70, I fear that no one is willing to hire me for a permanent teaching position. What to do?

I enjoy teaching. I like the variety of teaching at different schools which breaks the monotony of a full-time job in one school or company. But the stress of not knowing whether I’ll be teaching next month is mounting and my blood pressure is rising.

Nothing seems to be working – LinkedIn, Indeed, HigherEdJobs, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, EducationJobsite – none of these sites have produced even one interview. And I’ve been submitting applications for well over a year. What is the answer?

After publishing 14 books, you would think I’d be in demand as a speaker. But the phone is not ringing and no email invitations are forthcoming. My hope is that I will get another online class or two to teach to keep me financially solvent.

I have faith in my abilities to teach. My students (well over 100) confirmed that I know my subject – Public Speaking – and they thanked me for helping them learn a lot about writing, outlining, and APA Style. Most college students are required to take Public Speaking during their general education experience. So, I am in demand since there are not a lot of Speech instructors from what I can gather. That is the upside!

Hence, I am writing this blog with the hopes that someone out there will read it and refer me to someone out there looking for a professor. This is my LinkedIn account. My cover letter, resume, and CV are available upon request to profjoancartwright@gmail.com.

I appreciate any help anyone in this universe can offer.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joan Cartwright