Getting to 18

There are a bunch of milestones in my MFA experience.  One of them is completing 18 hours ( 6 classes) as this is the minimum requirement in order to teach this great subject.  At least that is a common requirement I’ve seen for teaching positions posted.

This does not mean that I’ll get a job teaching photography after I get my 18 hours.  In fact, I may be rushing application for teaching gigs.

I am taking 3 classes this Spring ’10 semester.  Add the 2 classes from Fall ’09 and at least one Summer class and that’s my 18 hours.  That’s would make me minimally eligible to teach starting Fall ’10.

If you were hiring someone, would you place a bet that that person would complete the minimum requirements a couple of weeks before you were going to place them into a teaching assignment?    I’ll bet that HR folks at educational institutions are not the gambling type.

I won’t postpone the application process because of this.

Education institutions work hard a planning and hiring folks to cover anticipated need.  My experience says that there are a lot of last minute adjustments.  If those adjustments mean getting more adjuncts at the last minute then being in line and in the system is to my advantage.

Onward to 18 (or maybe 21)!