I've narrowed down my grad school decision to 3 schools with fairly different offers. The program is in a specific foreign language, and at all three schools I'll be expected to teach lower-level language classes to some degree. At two of the three schools, I have 3-4 year fellowships, and then I'll be expected to teach about 1 course per semester for 1-2 years. These fellowships also carry significant stipends which will allow me to live quite comfortably. On the other hand, at the school that has arguably the best program, I will be expected to teach 3 courses per year, every year, and the stipend is much, much lower. Still, this school claims to have a fantastic placement rate, and it's no doubt true that I would become a more effective instructor.
So, my question is, would the extra teaching experience be worth it? On the positive side, I would have a great program and lots of teaching experience in a field where that makes a difference. On the negative side, preparing 3 courses a year for what amounts to pennies is a big load, and at the other schools (where the programs are also good) I would have more time to devote to coursework and research. I'm planning trips to all three schools to check them out, but outside perspectives would be greatly appreciated.
