Importance of Teaching during MA--want to move on to PhD

[ishmael]

So, I have a question. How important is teaching in an MA program? I want to move on to a PhD program post-MA, and I have one offer in which I would teach a 1/2 (or 2/1) load my second year, and one offer that only allows MAs to grade, rather than teach outright. I'm torn, because I would ASSUME that teaching would greatly strengthen a CV for PhD applications (and lack of teaching would greatly weaken a CV). But I have a few profs telling me that really, it isn't THAT important, as PhD programs will likely retrain you ANYWAY. What has been people's experiences? 

 

If it's any help, the school that won't allow me to teach during my MA is ranked slightly higher in the sacred USNews rankings. 

 

Thanks.

[hopefulscribbler2014]

As with all things, teaching in the MA has its pros and cons. FWW, I did teach during my MA and loved it - so there's my bias - but here's what I think in general:

 

Pros:

• It's great experience, and at the very least it'll help you bypass some of that stage-fright and teaching persona stuff when you get to your PhD program.
• If you're able to teach in your field, it'll help you strengthen your knowledge of it.
• It can give you something tangible to discuss in your SOP, particularly if you're applying to programs that make special mention of the importance of teaching on their websites.

Cons:

• Teaching, as opposed to grading, requires an emotional investment, not to mention an substantial investment of time. The pace of grad school is radically different from that of undergrad and your duties as a student will no doubt be overwhelming at first. Add to that the responsibility of your own students and it can be very tough. At least if you go straight to a PhD, you generally get some time to settle in before you start teaching, with the MA it won't be that way. You'll have to hit the ground running, juggling a lot in terms of workload and switching between two mindsets - the grad student and the teacher. It's hard for even experienced teachers to manage the balance between their own work and their duties as educators, so that's something to consider. Teaching can also be really distracting - both in terms of the pull it has on you emotionally, and in terms of its use as a procrastination exercise. This is a danger for MAs especially, because the chances are they haven't quite settled on a specialism yet. If you're casting about for some solid ground, it's easy to mistake teaching for that / put all your energy into teaching because it feels like something clear you can achieve at. It can be hard to put your studies and your future before than of your students.

Your profs are right about the fact you'll be retrained, and I don't think adcoms expect to see teaching experience from an MA. It doesn't seem to be the norm for departments to fund MAs via TA or graderships. Personally, unless you have a great love of teaching, I would go the grader route and use the MA to really concentrate on your own work with the least amount of distraction / pressure. After all, the writing sample and fit as determined by your SOP are the things that'll get you in to a great program.

[blakeblake]

HopefulScribbler makes several good points.  Teaching is hard work, especially when you have your own papers to write and books to read.  Nevertheless, I would try to go the TA route if possible.  I have been told by professors in the know that teaching looks good on a PhD app because:

 

A) Anyone who teaches as a master's student knows whether or not they like/ can handle teaching.  It is very unfortunate for a student to get accepted to a PhD program, start teaching, and then realize that she does not actually like teaching or want to teach longterm.  If you find this out about yourself in a PhD program, you might well leave the program.  Admitting students who already have university-level teaching experience helps programs guard against this scenario.

 

Programs prefer to admit experienced teachers because those applicants will be better teachers for the college's undergrads.

 

It is true that many students are admitted to PhD programs without teaching experience, but the admissions process is still competitive; I see no reason to deny yourself a line on your cv that may be the deciding factor in your admissions decision at a particular program.

 

Also, bonus: If you teach during your MA, then that experience makes you eligible to adjunct during summers or for a while after you earn your MA in case you decide to wait before applying for a PhD program or are forced to wait by circumstance.  Given that as an English MA, you are not necessarily the hottest item on the job market, the ability to adjunct can be invaluable.

[toasterazzi]

I'm a teacher by trade (Bachelor's degree in English Education), so I might be biased, but I would definitely take the opportunity to teach if offered. I haven't found it to be especially overwhelming, but I was coming off having 80 middle schoolers when I started last fall, so there's that lol. If you want to teach as your ultimate goal, I would say this is a good time to get some experience. Personally, the idea of grading for someone else's class has never really appealed to me. Granted, I certainly wouldn't shun the opportunity if it was the only one offered. But if given the opportunity, I'd much rather be working with the students myself. 

[egwynn]

I would take the offer to teach as well.  You'll find out if that's what you want to do, you'll learn to balance your work and your teaching duties (and/or learn that you don't want to bother), and you'll have a lot more fun than you would if all you were doing was marking.  Marking is the worst part of teaching, and TAships that are all marking or jobs as a marker put you in a position where you are doing the least desirable work (reading undergrad work that may or may not be very impressive or informative) without any of the more interesting parts (helping them learn to write, teaching them new stuff, inspiring discussion, and so on).  

 

Unless the program that has the marking position is A LOT better than the other and you firmly believe that it will get you into better programs, I'd take the other if I were you.

 

Edited to add:  I'm coming out of an MA program where I will have taught for three semesters by the time I move on, and I think that the experience has been invaluable for me.  One of those TAships was basically a glorified marking position, and it was miserable (there were other factors, of course, but the marking was part of the issue).  I would pick actually teaching and marking over just marking almost regardless of the other stuff.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Lons

[cicada123]

Unfortunately, it really doesn't matter. At least, not having teaching experience doesn't hurt you in any way. While it might add a little something to your application, it isn't going to be what makes you stand out as an applicant. I would say, though, that my recommenders in all likelihood talked about my potential as a professor based upon my class participation, presentations, and general personality type. That helped me a great deal, I think. A couple years ago, before pursuing my Master's in English, I was also considering doing an MAT at Brown, and when it came time to decide between that funded program and my unfunded MA in English at a top school, I asked DGSs at schools I wanted to go for my PhD eventually. It was pretty much unanimous that only the name Brown, not the teaching, would be an advantage. Even doing a Master's in Teaching, I was told, wouldn't do a thing. So, if I were you, I wouldn't base your decision off of that unless you just want to teach, which is great. I really prize teaching. I wouldn't be doing this otherwise.

[Rupert Pupkin]

I disagree with the last post. While an MAT may not help you get into an English PhD program, teaching English classes while you get your MA can be a factor. It's not going to count more than the quality of your writing, but when schools are potentially investing years of funding in you, the certainty of your teaching ability is something they're likely to at least consider.

[hashslinger]

cicada123 and you profressors are absolutely right. Teaching will have no impact one way or another on your ability to get into a PhD program. It will carry absolutely no weight in admissions, unless you are thinking about a very pedagogy-specific track (certain rhet/comp areas).

 

Go to the program where you are funded the best.

 

I'm not at all surprised that the better program limits teaching. Teaching is often viewed as kind of a time suck for graduate students. Actually, I'll be even more blunt: teaching is often viewed as a less prestigious way of funding your studies. My program, for instance, gives first-year fellowships to its best MA applicants and sends the "lower half" into the classroom. I'm actually tempted to tell you to go to the program that has fewer service requirements because more time to focus on your own work--and a better writing sample--WILL lead to a better PhD program. Guarantees.  

[MissHavishslam]

I have gotten the same conflicting opinions. I did not get to teach during my MA, but I wanted to adjunct (which I am currently doing) during my year or two off. My teachers told me what a lot of people have been saying on here--it doesn't matter because they will retrain you anyway. However, I have a friend who was a TA during her MA and she did not have to take the teaching pedagogy class when she started her PhD work. I don't think that either way will hurt you. Maybe look at the programs you are planning on applying to for PhD (if you know already) and see if they are more teaching focused or research focused in their program. More than likely they will be both, but I have seen programs that stress the importance of teaching in their department and some schools that don't.

 

Mind you--like others have said--teaching will not weigh more than SOP and WS in the application process.

[YesPhDinHumanities]

Teaching experience might not necessarily help you get into a PhD program (though I think it really depends on the program... as with everything), but I think it will definitely help you as you're looking for jobs after the PhD. A candidate who has more teaching experience beyond the teaching offered in the PhD will be much more attractive (especially at institutions that look for teacher-scholars, which many do these days) than someone who only has the experiences offered during his or her degree(s). 

 

Yes, teaching takes an emotional commitment as well as a time commitment, but as others have said, you'll know for sure if teaching is for you afterwards. So I'd say get the teaching experience, adjunct in the summers, and just build up your CV with experiences beyond your coursework as much as you can. It's often all of the other stuff that is seen as "value added" when it comes to applications of all kinds (programs, jobs, etc.) If you're an excellent student but all you did during your MA and PhD was what is required of you, you're not going to be as attractive a candidate as others with different kinds of experiences. 

[MissHavishslam]

Also, some of my friends are working on their PhD and they said that having teaching experience made their first year less stressful. They did not have to worry about teaching jitters and PhD stress, which they said really helped--at least emotionally. Regardless, I found this good paper grading technique...http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/12/a_guide_to_grad.html

[toasterazzi]

^ That would save me so much time...

[Cactus Ed]

http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/12/a_guide_to_grad.html

 

Awesome. I can start right in on my dissertation if I employ this method.