Last week’s class was definitely one of my favorites. We had an open conversation about professional matters (post
MFA or PhD). I think these types of conversations are super important to have now, and should be happening more often. We had a discussion about the prospects of nabbing a tenure track position, and our teaching philosophy’s. Having the space to talk openly about our feelings, expectations, and desires is useful to me because I spend a lot of time wrapped up in theory. Sometimes I need an external push or pull to engage with the reality of the work I have signed up to do (and continue to sign up for). I’m sure that somewhere on campus these conversations may be happening more often, but I don’t know where (admittedly I haven’t been the most involved student).
*Also, I learned that I have a lot of support from my classmates if I should walk away from English/Academia and into instant YouTube stardom. Thanks Ya’ll 😉
What do ya’ll think?
How much “professional talk” do you all think we should be having? Are classrooms the appropriate settings for such conversations? If not, when or where should they be happening ( if at all)?