Albert Einstein said, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one learned in school.” Then Einstein said, “Education is not learning facts, but training the mind to think.”
Professionals have valuable experience that contributes context to the content of a course. (ShutterStock/Iakov Filimonov)
Very few jobs require someone to solve the same problems they solved in school. But nearly every job will be done better by someone who has the courage and skill to think critically. Great teachers nurture courage and skill. Although teaching isn’t for everyone, there are some really good reasons why experienced professionals should consider teaching on a part-time basis.
1. give context to course content
The content of any textbook or lecture is more easily understood when it is presented in context. That’s why many colleges and universities seek partnerships with organizations outside academia so their teachers and researchers can gain non-academic experience. You already have professional experience rich in context that is invaluable in the classroom. If you’ve worked long enough, you will have a story of success or failure for every chapter in a textbook.
2. become a true expert
True experts are able to explain what they know in a variety of ways so they can be understood by anyone. You may be an expert in your organization or occupation, but do other experts, cultures and generations appreciate what you know? Teaching forces us to find innovative ways to engage diverse audiences. True experts can make themselves understood, and teaching is the best way to gain those skills.
3. give students connection with the outside world
Being a full-time student can be consuming and isolating. When most successful students are not in a classroom, they are either studying or working at a part-time job that is outside of their field of study. When a working professional, and a good role model, cares enough to teach a class, students are immediately and positively connected to the larger world outside academia. That connection diminishes isolation and provides more data for students’ career planning.
4. add to your resume
Many employers admire professionals who also teach. Being successful at your full-time career and part-time teaching gig requires strict time management, but employers also appreciate the prosocial values possessed by good teachers: patience, compassion, contribution, and inclusion.
5. learn about working in academia
For most professionals, gradual or partial exposure to academia is more satisfying than a one-time leap from a full-time non-academic job to full-time teaching. Teaching the content of a profession often pays less than working in the profession, and the culture of academia can be a shock to anyone from the corporate world. But, beginning with part-time exposure to teaching, at first only for a few hours or days each year, is a great way to learn if it might be the right full-time job for you.
it takes courage to be a good teacher
There is a terrible slur used to diminish teachers and academics, “those who can’t do, teach.” Although we’ve all had a terrible teacher, most of us do not condemn the entire teaching profession because of one bad experience. My experience tells me that those who do well in their professional lives make great teachers, but it takes courage to stand in front of people who expect you to be an expert and transfer that expertise to them. Be courageous. The world needs good teachers.
{In next week’s article, I’ll discuss the 5 teaching mistakes professionals make when they begin teaching part-time.}
