So today I took a deep breath and told Dawson thanks, but no thanks.
I was offered courses for the summer, y’see. This offer was the end result of a long, painful process which began in January, stalled for a while, and culminated in a phone call from the department chair.
I then met with the chair, who, it turns out, was the comfy chair. She tried to seduce me with all that Dawson has to offer (including its proximity to my house) while at the same time impressing upon me the importance of taking anything Dawson had to offer, lest they stop calling me.
I tentatively agreed to take the two courses, since there was no guarantee that Vanier would have anything for me for the summer.
I spoke with my Vanier coordinator on Friday and while there is still no guarantee that I’ll have anything this summer, I will have full-time work in the fall, and if summer courses open, I’m first in line.
Essentially, I had to make a choice, because if Vanier has summer courses it will be at the last minute, and I didn’t want to pull out at the last minute with Dawson.
Thankfully, it was an easy decision – I love working at Vanier. My colleagues are awesome, my students are enthusiastic (mostly), and my mood lifts when I step onto the campus. And now I’ve committed myself.
I walked home from Dawson, since today the weather is fantastic. I was just past the Atwater market when I felt something warm and liquidy hit my hand – for the first time in my life, I have been shat upon by a bird. I’ve heard it’s meant to bring the shittee good luck. So I’m taking the incident as a sign that I’ve made the right decision (and that whatever is out there has a twisted sense of humour, but we knew that).
Have you taught at Dawson before? Are Vanier students more enthusiastic than those at Dawson?
Jus’ curious ..
JB
I haven’t taught at Dawson – in fact, in an ideal world, I would have a chance to teach at both colleges before I had to make my choice. But the way things panned out, I have to go with my gut, which says ‘Vanier.’
I’m not sure if I’m expressing this well, but the classroom atmosphere is really what you make it; I believe that I could generate enthusiasm in students in either place. In terms of work environment, though, I think my experiences with both places (so far) make Vanier the right choice for me.
My relationship with Dawson was always tenuous at best; the interview was not a comfortable situation, they left me hanging for a month, and my forays into the department since then have been intimidating rather than welcoming. At Vanier, on the other hand, the interviews were relaxed and fun(!), they called me even when they had nothing to offer, and I just feel that I fit in.
At Dawson, people were wearing, like, suits! Brrr.
I am not trying to disparage Dawson at all, you understand. I’m just trying to express why I have no regrets or second thoughts.
The problem is that there were a few of us teachers hired at Vanier last fall, and I have to pay some attention to everyone’s seniority. I don’t have the luxury of trying out other colleges, because if I turn courses down at Vanier, someone else will move ahead of me. In the long run, this is really moot, but in the short term, it could mean the difference between teaching next winter or not. And Dawson is not ready to hire for day (as opposed to continuing education) right now, but Vanier is.
And just to add one more determining factor: I was a student at Vanier, and I consider my two years there as the absolute best two years of my career as a student. I loved Vanier as a student, and there’s a certain poetic symmetry to my ending up there as a teacher.
I hope I’ve satisfied your curiosity 😉
Yes you have.
Thanks for the detailed reply,
JB.