What should a conscientious assistant professor of English like myself do while waiting for the semester to start up again? We begin on the 22nd, and I've already got my syllaboi in place and my books all ordered. (Got it done in October: Yay Me!). I'm teaching a survey of British literature from 1789 to the present, a class on "Victorian Squalor" for upper division students, and a sophomore writing seminar. (I was smart enough to get some professional work--and some training--in technical writing, which made me very appealing to Midsized U.)
So I have a couple of options, and I'd be interested in getting the views of the entire blogosphere (or at least this tiny corner of it: professor bloggers with expertise in the literary fields): should I a) revise an article I've been trying to work on for six months? b) work on my book proposal (natch, a revision of my dissertation), or c) kick back an enjoy a couple of stress-free weeks?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
If it were me, I'd probably draft the book proposal (if not finish it), and start figuring out the best presses for the book, since it's a task that can be completed in that time, thus giving one a sense of accomplishment.
But that's what *I'd* do. I'd feel too guilty to kick back, and I might dilly-dally on the article and not really feel like I'd gotten much done.
Yeah, I know. That's the advice everyone in my "real" life has given me, too. But what about the new MLA call for alternative tenure standards? I'll certainly publish the book--I think it's original and will make a real contribution--but at the same time I'd like to be able to do it on MY schedule, and not on something that a university imposes upon me. The mind is free--I'm romantic enough to believe that.
Thanks so much for your comments, Dr. V! I feel like a "real" blogger now.
Post a Comment