My Promotion!

I am excited because today I found out I got my “promotion” of sorts and was admitted to USF’s Preferred Hiring Pool for adjunct teachers. This was the pretty grueling process I went through last semester: I met with the dean twice; I was observed teaching by the dean and by the head of my program on two separate occasions (I wonder if that sounds as terrifying as it actually was?); and I created and assembled a fat portfolio of materials including a teaching philosophy, grading rationale, sample student papers with my comments and grades, sample assignments, copies of all my student evaluations, and letters of recommendation from both former students and colleagues. It took forEVER and I worked very, very hard. This is an important step for me because it means I will have much greater job security and a raise! I would also have access to benefits (though I am covered through Mark’s job already) and will have greater freedom and power as to the classes I select, how many I want, and the schedule I want to create for myself (though seniority-wise, of course, I am going to be at the bottom of the PHP list, so I must still defer to those who were admitted to PHP before me). I feel happy and relieved.