Career Panel on Teaching Creative Writing
April 21, 2004
Room 582 Humanities, 7 - 9 p.m.
Goals:
1. What is the range of professional possibilities for teaching creative writing?
2. What does it take to get those jobs?
3. What is it like once you've succeeded in landing the job?
(The notes that follow do not reflect verbatim transcription)
I. The Panelists describe their career paths:
Sandra Park -
Worked for the National Park Service, edited manuscripts from home, wrote for
magazines. Now teaching part-time Freshman Composition and Reading at Ohlone
Community College in Fremont. Will pick up more writing classes in the fall.
Just finished MFA program at SFSU.
Molly Albracht -
California Poets in the Schools, works in Sonoma, teaches ESL at local wineries,
acquired donated books from the Los Angeles County Public School Districthas
pitched her writing and tutoring services to local high schools. Also teaches
CW101 at SFSU.
David Booth -
Part time instructor at University of San Francisco and at the Writing Salon.
Immersed himself in the Creative Writing Program at SFSU, interned at the Poetry
Center and became associate director there. Taught the Poetry Center workshop
and entered the lecture pool at State. Asked for informational interview at
USF. Was told nothing was available, then received a phone call with an offer
to teach a class.
Nona Caspers -
Full time at SFSU, began part time at SFSU and part time at USF. Prior to these
teaching positions, was a researcher and professional writer at UCSF, worked
with Minnesota Writers in the Schools, also in a medium security prison and
with children. All these were actively sought out. Many odd jobs along the way
that were important to writing and teaching life.
Dana Lomax -
Worked as "peon" at the Arts Association and wanted to be the "artist"
not the administrator. Worked with CA Poets in the School. Still not teaching
full time. Has taught at Sierra College, Sacramento State, help start up Kollage
Community School for the Arts, and as an artist in the prisons through a CA
Arts Council grant. Expectations for teaching career have changed.
Clive Matson -
UC Extension and private instructor. Never wanted to be a teacher, wanted to
be a poet since the age of 14, moved to New York, moved furniture and learned
to run letterpress. Was asked to read in Port Angeles, Washington for a fee,
then asked to teach a workshop, took over class when one instructor left. Pitched
his idea for a writing workshop at UC Extension. Got an MFA from Columbia Univ.
so that he could keep his Extension position. Sending out blind resumes to institutions
has never led to a job.
Danielle Drake -
Facilitator, Youth Speaks. Began with a degree in business. After a skydiving
trip led her to write a poem, she decided to read the poem on stage. This led
to a series of slam competitions. Was made Oakland slam champion, the Oakland
team came in fourth in the national slam competition. Though the slam community,
she found work at Youth Speaks. She teaches in high schools through Youth Speaks,
Oakland School of the Arts, and works as a substitute.
II. Questions from the Moderator
1. A lot of you talked about "hustling" to get and make the jobs in teaching. What's the difference between a successful hustle and a bad one?
DL - Be prepared. Have a curriculum ready, something to say, a vision for
what you are doing. One of the mistakes I've seen friends make is to agree to
a position or propose one that they weren't ready for. Present yourself very
specifically.
DB - An informational interview is a non-threatening way to pitch yourself.
CM - Talk to people who've done the job and ask them what they do. Ask the people you're pitching to what they do and how they got it.
NC - Having authentic excitement about your own work.
2. What have you found that people look for when hiring a creative writing instructor?
CM - On some level there has to be a match between their "community" and you. I've called some of the places where I had applied and been rejected to find out why. While I had publications and experience under my belt, it was important for them that I jibe with their community, and I just didn't. Knowing that, it was for the best that I wasn't hired.
NC - Yes, looking for work is a parallel to the creative process. Stay connected to your writing and your reading and your vision for teaching. Move from this desire. What service do you want to do in your life? Stay in that place. You can't force a life that doesn't want to be your life. Stay in your community.
(from the audience) What importance do publications have?
NC - For full time hires, we look for awards, publications, and books. For part time, those things are great to have, but those aren't fast rules.
3. What is the hardest thing about your job?
CM - Recruiting students. I call former students, invite them to talk about their current writing, ask them about their goals. I also send out an e-mail, newsletter, place ads in Poetry Flash and other publications. These don't always bring in many students, but I think it's important to do it.
DB - The fragmented work week when you work multiple jobs. It affected my work last year and my students could sense it. Now I'm taking an improv course and reading books on pedagogy to keep myself energized about the work.
MA - It was getting difficult for me with the vast range of student populations that I was teaching on a weekly basis. I would go from teaching a senior citizen to walking into a kindergarten classroom. Also, I was finding I was overwhelmed with my work and needed to find time to relax and divert my attention.
(from the audience) How do you find time to do your own writing?
DD - I find that my jobs inform my writing. I work part time for an organization
that provides job placement services for emancipated youth and I get so much
from that experience.
DB - I need to work under the pressure of time. If I had all the time in the world, I wouldn't use it to write. Have the constraints of time helps me.
(from the audience) How can you afford to live in such an expensive city?
DD - You hustle on your hustles! I work as a substitute teacher in the high schools, and I get the jobs I want because they know me through Youth Speaks.
DB - Teaching one class at USF brings in $860 a month, $2500 in two months if I teach more than one class. I have a job with kids. It sounds like a lot of us have other jobs that tie into social work, too.
(from the audience) What about health insurance?
Most responded that they pay their own or are married to state employees who have good benefits.
(from the audience) What do you wear to an interview for a creative position?
Most responded that a jacket and tie for men, and business formal for women.
Should I get an MA or MFA?
SP - Community Colleges look for comp certificate and a grounding in literature, best to have your MA though there are never had and fast rules. It's important to take advantage of the comp program at State.
What resources do you recommend?
Pedagogy of Hope
Art of Fiction - John Gardner
Beyond the Writers Workshop
Wounds of Passion - bell hooks
Janet Burroway
Writing Without Teachers
Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott
The Writer's Voice
Thaisa Frank
Strunk and White
Any last words of wisdom?
NC - Stay focused on your own work. Ask, why am I doing this? Know why you want to offer what you offer.
DB/CM - Be a part of your community of writers
SP - I'm learning that's it important to be myself instead of creating a teaching
persona, the idea that I had to be separate from them. Now, I'm becoming more
myself, and students respond to that.