When I was in college, back in the 1960’s, I spent lots of
time trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. I wanted to be
an architect or a mining engineer or a treasure hunter, depending on the mood
of the day. Then I stumbled onto a brand new profession, called computer
programming. It sounded technical, mysterious and lucrative. I decided to give
it a try.
It was a great way to make a living and lasted about 35
years.
Then at the turn of the century, known as Y2K in the
computer world, my career as a computer programmer was coming to a grinding
halt. What once had been technical had become mundane. Programming was no
longer mysterious or lucrative as thousands of programmers had flooded the job
market and, after Y2K, many of the programming jobs were outsourced overseas. A
thriving profession had become a dead end. So once again, I spent lots of time
trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life.
In the spring of 2001, my life took an unexpected left turn
-- Ozarka College in Melbourne, Arkansas, was looking for a person to teach
computer courses. Such person was required to have a master’s degree in the
discipline and some related experience. Since I was indeed such a person, this
caught my interest. I also had a B.S. (business) and an M.S. (management
information systems), plus plenty of related experience, thus I appeared to be
qualified for the job. Even though I had no teaching experience, except for
tutoring junior programmers, I applied for the position.
The job interview went well. I talked to the Vice President
of Academic Affairs and the head of the business technology department, detailing
my work history. They were two of the nicest people I’d ever met. My first
reaction was to check to make sure I still had my wallet. Having been a city
slicker most of my life, my instincts around overly nice people are that they
want to sell you something or swindle you out of something, or both.
For whatever reason, I was offered the job and started in
the fall 2001 semester with one night class called CIS1303 – Computer
Information Systems. I gave it my best shot, the students appeared to learn
things, and no one got hurt.
I went on to be an adjunct instructor at Ozarka for the next
six years, teaching a couple of differing night classes each semester.
Being a teacher had been one of the most wonderful
experiences in my life. First of all, it fit my lifestyle. I taught in the
evenings (or late afternoons), which accommodated my night owl existence. Plus,
I only taught a few nights per week, which fit my ambition level at the time of
taking life easy. While being a teacher is not the road to riches, it kept the
lights burning.
Teachers are a special breed. When I worked in the corporate
world, particularly in larger companies, being adept at office politics was
often more important than doing a good job. Workers tried to please management
by making themselves look good and making others look bad. In order to survive
in such an atmosphere, you had to join the action or be trampled in the
process.
However, teachers generally tend to be cooperative and
helpful. They’re more focused on what’s best for the students than what’s best
for themselves. It may be different in larger colleges, but everyone at Ozarka was
so nice that I was constantly checking to make sure I still had my wallet.
The greatest benefit of being a teacher was the satisfaction
that came from helping others gain knowledge. Computer skills have become a
basic necessity in much of everyday life these days. The more I was able to
help students improve their skills, the better I felt about myself and my new
profession. There’s no greater reward than the sense of fulfillment that comes
at the end of a semester when my students confidently scatter into the real
world.
Being a teacher is a lot like being rich -- it’s a wonderful
way of life, just in a lower tax bracket.
___________
Quote for the Day -- “Share your knowledge. It is a way to
achieve immortality.” 14th Dalai Lama
___________
Bret Burquest is the author of 9 books. He lives
in the Ozark Mountains with a dog named Buddy Lee and occasionally has to get
his nephew Jon to help him with the latest computer technology.
___________
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