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ripslyme
Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 481
Location: Japan
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 Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:45 am Post subject: |
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You don't have to take our word for it. I mean, if you truly believe that you will be a professor by working for Westgate then, by golly, don't let the naysayers get you down. Go tell it on the mountain!
To paraphrase that Lieutenant Hauk from Good Morning Vietnam:
"Sir, in my heart, I know that I'm a professor."
Silver lining: You can honestly say "I teach at such-and-such University."
Good luck on your interview!  |
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Alberta605
Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Posts: 94
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Well what is a professor other than somebody who professes to be something? So profess to profess and so on...good luck. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, this guy is about as much a professor as a Westgate employee. At least Russell Johnson's character claimed to have 6 degrees, but he still worked only for a high school. |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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Miyazaki, you are a hired gun ( I like that Glenski, though I am thinking of calling him a mercenary)!
And yes, you are a teacher, since that is what you were hired to do. A professor, no, but do take consolation, most of the people I work with aren't in a position to use that title either (including myself). |
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Vince
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 559
Location: U.S.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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As others have said, you're better off thinking about it as "teaching at a university" and taking the title with the grain of salt it's worth. The university might try to flatter you by addressing you as professor. If the prestige is all you want, it's your choice to bask. But when you compare your employment package to that of Dr. Honda the tenured and heavily published professor, your status won't seem so illustrious. Not to burst your bubble, but just to point out that the title of professor means more than teaching at a university.
If you want to test it, wait a few months and then tick somebody off. You'll be informed of the honne of the situation real fast. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:16 am Post subject: |
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| southofreality wrote: |
| G Cthulhu wrote: |
That's more of a statement about the nature of academia in the US than anything and the fact that a Masters is the terminal degree in some areas in the US - for anyone getting their knickers in a twist about it, substitute "terminal degree" for "PhD" and the arguement is good to go. |
He didn't say anything about a Masters being the terminal degree in some specific field, did he? If that were the case, there probably wouldn't be a need for those Masters degree holders to sit on Doctoral dissertation defense committiess, don't you think. 
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Agree entirely. But was far too tired and bored to be bothered with it. 
Looking at the rest of your post, perhaps I should have.
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It sounds like he was saying that even though most professors in a given field hold a PhD, there are those holding only Masters degrees that have become professors in the same field.
As for saying "That's more of a statement about the nature of academia in the US than anything...", what's your point? If his only experience has been in America, then that's all he can confidently talk about, isn't it? Are you saying with 100% confidence that this doesn't happen in other countries with reputations for having high level universities, like Germany?
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The point was that it places his argument in a context: he may not be aware that Masters degrees aren't usually terminal degrees in most places. Certainly are in some, but not in all that many IME. And the reason for pointing out *that* is simply that it's been my experience that far too many Americans tend to think and argue with the underlying assuption that the US system and experience is both the norm and only possible situation.
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Upon investigation, anyone can see with a quick internet search that most of the top 10, 50, 100, 500 best-ranked universities in the world are in the US. Yeah, I think the nature of academia at the university level in the US is pretty solid. Always room for improvement wherever you are, though. |
And what's your point? It's not important who's at the top (& I suggest you look at the THES Global rankings before you get too excited, because per capita the US doesn't come out all that hot) and no one is denying that the US doesn't have decent universities. If you want to make an argument of it, try looking at what the US *average* is: there's a *lot* of insitutions in the US and, quite frankly, they're mostly garbage. All IMO, obviously. Is this important or relevant to the thread? No, not one little bit. But then, I didn't bring that aspect up. I was simply trying to suggest that they might not be aware that Masters might not be terminal in some places. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:18 am Post subject: |
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| Gypsy Rose Kim wrote: |
| ripslyme wrote: |
It would be funny except that the OP really thought that Westgate was hiring him to be a professor or a regular faculty instructor. Well, that's funny in a different way.... |
Wow. You were right.
Just wow, wow, wow. And people are still fighting about this? |
I'm now seeing if I can sidetrack the thread and get the yanks upset. Wanna join in? |
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southofreality
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 579
Location: Tokyo
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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| G Cthulhu wrote: |
I'm now seeing if I can sidetrack the thread and get the yanks upset. |
Yes, we know that's part of your M.O.
That's why I won't be getting upset. |
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Miyazaki
Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 635
Location: My Father's Yacht
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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Hey all,
I did the interview a couple of days ago.
The interviewer told me that it will take them 10 business days to decide if they want to hire me for one of the professor positions or not. I elected not to teach children.
Will let you know if I get the uni position, but they Japanese guy that interviewed me never provided any feedback on how it went or if he liked my references. It was almost as if he was following a booklet and was glued to the structure of the interview as opposed to really getting to know who I am as a person and a teacher. It wasn't all that difficult either. I was anticipating some challenging tasks or activites related to EFL pedagogy or SLA and maybe even a conference call style interview with H.R. people listening in. But it didn't happen. Maybe they're happy with my education and experience and just wanted to hear what I sounded like.
I'm feeling confident, but you just never know.
Wannabe Professor Miyazaki. |
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Vince
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 559
Location: U.S.
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Miyazaki wrote: |
| It was almost as if he was following a booklet and was glued to the structure of the interview |
I just can't imagine that. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Miyazaki wrote: |
| Will let you know if I get the uni position, but they Japanese guy that interviewed me never provided any feedback on how it went or if he liked my references. |
Pretty standard no matter what job you interview for. Was this your first?
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| It was almost as if he was following a booklet and was glued to the structure of the interview as opposed to really getting to know who I am as a person and a teacher. |
Not surprising. You were probably just another number to him, as is the case in many interviews.
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| I was anticipating some challenging tasks or activites related to EFL pedagogy or SLA and maybe even a conference call style interview with H.R. people listening in. But it didn't happen. |
Again, not surprising, considering what you're going to be "teaching". Uh, you do know what "English Challenge" is, don't you? |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:29 am Post subject: |
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| southofreality wrote: |
| G Cthulhu wrote: |
I'm now seeing if I can sidetrack the thread and get the yanks upset. |
Yes, we know that's part of your M.O.
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Only when I'm bored, son, only when I'm bored. Most of the time I play nicely with the other children.
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That's why I won't be getting upset.
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You're no fun any more. |
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Nabby Adams
Joined: 08 Feb 2008
Posts: 215
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| Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:04 am Post subject: |
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Miyazaki, did the interviewer refer to the position as being a teacher or did he use the word professor?
Good luck with it anyway. |
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Miyazaki
Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 635
Location: My Father's Yacht
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| Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:51 am Post subject: |
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I dropped the "P" word a couple of times but he didn't respond negatively. He was pretty glued to his interview map.
Like I mentioned above, it was a real short and "by the book" interview. He probably had 50 other guys he was interviewing that day and wanted to burn through it. |
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Nabby Adams
Joined: 08 Feb 2008
Posts: 215
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| Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:39 am Post subject: |
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Does anybody know where the part time professors go between classes? If they don't get their own room as one poster claimed are they all bundled in together?
Miyazaki (and others) how do you like the students to address you? Back in the UK it was first name terms at my uni. MZak, will you be going by sensei? |
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