I consider going for broke and teaching next year. I'm wondering how this will impact finding work at firms in the future (if I don't just start my own)? Is teaching seen as a positive leadership attribute? Are there firms that will see this as a negative attribute/liability?
From your experience, does teaching make it harder or help to get a job as a practitioner for mid-level folks? for senior-folks?
My teaching experience has helped me gain access to firms that are doing more interesting work - however it made no difference with the corporate or traditional offices.
minuses: you're going to be tied to people's negative associations of academia. IMHO, you don't want to work for someone who doesn't respect the work of teachers, but just be prepared to be seen as "one of them."
positives: you'll suddenly make a lot of "friends" who are interested in being a critic for your studio. you'll have a little more power in the community - however there are going to be people who will try to take that power away.
thanks toaster, you confirmed my general thoughts. I just want to make sure that I'm not closing any doors by climbing into the ivory tower to check out the view...
Not related but I have a similar issue with my background in journalism as it makes up the biggest chunk of experience on my resume (4 years at 5 publications congruently).
Even though I mostly was the art director and a back up columnist, I get lumped in with people's perceptions of how the "media" functions like I'm sort of Arianna Huffington.
It is equally as bad because presentation and communication skills are sought after for entry-level skills but not if they're tied to traditional newspaper business? I would say my graphic design and communication skills are far above par but the only offices, NGOs, non-profits or governments that will even consider them are ultra-liberal areas.
I think maybe this overlays? I remember once writing an article about aspects of planning from the viewpoint of staunch conservatism and got lectured by a "conservative" that it was to academic and therefore liberal.
Well, when you become a professor... have fun trolling liberterian magazines about the necessity of architecture and urban planning.
Teaching shouldn't hold you back. If anything it should help you find a job in the future.
Being part of a university should help you network and lay inroads to firms in the area. Try running studios with local practices as critics or even chose a studio project that is a real project currently in the planning stage.
If an office doesn't hire you because you spent a year or two teaching then you don't want to work for that firm. Corporate offices may only look at actual work experience but any decent design firm that thinks about theory or has a conceptual approach to design should look at teaching as a valuable asset.
Please dont go back,.. good god, currently we have these architects who claim to be teachers yet have no clue on how to teach! I’m sorry to be so rude about it however I’m paying for my class and im not learning anything (and it’s not only me but the whole classes), just wasting TIME and MONEY!
so please don’t waste ur time ( since such thing doesn’t sound appealing to u) however don’t waste other’s time
tk - it'll really only hurt you if you go around making a big deal about it.
even though it isn't required, I highly recommend taking education courses that count towards certification at teaching in higher ed. Having this certification will make you more desirable to good programs if you plan on making a career out of academia, and most importantly you will be a more effective teacher if you spend time closely evaluating your own teaching. oh - and also learning why some things work better than others, and why you should never try to emulate your old profs.
i thought when someone want to teach, he/she has something to explore with students and take advantages of the academic environment to deepen the understanding in architectural issue or something fundamental that needs to educate future architects....
n
not just i'm out of work, wonder how future arch office will see me being a teacher... or how can i extend my network... n so on...
i had the same feeling with TenaciousArchitect2b when i was a student...
being teacher is a profession, is not like oh, i'm out of work, lets go to flip burger instead...
I'm about to make the same decision, and I think I'm going to jump out as well. I feel like doing anything in the industry helps during this mess, and I'm going to get licensed in the meantime. I'll jump back in on an upswing and when I hit a point where the $ is better at a firm than in the studio...
Apr 7, 09 4:07 pm ·
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from practice to teaching and back?
I consider going for broke and teaching next year. I'm wondering how this will impact finding work at firms in the future (if I don't just start my own)? Is teaching seen as a positive leadership attribute? Are there firms that will see this as a negative attribute/liability?
From your experience, does teaching make it harder or help to get a job as a practitioner for mid-level folks? for senior-folks?
My teaching experience has helped me gain access to firms that are doing more interesting work - however it made no difference with the corporate or traditional offices.
minuses: you're going to be tied to people's negative associations of academia. IMHO, you don't want to work for someone who doesn't respect the work of teachers, but just be prepared to be seen as "one of them."
positives: you'll suddenly make a lot of "friends" who are interested in being a critic for your studio. you'll have a little more power in the community - however there are going to be people who will try to take that power away.
thanks toaster, you confirmed my general thoughts. I just want to make sure that I'm not closing any doors by climbing into the ivory tower to check out the view...
Not related but I have a similar issue with my background in journalism as it makes up the biggest chunk of experience on my resume (4 years at 5 publications congruently).
Even though I mostly was the art director and a back up columnist, I get lumped in with people's perceptions of how the "media" functions like I'm sort of Arianna Huffington.
It is equally as bad because presentation and communication skills are sought after for entry-level skills but not if they're tied to traditional newspaper business? I would say my graphic design and communication skills are far above par but the only offices, NGOs, non-profits or governments that will even consider them are ultra-liberal areas.
I think maybe this overlays? I remember once writing an article about aspects of planning from the viewpoint of staunch conservatism and got lectured by a "conservative" that it was to academic and therefore liberal.
Well, when you become a professor... have fun trolling liberterian magazines about the necessity of architecture and urban planning.
Teaching shouldn't hold you back. If anything it should help you find a job in the future.
Being part of a university should help you network and lay inroads to firms in the area. Try running studios with local practices as critics or even chose a studio project that is a real project currently in the planning stage.
If an office doesn't hire you because you spent a year or two teaching then you don't want to work for that firm. Corporate offices may only look at actual work experience but any decent design firm that thinks about theory or has a conceptual approach to design should look at teaching as a valuable asset.
That is my philosophy at least.
Lucas Gray
www.talkitect.com
Please dont go back,.. good god, currently we have these architects who claim to be teachers yet have no clue on how to teach! I’m sorry to be so rude about it however I’m paying for my class and im not learning anything (and it’s not only me but the whole classes), just wasting TIME and MONEY!
so please don’t waste ur time ( since such thing doesn’t sound appealing to u) however don’t waste other’s time
Thank u kindly :)
office to grad school to teaching to office has worked well for me.
tk - it'll really only hurt you if you go around making a big deal about it.
even though it isn't required, I highly recommend taking education courses that count towards certification at teaching in higher ed. Having this certification will make you more desirable to good programs if you plan on making a career out of academia, and most importantly you will be a more effective teacher if you spend time closely evaluating your own teaching. oh - and also learning why some things work better than others, and why you should never try to emulate your old profs.
i thought when someone want to teach, he/she has something to explore with students and take advantages of the academic environment to deepen the understanding in architectural issue or something fundamental that needs to educate future architects....
n
not just i'm out of work, wonder how future arch office will see me being a teacher... or how can i extend my network... n so on...
i had the same feeling with TenaciousArchitect2b when i was a student...
being teacher is a profession, is not like oh, i'm out of work, lets go to flip burger instead...
treekiller,
I'm about to make the same decision, and I think I'm going to jump out as well. I feel like doing anything in the industry helps during this mess, and I'm going to get licensed in the meantime. I'll jump back in on an upswing and when I hit a point where the $ is better at a firm than in the studio...
Block this user
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