Retirement?

On August 19 I retired from Ivy Tech after being full time faculty for 10 years.  I was re-classified twice, once after my first year to Assistant Professor, then three years later to Associate Professor.  After my 9th year I was eligible to apply for full Professor, but since I planned to retire the next year, I chose to spend the time it would take to update my portfolio on being with my grandchildren instead.

Leaving Ivy Tech was difficult in that I love teaching, I enjoyed my classes at the college, and I had opportunities for growth that I would not have had if I had stayed at West Central.  Also I met so many interesting  people, on the faculty and staff as well as students.  Many of the faculty and staff will remain good friends.

One thing has surprised me during the last two months.  I don't miss the day to day teaching, planning, and especially the grading.  There have been no little nagging urges wishing I were back in front of the classroom, explaining how to set up criteria for an evaluation papers - or the 'cardinal sins' of intros and conclusion ("in this paper I am going to tell you about" and "in this paper I told you about").  There have been no desires to check blackboard and messages and emails several times a day to see if any students need help.

Much to my surprise I am really enjoying not spending my Saturday mornings grading online submissions in the American Lit classes and Sunday evenings working my way through the plan for Monday and Tuesday, double checking my bag for Rochester to be sure I have everything ready.  I don't miss those things at all.

Monday I stopped in at the campus to visit.  Leo and I had chatted and he said he really missed talking to me, so I suggested stopping on my return trip from lunch with Karen in Wabash.  As I was talking to Elizabeth (who replaced me) about our plans to attend a performance of the Nutcracker in December at Butler University, she said "Oh yes...the list of spring classes came out and I see you are teaching two!"  Really?  That was a surprise.  She pulled up the list, and sure enough.  My name was next to TWO sections of ENGL 223 online.  Interesting.  I had told Amy in the summer that I wouldn't mind teaching those if needed, but I had not been asked if I were still interested. Plus I felt a thud of dread when I saw my name right there in black on the list.

Then yesterday I received a '*DING* on my phone as I was driving home from Megan's house.  Ah...a message from Amy.  Probably asking me to teach those two classes.  But no.  She asked me to check my email for the note about revisions needed to the ENGL 223 shell and asked if, after I looked at the list, it would be doable by Dec. 15.

Yes, I created that class (which I had been teaching for 7 years in the current format with no problems).  Yes, I understood that the Lafayette IT people didn't like the format and requested changes for ENGL 222 and would probably request the same for ENGL 223.  Yes, I updated the 222 course to their specifications in August while I was under contract.

However...I am NOT under contract now.   There is no guarantee that I would be teaching that class because if it doesn't run, I obviously wouldn't be teaching it plus since I am no longer full time faculty, someone who is could 'bump' me out of it.  Also I haven't been asked to teach the class (just my name appeared on it) and I haven't agreed to teach the class and I am not sure I really want to do it (see the first few paragraphs of this blog entry).  Finally, go back to the first line of this paragraph. I AM NOT UNDER CONTRACT NOW.  I do not work for Ivy Tech right now.   The only pay I am getting is from my retirement funds and social security.  There is no Ivy Tech paycheck being deposited into my checking account and there hasn't been since Sept. 1.  I am not updating a course for Ivy Tech when I am not employed by Ivy Tech to do so.

Things to consider:  Do I want to teach the class?  Right now?  No.  I like doing what I am doing which is everything other than teaching and grading.

Would I want to update the course according to the format Lafayette prefers? I could. but it would take me two days to do it (based on the time it took for the update to 222) and I would not do it for free.  I would need compensation.

Finally, one of the DWLZ ladies mentioned this in a comment about the subject.  Do I want to burn the bridges and tell Amy I am just not interested anymore in teaching anything?  That might eliminate any possibilities of teaching in the future in the off chance I would want to down the road.

I have decided...one day at a time.  Step by step.  Right now my email account was deleted and if I don't change my password, I may have no access to Blackboard or Campus Connect to do anythng anyway.  If there is no compensation for updating, then I am out.  Lots of 'ifs' to consider.

Right now, as of tonight, I am retired.  I am not teaching.  I am not grading.  I am a Farmer's Wife.  I am a grandmother.  I am a quilter.  I am reading books I don't have to teach.  Life is good.   I want to keep it that way.