Monday, July 14, 2008

To Apply or Not To Apply

So my undergraduate university is hiring a historian. It is a position I could apply for. In fact I did apply for it 3 years ago and got a phone interview - but the position ended up getting cancelled. But I'm in a slightly different place in my life now.

1. Have gotten tenure.
2. Bought a house.
3. Divorce is finalized (and I've realized I can do all the parenting-type things alone without having my parents nearby).
4. Took on a small administrative role, which has lowered my teaching load a bit.
5. The job description does not EXACTLY fit what I've been doing/teaching for the 9 years. About 1/2 the job is teaching in my minor area, which I've done before but it was a LONG time ago.

I guess this is all reasons for NOT applying.

On the pro-applying side. I'm a bit worried about where my current institution is headed. Some of the decisions they've made lately were ill-advised and I haven't seen much effort to fix it. I would be in the same town as my extended family - and although I don't NEED to be that close, it would be nice for the kids to be around their cousins and grandparents. And well, who hasn't dreamed about teaching at the ol' alma mater?

Any advice?

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

2008 History AP Exams

I graded history ap exams last month and the document question was on the war in Vietnam. Some of the amusing answers that I read include:
  • The men sent to Vietnam had no intention of succeeding or returning home. This was a major strategy problem for the U.S. military.
  • Before the Gulf of Tonkin resolution there was an incident known as the sinking of the Lusitania.
  • The Vietnam War followed great foreign policy traditions such as Manifest Destiny, the Monroe Doctrine, and Eisenhower's Annex to the Monroe Doctrine.

Fun stuff!