Too Eager to Please

Yesterday, I wrote about embracing adjuncthood. I certainly feel that this is important and we should teach because we love doing it and it allows us to do this and other things. There is, however, another side to this issue. Sometimes we can be too eager to please.

After teaching a class as an adjunct at one of the college's campus centers, I was asked if I could teach at a different campus center, a class to high school seniors who were taking my class for college credit and would be coming to the campus center. I readily agreed.

After I started doing this, I was asked if I could teach a three hour class, one day a week. Next I was asked if I could teach a class on the main campus. Whatever they asked me to do, I said yes. I taught two courses in a semester that required me to teach every day of the week (one on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; the other on Tuesday and Thursday). It takes me between 45 minutes and an hour to commute each way. Still, whatever they asked, I did.

I also adhered to the philosophy that I should dress for the position above what I wanted. None of the other professors (adjunct or Full-time) came in with jackets and many didn't even wear ties. I always wore a jacket and tie.

It occurred to me that I might be trying to hard. It occurred to me I might be too flexible. It occurred to me I might be making it too hard for them to hire me as a full-timer because I was become to valuable and flexible as an adjunct.

While I do, and will always, put a strong effort into teaching, I realize it is time for me to be aware that I am too eager to please and it is time to focus on what I enjoy but remember not to go overboard either.