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I'm still employed full time as a developer (US) but 3.5 years ago began teaching as an adjunct for a career college. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career. In this setting, the students range from newly high school graduates (or GEDs) to working adults with grandchildren. The instant respect you receive from most of the students is a high in and of itself but as you begin to realize you are aiding in shaping someone's future, it can be awe inspiring.
Yes, the pay is not good, hence my involvement as an adjunct while keeping my full time employment. In my situation, I also needed a Master's level degree in order to teach all BS level courses. I've taught java, javascript, C++, C#, html, css, SQL. I've taught Android development, database design as well as ASP.NET and php/MySQL development.
Not only has it been rewarding to me, it has made me a much better employee for my full-time employer. My skills are sharper and remain sharp and at the same time I relate better to my fellow employees/team members.
modified 5-Nov-15 13:12pm.
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I transitioned from development to teaching at a university in South Africa for a few semesters. It was challenging and exciting in that I got to teach some of the fundamentals of computer science to some first years.
I had two big frustrations which would cause me to think twice about doing it again. The first is that there was such a range of skill levels among the students - from not ever having turned on a computer to being proficient in scripting. It was very difficult to make the class stimulating to the experienced students while not leaving the inexperienced ones behind.
The other was that while some students try hard to succeed, others will give the impression that they're understanding but then hand in something they copied off the internet which is totally unrelated to what you've asked them to do.
Teaching does help you to have an even better grasp of the subject material and allows you to explore questions and ideas that are interesting but for which you do not have time to do if you're getting paid to develop.
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It probably depends on the University. I actually went the other way around from an university teaching job to co-found a start up very long time ago and I loved it.
it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.
modified 20-Oct-19 21:02pm.
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You should be commended on your plans. Taking your experience into the world of education could benefit a lot of young people.
However, in the United States, college level instructors are now being exploited to such a degree that a huge percentage are just "adjunct professors", which is a pleasant term for "contract worker". What used to be a rather secure career is now nothing more than another consulting gig with all the drawbacks and insecurity that such a position brings.
A friend of mine attempted to the same thing you are now considering, though he was coming from the accounting profession. With the US economy as it is he was only able to get substitute work in high-schools and some tutoring gigs. For tutoring he did a short sting at the Huntington Learning Centers until he found out how poorly he was being paid. On Long Island, NY he was getting $12 an hour while the centers were raking in 3 to 4 times that much.
It is a noble impulse on your part but it is one for another era unfortunately...
Steve Naidamast
Black Falcon Software, Inc.
blackfalconsoftware@ix.netcom.com
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In the early 1990's I taught "Intro to micro-computers" at Tulane University College in New Orleans, for a couple of years. It was an enjoyable experience. I quit the gig to move to Charlotte, NC to work with an old business partner.
This might be an excellent way of getting your "feet wet". to teach on a part time basis to find out if reality matches up with expectations.
Warning... I also worked for a couple of years, in a non-teaching capacity, at LSU Medical School. Academia is a closed and viciously competitive and mostly stagnant environment. So be prepared for that aspect of the job, if you decide to pursue it full-time.
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I taught VB6 to career changing Russian immigrants in the evenings back in the late 90's. Three nights a week and three hours a night.
I had fun teaching it because I wasn't there to test them, I was there to teach them to be colleagues. So it was open book tests and I didn't mind them talking to each other. The primary criteria was "Did it work?"
One lesson was teaching them how to write a four function calculator using infix notation. Since it required deferred execution of the operations, this was the class that separated the programmers from the non-programmers. It was interesting to see the light of inspiration come over some of their faces and for others to see the light go out. I'd then know which were the ones I would have to spend extra time with to get them to understand that you had to be able to look into the future to see the consequence of the instructions they were assembling.
Some just could not grasp that concept.
I tried to make sure the instructional books I choose for the class could overcome any failings I had as an instructor.
Psychosis at 10
Film at 11
Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.
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A very important part of teaching is explaining something to people in a way that it makes them interested and that motivates them to learn more about it.
Also, you will find many indifferent and distant people who never involve themselves in what you teach no matter what you do.
Source: I was a teacher first, then a developer. 
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First of all, you are going to need a Masters degree to teach at a college level. If you don't already have one, you might be able to teach as an assistant while getting one. Private industry mostly counts on your ability. Academia mostly depends on degrees and certificates.
I taught mainframe diagnosis and programming for Itel/National Advanced Systems/Hitachi Data Systems for 20 years, then C++ for Computer Learning Centers in the evenings for a few months. For the most part, it was satisfying work, and I learned a lot about teaching and learning. Here are a few things I learned:
When I taught the same class repeatedly, I first learned how much I didn't know, then became an expert and quickly became bored to death until I learned it so well that it was easy and I could simply concentrate on getting along with the students.
You should expect to spend a significant amount of time preparing your lessons, even if there is a textbook. In my first job, I was given a few months to write my own objectives, textbook and lab exercises from what I could learn from the design engineers and reference manuals. In the second job, I was given a textbook and expected to start teaching immediately. I thought I could wing it, but found that the textbook did not have enough examples, so I programmed my own examples on the spot, changing them on the fly to illustrate concepts. Most of the students did not like that. They wanted to simply copy down what I wrote, to try to understand later. Making changes only messed up their notes. The best thing to do is to have all of the examples preprinted and passed out, then the students will have less pressure and you can discuss the concepts with them.
People have different learning styles, but most people learn by doing, not listening. So, long lectures are not advisable. Short examples and coding exercises done on the spot are best. Because both I and my students had other lives, we didn't have much time for homework, so I tried to have all the work done in class or lab.
Patience and empathy are absolute requirements. About 15% to 20% of my students were able to understand what I told them and program and invent unique solutions immediately. They were fun to work with. Most of the rest would work slowly through the exercises and could probably perform OK in well structured jobs afterwards. A few at the bottom may wrench your heart and take up most of your time. If it weren't for previously agreed upon contracts or job assignments, you might like to just tell them to go do something else with their lives, but can't.
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As a full time job? Do you have a PhD? If not, the best you can expect is a low level assistant or adjunct job. Doesn't pay much. I've been doing it for a few years since retiring from my "real" job. A lot of frustration. Very few success stories.
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I've taught in 2 small community colleges for 9 years. The first 5 years were great. The last 3 years were bad. Students are now the Millennium Generation. They come into your class, sit down and don't study, read the text or take notes. They then fail. The dean of science then says that you can't fail so many students, you must give them a 'C".
So do you homework first and go to the school you want to teach at and talk to the Adjuncts (not full time teachers - mostly at night)
Many of the colleges where I am are like that - you must give them a C 
The Irishman
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Well, I have the equivalent of about 20 years' teaching experience in a tremendously diverse array of settings. I could write an essay, nay a book, aimed at answering your question. Some of my experience was really painful, some of it was fun. It depends first of all on where you work: sector (the higher the better), college and country. Countries like the UK have, what I would call, damaging institutions like Ofsted and the QAA with nonsensical legislation that tends to clog things up until you can't do your job. HE escapes some of the toxic red-tape, though the QAA is apparently campaigning to change all of that. Administrators can make your job worthless, so try to find a college which really lets you get on with your job. Teaching is a very difficult job and is certainly no easy option. Maybe do a training course first and get some experience as a part-time teacher before you commit. I am self-employed, I decided long ago that I didn't want to get too entwined in red-tape by becoming an official college employee. This also gives me some control over workload, which if left to administrators escalates exponentially.
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I'm thinking of leaving my job and going into the construction industry. At least at the end of the day I'll have something concrete to show for my effort.
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I said something similar to my boss yesterday. without having any puns in mind.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.
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If I changed job and became a driving test examiner, would I be failing to protect the public?
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Carpentry wood be better!
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I'd go into rocketry so i can finally shoot off my enemys feelings
Rules for the FOSW ![ ^]
if(this.signature != "")
{
MessageBox.Show("This is my signature: " + Environment.NewLine + signature);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("404-Signature not found");
}
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Been there, done that. Modern systems are boring. Sign up where they still use this old monster.[^] Not very precise, but big, powerful and makes a big fat BANG.
For even more BANG, use the XL warhead instead of the HE. No joke. That was its official designation.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.
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I was more thinking of going to places... like space and stuff... but blowing things up sound also very good, getting money for destroying things? IM ON!
Rules for the FOSW ![ ^]
if(this.signature != "")
{
MessageBox.Show("This is my signature: " + Environment.NewLine + signature);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("404-Signature not found");
}
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Thinking of changing jobs?
Everyday.
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You'll be building a reputation also!
New version: WinHeist Version Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye-
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I don't know, some people will use any excuse to avoid work
Auntie[^]
I hope he used that 30 minutes to its full extent
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Had he left it in he (or the worm?) could have ran for political office.
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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He was luck the worm didn't have cancer![^]
=========================================================
I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka.
=========================================================
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Good morning the Worm, your Honor... 
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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I have sent a report to them as it seems to be the only way to contact them over their website here in Australia.
It is chocker block full of Elephants and Sunshines, it also asks them to insert a pineapple backwards.
I have given them my mobile to call on and the one in the account spells Elephant Off or Elephant You.
Got an email advising they were to send me new contacts and charge my credit card. I set up the Easypay last year as I got a dicount voucher that was large but ran out too quickly. It was also how my Optometrist of 24 years advised it is to be done from then on. Not any more, I will pay the extra to get it ordered by the Optometrist.
I cancelled the Easypay, deleted the order (or so I thought) and tried to delete my credit card. Can't do any of it.
Michael Martin
Australia
"I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible."
- Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004
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