I'm catching up on email. Among the gems, one of my colleagues on a committee has just noted that having [a little life experience] in [a specific academic field], s/he could teach introductory classes in that field.
So, really, I, having eaten for many years, could teach introductory nutrition.
And my friend over in economics likes to read novels, so she could teach intro to lit classes.
What fun!
Except I think this committee colleague was serious.
And anyone with a gender could teach gender studies!
ReplyDeleteoh, my. when i was stranded in japan for a year, with 2 babies and a great need to get out of the house and do something else for a few hours a week, i applied to teach community college classes on a navy base.
ReplyDeletethey needed someone to teach real estate law. [not my field; and i hate that area of law.] true story: they said, "well, you're a lawyer, right? and you took this in law school, right?" not a shining moment in the history of academia.
well, then, going to church should qualify me to teach religion, too! who needs the phd? :P
ReplyDeleteOh, and I grew up in NYC, so I'm qualified to teach urban studies.
ReplyDeleteWell, the only way to handle this is with humor. If you address the utter contempt said person apparently has for those who do research in said field in which s/he has life experience, you'll lose your temper. Or at least I will.