Freelancer to Professor: How to Land Your Dream Teaching Gig with Jenna Spinelle

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Hey freelancer, have you ever considered teaching at a university?

Our guest, Jenna Spinelle, is a freelance writer, podcaster, and instructor at Penn State University. She shares her inspiring journey from freelancer to professor and reveals how YOU can leverage your freelance skills to teach the next generation. Learn how to identify your unique teaching niche, approach universities with confidence, and craft a winning pitch that will land you in the classroom.

This episode is packed with actionable advice and will show you how your freelance experience can be your greatest asset in the world of academia.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to identify transferable skills from your freelance work that are valuable in the classroom
• Practical steps to take to approach a university about teaching a course
• What to expect when teaching a pre-existing course vs. developing a new one
• Tips for classroom management and establishing student trust
• The earning potential of adjunct faculty positions

About Jenna Spinelle

Jenna Spinelle is a writer and podcaster who tells stories that inspire hope and change in trying times. She hosts and produces the Democracy Works podcast and the narrative series When the People Decide, both productions of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State. She teaches courses on news writing, podcasting, and the creator economy at Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. Her writing has appeared in outlets including Time magazine, Inside Higher Ed and Current, a trade publication covering public media.

Visit Jenna’s website.
Click here for full show notes.

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Capíttulos

1. Freelancer to Professor: How to Land Your Dream Teaching Gig with Jenna Spinelle (00:00:00)

2. Jenna Spinelle’s background in podcasting and freelance journalism (00:03:25)

3. Jenna’s transition into teaching and the importance of lifelong learning (00:05:49)

4. The value of understanding foundational principles (00:07:37)

5. Why freelancers are perfectly positioned to teach at universities (00:09:21)

6. Being entrepreneurial within big institutions (00:11:58)

7. Dispelling the myth of needing a PhD to teach at a university (00:13:01)

8. Practical strategies for approaching a university about teaching a course (00:14:12)

9. Crafting a compelling pitch email to a department head (00:16:42)

10. Compensation for adjunct faculty positions and considerations for workload (00:18:20)

11. The preparation involved in teaching a pre-existing course vs. a new one (00:20:59)

12. The importance of establishing classroom management and student trust (00:21:25)