Balik-UP

Have you considered going back to UP and teach?

After graduation, I had a teaching stint at UP before I explored the private sector. I switched from jobs here and there in search of meaning chos.

Sought adventure and got a scholarship to study postgrad, and now I’m applying for another postgrad to move to another country…this time to study a programme that will enable me to go back to UP and teach. Not sure if it is indeed the right decision. But who knows.

Pero super hanga ako sa mga kaklase kong nanatili sa UP. Or bumalik pagkatapos ng postgrad studies at nagturo muli sa UP.

Interested to hear your thoughts.

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I remember Ma’am Gev (later on Dean Gev of Engg) mention in our class that you need to be able to afford to teach in UP. Malaki talaga ang difference ng salary sa private sector. So either may enough source of alternative income ka, or you should be flexible enough to work as a consultant for the government or the private sector, in addition to your teaching load. Dean Gev actually does consultancy as an audio engineer. Siya nag design ng acoustics nung renovated na theater sa AS, kung tama pagkaalala ko.

May kilala din ako lumipat sa DLSU at dun nagturo. Kahit mas malaki yung sweldo iba pa rin daw yung satisfaction kapag UP students ang tinuturuan. Mas gusto niya nachachallenge. Pero di na afford yung mababang sweldo dahil tumutulong siya sa family niya.

I think taking postgrad studies is good in opening up opportunities by expanding your network. For now you may just see it as a step to teach again in UP, pero baka may iba pang options ka na makita pag nandun ka na. Can be teaching or working in that country, training other instructors, leading a start up, etc.

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I like that “you need to be able to afford to teach in UP”

Altruism is still good. But yes, we need to be pragmatic in our choices and decisions. Sana nga! Gusto kong maging retirement career ang pagtuturo.

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@davemacho - not sure kung nagkaa-abot tayo sa UP pero kumusta ang start-up ecosystem ng UP ngayon?

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^everyone just wants to be the next uber or grab with variations on the target market but this was before the COVID-19 lockdown when the traffic situation was unbearable…

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Interesting observation @slaine - I knew some people working in these unicorns and I have been prodding them to conduct workshops for UP students. I think these skills are much needed more now.

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Yes but to connect it to the thread topic, UP is so full of dinosaur faculty members who intentionally scheme and even deliberately oppose/frustrate any disruption to the status quo and prevent the entry of new blood and new thoughts / frameworks…

The unintended consequence is that kids in UP still get fed the old stuff and only learn about new paradigms outside UP, either in the workplace or when they study in other schools…especially abroad…

Moreover you get graduates that are heaped (or even brainwashed) in the classics which are mostly pre-20th or 20th century frames and none of 21st century learnings and emerging knowledge/body of work that are more fit to the current environment and beyond…

I look forward to the day when I can also teach everything I know now and even things I still have to learn…but not now when UP system doesn’t provide the enabling environment for new thought to come in…

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Naabutan ko lang yung TBI sa ASTI, along CP Garcia. At meron din bago nun sa NEC, Ideaspace yata yung nandun, kung tama pagka alala ko. Pero wala na ako masyadong balita ngayon. Hmm interesting that after all these years wala pang startup from UP that comes to mind.

Napansin ko na issue with start-ups is access to VCs. Yung founders ng startup namin which I worked for had to fly to SG and NY pa para mag pitch sa mga VC.

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Enterprise yung sa NEC dati. Tapos nagrebrand sila, UPSCALE Innovation Hub na ngayon.

https://upscale.upd.edu.ph/

Wala nga palang SSL certificate yung web site nila :sweat_smile:


I’m still on campus so I’m on the “should I teach” part.

Never really left UP. Worked for a UP project after grad. Finished my masters. Worked on another UP project after. Hesitating to teach as I feel that I don’t have anything valuable to teach the next generation yet. Will most probably leave once this project is over. Maybe work in a startup or get that PhD.

Will definitely come back though. I’m lucky enough that my home department (Geodetic Engineering) is a bit more progressive and the politics/drama isn’t that bad. I feel like I’ll have a place to come back to and finally pay it forward.

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Kung babalik man ako ng UP, hindi na para mag-aral pa… pasyal nalang ako. Di din ako pwede magturo sa UP dahil di naman kagandahan ang grades ko nun studyante ako. Average UP stude lang ako. hehehe Pero babalik balikan ko ang UP sa dami ng memories ko dito… :inlove:

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Going back to teach in UP has always been part of the plan, pero on a part-time capacity. I am working in the private sector, and I don’t think teaching full-time can pay the rent and fulfill my financial goals.

In the meantime, I float the idea to college teachers with whom I’ve kept communication, para maisip nila ako kapag nagka-opening sa department. :slight_smile: Hopefully makapagturo soon!

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Agree to this:

A friend who has 20+ years of experience in fashion, retail and business has been wanting to return and give back to UP. Ang dami lang daw requirements needed (degree/units) to teach in UP, kahit part-time instructor.

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