The summer is slowly winding down and I am turning my attention to my Fall courses. My two new course preps are causing a bit of anxiety, but the concern over course outlines and book choices is small in comparison to another question that is on my mind -- do I tell my students that I am a parent? My inclination is to tell them because I feel as if my identity as a parent intersects strongly with my role as an instructor. Not only do I see my students (incidentally, I teach graduate students) as colleagues and professionals, I now can't help but think of them as daughters, sons, and parents. The complexity of their lives and my significance as a role model is more apparent.
But, I am also concerned that my status as a parent may alter the way in which the perceive of my role as an instructor. Women academics already deal with students who discount their authority, expect women faculty to play a maternal role, and/or fail to recognize expertise and knowledge. Will my students expect me to be more sympathetic when it comes to family-related issues? Will they expect me to play a maternal role with them? Will they question my authority because I am a young woman with a child? Will they take me seriously? Will they question my "expertise"?
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Jamie, I've been following your blog on and off, and I think you are addressing some very important issues many times. I remember when Tom Valente guest lectured in my networks class and he immediately passed around pictures of his two young children. I thought that it was utterly charming, but I think partly my reaction was because he is a man. I've always thought that men have the ability to make every appearance of being pro-family with less of the costs. I think your worry about what to say to students is totally merited. My feeling is if you tell students you are a new parent, it may inspire multiple opportunities to discuss the issues surrounding the intersection between academia, education, and family. As you said on an early post, it makes you more of a role model when you don't hide from those fears. But as a new instructor, I will tell you that I too know what is like to worry that my expertise and knowledge is questioned. I am barely older than most of my grad students, so I feel like I don't command authority. We have to remember we were hired because they believed we had something to offer their students, not because they expected us to be unable to do so.
BTW This is the only blog I read.
My best to you,
Jeff
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