Free Sample
The Complete Guide to Becoming A Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary
What you'll really do, what you'll really earn, and whether you have what it takes to teach philosophy and religion at the college level
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Does a Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary Actually Do?
What Does a Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary Actually Do?
If you're considering this career, you're probably picturing standing at a podium in front of a lecture hall, offering profound observations about the nature of existence while engaged students nod in eager agreement. That image isn't wrong — it's just incomplete. The reality of being a postsecondary philosophy and religion teacher (the formal government title for this occupation) involves far more time spent grading, preparing, and sitting through meetings than it does delivering eloquent monologues. This chapter will give you a ground-level look at what the job really entails, from the essential tasks you'll perform weekly to the environment you'll work in and the people you'll interact with.
Let's start with the core responsibilities, because they are not what most people assume. Yes, you will teach. But teaching at the college level only occupies a fraction of your total working hours — typically between six and twelve hours per week in the classroom, depending on your institution and whether you're full-time or part-time. For every hour you spend in front of a class, you'll spend three to four hours preparing. That preparation includes reading primary texts you've already read many times, writing new lecture notes, designing slides or discussion prompts, and updating your syllabus to reflect new editions or changes in the institution's requirements. It's not glamorous work, but it's the foundation that makes a good class possible.