In Australia, most Ph.D. students are fully funded by scholarships to allow them to focus on their research. This is unlike in the USA where many students must be TAs (teaching assistants) to be paid.
In most Australian universities, such Ph.D. students can earn extra income by being tutors (same as TAs) for undergraduate courses. Many do, as earning extra money is attractive. Ph.D. students doing teaching saves universities tons of money as it means they don't need to hire and pay permanent academic staff to do this tutoring.
What is my advice to students who have this option? Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages for a Ph.D. student doing such tutoring.
Advantages
You earn additional income.
Having teaching experience listed on your CV may help you get a faculty position at some institutions. For example, in Australia, this seems to be almost a pre-requisite these days. Furthermore, if you can be innovative, and get high student evaluations, that may be viewed favourably. But that really concerns lecturing and not tutoring.
You usually learn a lot from teaching, even lower-level courses.
It can be enjoyable and satisfying. It can provide a break from thinking just about your Ph.D. research.
If you are fortunate enough to eventually get a faculty position this experience will make it easier to handle the formidable challenges of starting out teaching.
It may create some goodwill towards you in your department. You may be seen as a team player and a good departmental citizen.
You may need the money. For example, if you are supporting a family or if you are from a Majority World country and want to send money home to extended family.
Disadvantages
Foremost, it can consume a large amount of time and energy that reduces your research productivity. It reduces your mental space. You may lose research momentum and not complete your Ph.D. on time.
There can be a significant financial opportunity cost. Suppose that doing the teaching delays you completing your Ph.D. by six months. The lost six-month salary will probably be much greater than the amount you earned from doing the teaching.
It can be frustrating to deal with students who are not that interested in learning and are only concerned with grades. Furthermore, there may be the added stress of having to deal with students who make formal complaints about your teaching or their grades.
It may not add a lot to your CV, particularly if your student evaluations are average. They will probably be average or even below average since you are starting out.
If you don't do a stellar job and/or there are a few disgruntled students your reputation in the department may suffer, perhaps unjustly.
On balance, I think it depends on the individual: their personal financial situation, personality, career goals and stage in the Ph.D. In some cases, I encourage people to do this, although only for one or two semesters. In other cases, I discourage it. The main thing is to make a well-informed decision which takes into account the pros and cons.
Students also need to be wary of the vested interests of faculty and university management that will push them towards teaching, possibly against the student's best long-term interests.
Aside. I often forget what posts I have written in the past. I really thought I had written this post before. All I could find is one on Should postdocs teach?
I welcome comments, particularly from current and former Ph.D. students who have negotiated this issue. What would you advise?
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