The beginning of August brings a bittersweet taste. Locally, school won't begin for another month, but the back-to-school advertisements are filling the television and newspapers. School supply sales abound, and many folks are taking their last real vacation before another year of catching the bus, homework woes, and making healthy but edible lunches begins. Summer heat remains, and vegetables grow into full size for harvest. Berries and cherries, peaches and plums, the best of the summer fruit, are available in the grocery stores, along country roads, and at weekly farmer's markets. And teachers begin to review their notes from last spring, select themes for the classroom, and peruse Pinterest for new ideas.
That is, if you are employed. The unemployed teachers continue to scan the job listings, apply to newly posted positions, and resign themselves to another year of subbing.
The piece of advice I have heard most often is, "don't take it personally". In the first few years, I was happy to substitute. I got to practice my classroom management, I didn't have to determine grades or deal with serious academic issues, and I worked fairly often. I didn't take the lack of positions as a personal affront. And then I took on a couple of long term sub assignments. By then, my classroom management had improved, I felt confident working with students and teachers and parents, and I could handle the issues that come up in classrooms. I developed (appropriate) relationships with the kids in those classrooms. We laughed, we learned, we worked together. I became a teacher in those days... it's hard to explain exactly, but now I realize that I did. I graded work, examined my own teaching and worked directly with students who needed extra help. I spoke with parents and counselors and other teachers on how to help my students, how to best support them, what other things had I not yet thought of? I took pride in my student's achievements, and I took it to heart when they failed. Walking back into a classroom a week after the regular teacher had returned to his duties, I was surrounded by cheering students, anxious to share with me their latest news and stories. I took that personally, you betcha.
I was advised that if I wanted to be seen as a "real" teacher, then I needed a "real" teaching job. So I moved away from my family, my home, my mentors, and my friends for a "real" teaching job. It was a tough year. I learned a lot, I worked 12-14 hour days, and I continually worried about my class. I bought my own curriculum, I searched high and low at hardware stores for items we needed for science experiments, and I gave my all to my students. And I was delighted to do it.
After a year of "real" teaching, I returned home, and returned to subbing. Not nearly as busy as I had been before I had left, I spent my year looking for positions, wondering what to do, and taking in all of the changes. The once a week Spanish teacher was replaced with Rosetta Stone programs in the computer lab. Common Core headlined every standard, and class sizes were past 30. "Don't take it personally" repeated through my mind constantly.
Here is my question. How? How do I not take it personally? All I want to be doing right now is finishing up on lesson plans based on my previous experience, and organizing myself for the incoming classroom. I want to be reviewing files and seriously thinking about how best to approach this new group of minds. When it is something so integral a part of you, how do you not take it personally?
If you figure it out, please clue me in.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Teachers "get" the summer off? What an outrage...?
In recent local news, there is a representative in Washington who is lambasting teachers for asking for a raise in pay. She says that teachers have the weekends, evenings, and summers off, that teachers knew they were going into a sector which did not pay well, and that they have excellent benefits.
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/lawmakers-facebook-post-blasts-teachers/nYTkm/
Huh.
Perhaps she needs a little education. Teachers are paid for their number of days of work - usually about 180 days. I know that some districts provide the option to spread the salary over the entire year (instead of receiving pay only during the 9 months of a school year), so that teachers will receive a paycheck during the summer. It is still the same amount of pay. They are not getting paid for their summer off.
The term "summer off" riles up a lot of teachers I know, and here is why: the summertime is the best time of year to catch up on the latest teaching trends, updating professional knowledge, and attending seminars. Which most teachers I know, pay for out of pocket. The state licensing requires that you complete X amount of credit hours before issuing a new license. And we pay for the license, too. For example, my license costs $100. That does not include the classes I took in order to earn the license - over $1000 spent there. Guess who pays for the professional development that we take while enjoying our "summers off"? Oh, that's right, we do. Some districts used to pay for the development, but that was cut when we first starting trimming budgets. I have worked with a teacher for the past four years every summer to review and update lessons, units, and teaching strategies. Discussion of what we have seen in class, in schools, and in the news allows us to determine whether we are serving our students to the best of our ability. And as we adopt new curriculum (Common Core), teachers will spend their time off learning how best to incorporate those requirements. I don't think that qualifies as "summers off".
Many teachers I know spend evenings, weekends, and summers with their second job, which is typically mentoring or tutoring students, one on one. How many representatives spend their "off hours" working a second job which is making up for the lack of political leadership? I say this because large class sizes (we are talking in the teens for private schools, thirties in elementary, and sixty students and more in high school classes), affect the quality of teaching. Behavioral and Special Education students require more one on one time in the classroom, which is provided - however, with a larger class size, comes more of these students, which means that the other students are left without that extra attention. And so they come into teacher's homes, or meet at the local library for tutoring and assistance. How many teachers spend their evenings with a stack of papers to grade on their laps, not really focusing on their own families? How many weekends are spent planning lessons, buying supplies, and entering grades? Does this representative think that teachers get paid overtime for this? There is no overtime when you are a teacher. We do, however, get to pay back our student loans for our Masters or Doctorates in Teaching, Counseling, Education, or Administration.
I wonder who paid this representative's access to office supplies. My guess is the taxpayers, of whom teachers are a part. Who pays for school supplies in the classroom? After the district, it's the teachers, along with the parents who are able to school shop with their students. And when you have 30 kids in a classroom, with conservatively half of whom don't have school supplies, that cost stacks up. And yet, teachers supply their students with everything they can provide to give each student the best chance at learning. So teachers spend their "summers off" watching the sales, so that they can spend their own money to provide supplies for their next batch of students. For example, Dixon Ticonderoga yellow pencils run about $2.79/dozen. Estimate a dozen pencils per student in the school year, and you are looking at about $83 out of pocket expense.
This representative is right, people who chose the teaching profession did not choose it because of low pay. Does that mean that teachers don't have the right to seek reasonable pay for their work? Perhaps if all the teachers became legislators, we would see some quality education in this country. And I would invite legislators to spend an entire day in a classroom. I suspect they would change their tunes pretty quickly. How many legislators have to deal with groups of people who spit, bite, have bloody noses, throw up, cough, or urinate (sometimes all in one day)? Do they have to take yearly courses in infectious disease, child abuse, and sexual assault? Teachers get to do all of that, and more.
I saw a post on Facebook recently about some possible responses to critics of summer break, and I think perhaps this under educated representative might need to take a peek at it...
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/2013/06/five-responses-critics-summer-break?eml=Teachers/e/201306018/Facebook///SMO/Teachers/TopTeaching/Christy/
Last but not least, it is important to note that legislation to re-work the teacher pension system is definitely needed. But when teachers who have not had any pay increases in several years certainly have a right to ask for it. Particularly when the political leadership spends taxpayer dollars with no thought about where it is coming from.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart to the teachers out there... and for the people who have a clue as to what teachers do every day, whether school is in session or not.
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/lawmakers-facebook-post-blasts-teachers/nYTkm/
Huh.
Perhaps she needs a little education. Teachers are paid for their number of days of work - usually about 180 days. I know that some districts provide the option to spread the salary over the entire year (instead of receiving pay only during the 9 months of a school year), so that teachers will receive a paycheck during the summer. It is still the same amount of pay. They are not getting paid for their summer off.
The term "summer off" riles up a lot of teachers I know, and here is why: the summertime is the best time of year to catch up on the latest teaching trends, updating professional knowledge, and attending seminars. Which most teachers I know, pay for out of pocket. The state licensing requires that you complete X amount of credit hours before issuing a new license. And we pay for the license, too. For example, my license costs $100. That does not include the classes I took in order to earn the license - over $1000 spent there. Guess who pays for the professional development that we take while enjoying our "summers off"? Oh, that's right, we do. Some districts used to pay for the development, but that was cut when we first starting trimming budgets. I have worked with a teacher for the past four years every summer to review and update lessons, units, and teaching strategies. Discussion of what we have seen in class, in schools, and in the news allows us to determine whether we are serving our students to the best of our ability. And as we adopt new curriculum (Common Core), teachers will spend their time off learning how best to incorporate those requirements. I don't think that qualifies as "summers off".
Many teachers I know spend evenings, weekends, and summers with their second job, which is typically mentoring or tutoring students, one on one. How many representatives spend their "off hours" working a second job which is making up for the lack of political leadership? I say this because large class sizes (we are talking in the teens for private schools, thirties in elementary, and sixty students and more in high school classes), affect the quality of teaching. Behavioral and Special Education students require more one on one time in the classroom, which is provided - however, with a larger class size, comes more of these students, which means that the other students are left without that extra attention. And so they come into teacher's homes, or meet at the local library for tutoring and assistance. How many teachers spend their evenings with a stack of papers to grade on their laps, not really focusing on their own families? How many weekends are spent planning lessons, buying supplies, and entering grades? Does this representative think that teachers get paid overtime for this? There is no overtime when you are a teacher. We do, however, get to pay back our student loans for our Masters or Doctorates in Teaching, Counseling, Education, or Administration.
I wonder who paid this representative's access to office supplies. My guess is the taxpayers, of whom teachers are a part. Who pays for school supplies in the classroom? After the district, it's the teachers, along with the parents who are able to school shop with their students. And when you have 30 kids in a classroom, with conservatively half of whom don't have school supplies, that cost stacks up. And yet, teachers supply their students with everything they can provide to give each student the best chance at learning. So teachers spend their "summers off" watching the sales, so that they can spend their own money to provide supplies for their next batch of students. For example, Dixon Ticonderoga yellow pencils run about $2.79/dozen. Estimate a dozen pencils per student in the school year, and you are looking at about $83 out of pocket expense.
This representative is right, people who chose the teaching profession did not choose it because of low pay. Does that mean that teachers don't have the right to seek reasonable pay for their work? Perhaps if all the teachers became legislators, we would see some quality education in this country. And I would invite legislators to spend an entire day in a classroom. I suspect they would change their tunes pretty quickly. How many legislators have to deal with groups of people who spit, bite, have bloody noses, throw up, cough, or urinate (sometimes all in one day)? Do they have to take yearly courses in infectious disease, child abuse, and sexual assault? Teachers get to do all of that, and more.
I saw a post on Facebook recently about some possible responses to critics of summer break, and I think perhaps this under educated representative might need to take a peek at it...
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/2013/06/five-responses-critics-summer-break?eml=Teachers/e/201306018/Facebook///SMO/Teachers/TopTeaching/Christy/
Last but not least, it is important to note that legislation to re-work the teacher pension system is definitely needed. But when teachers who have not had any pay increases in several years certainly have a right to ask for it. Particularly when the political leadership spends taxpayer dollars with no thought about where it is coming from.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart to the teachers out there... and for the people who have a clue as to what teachers do every day, whether school is in session or not.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Money and Class Sizes
I was finally called two days prior to Halloween to substitute for the first time this school year. I was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with my phone. So into one of the newer schools I walked, and into a Kindergarten classroom of 30 kids. No, that is not a typo. 30. 3-0. THIRTY. Now, I did have an aide who worked in the classroom... she had other duties until 9:30, so I had the kids to myself for an hour and a half. Try taking attendance and getting an accurate lunch count with a bunch of kindergartners who don't know you and who are scheduled to have "choice time" right off the bat. Oh, and also try to figure out who the problem kids are since the teacher didn't leave that kind of info. Oh, and she also forgot to let me know how she calls attention in the classroom, how she disciplines, etc, etc. But I digress.
What I am hearing from others is that this is a typical number. 30 kids per classroom. From this experience, I can tell you that no teaching ever happened. I was playing a steroid hyped game of whack a mole all day long. Aside from the parade of parents who came in to help (and I had been given nothing to give them to do) and the administrators who came in to talk to the constant pencil stabbing kid, I was in a state of chaos. I'm not sure I can even say controlled chaos. I have taught a class of 28 before, although they were 4/5 graders, not age 4/5. I could handle the 28, because they knew how to behave, what was expected, and so forth. Kindergartners are a whole different story.
So now that the election is over, I am starting to see reports of how much money was spent on the election - you know, those really annoying ads vilifying the "other guy" that we are all thankful we no longer have to be subjected to, and should include travel, hotel, and gas expenses...
Here are some links to some interesting monetary expenditures:
http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/campaign-finance
Obama and Romney raised close to 15 million ($15,000,000). If one was to divide that equally into each of our 50 states, that would be $300,000. How many teachers could work then? And how would that affect class sizes?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/nov/5/virginia-senate-race-tops-52m-outside-spending/
This article by the Washington Times speaks to several Senate races in states like Virginia, Wisconsin, and Ohio. 52 million dollars in just Virginia. How far could that money have gone to lower class sizes and employ teachers? 52 million divided into 50 states gives over a million dollars to each state. $1,040,000 to be exact.
So when we are told that we don't have money, I find it a bit hard to choke down. The money is there. It's just being held by people who don't care about education, evidently.
What is worse, on a side note, is that several states had issues allowing people to vote... Florida had long lines, Hawaii ran out of ballots... so places hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy were able to get folks in to vote, but Hawaii... RAN OUT OF BALLOTS? Yet another issue...
I realize I am a little rambly here. The point, my point, is that all of that money that everyone complains is not available, is really available, just not accessible for education. To promote self serving politicians, yes, but not to educate our youngest citizens.
Which returns me to class sizes. The more teachers we employ, the smaller the class size, which means the more attention each student is likely to receive from the teacher. The better the teacher can assess student performance, assess his/her own teaching performance, and get down to the essentials of teaching students to think. The more teachers we employ, the more taxpayers we have. The more teachers we have, the more other businesses, local ones in particular, are helped by teachers shopping for their classrooms. The more teachers we have, the more educated our young have the opportunity to become. The more teachers we have, the differentiated we make our classrooms, and thus, the more inclusive.
Maybe instead of spending all those millions on one job, we could spend those millions on thousands of jobs, and affect millions in the future generation.
What I am hearing from others is that this is a typical number. 30 kids per classroom. From this experience, I can tell you that no teaching ever happened. I was playing a steroid hyped game of whack a mole all day long. Aside from the parade of parents who came in to help (and I had been given nothing to give them to do) and the administrators who came in to talk to the constant pencil stabbing kid, I was in a state of chaos. I'm not sure I can even say controlled chaos. I have taught a class of 28 before, although they were 4/5 graders, not age 4/5. I could handle the 28, because they knew how to behave, what was expected, and so forth. Kindergartners are a whole different story.
So now that the election is over, I am starting to see reports of how much money was spent on the election - you know, those really annoying ads vilifying the "other guy" that we are all thankful we no longer have to be subjected to, and should include travel, hotel, and gas expenses...
Here are some links to some interesting monetary expenditures:
http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/campaign-finance
Obama and Romney raised close to 15 million ($15,000,000). If one was to divide that equally into each of our 50 states, that would be $300,000. How many teachers could work then? And how would that affect class sizes?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/nov/5/virginia-senate-race-tops-52m-outside-spending/
This article by the Washington Times speaks to several Senate races in states like Virginia, Wisconsin, and Ohio. 52 million dollars in just Virginia. How far could that money have gone to lower class sizes and employ teachers? 52 million divided into 50 states gives over a million dollars to each state. $1,040,000 to be exact.
So when we are told that we don't have money, I find it a bit hard to choke down. The money is there. It's just being held by people who don't care about education, evidently.
What is worse, on a side note, is that several states had issues allowing people to vote... Florida had long lines, Hawaii ran out of ballots... so places hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy were able to get folks in to vote, but Hawaii... RAN OUT OF BALLOTS? Yet another issue...
I realize I am a little rambly here. The point, my point, is that all of that money that everyone complains is not available, is really available, just not accessible for education. To promote self serving politicians, yes, but not to educate our youngest citizens.
Which returns me to class sizes. The more teachers we employ, the smaller the class size, which means the more attention each student is likely to receive from the teacher. The better the teacher can assess student performance, assess his/her own teaching performance, and get down to the essentials of teaching students to think. The more teachers we employ, the more taxpayers we have. The more teachers we have, the more other businesses, local ones in particular, are helped by teachers shopping for their classrooms. The more teachers we have, the more educated our young have the opportunity to become. The more teachers we have, the differentiated we make our classrooms, and thus, the more inclusive.
Maybe instead of spending all those millions on one job, we could spend those millions on thousands of jobs, and affect millions in the future generation.
Friday, September 7, 2012
First Week of School is Over
So it's Friday, and the first week of school is officially over. I survived that angst ridden official first day of school as an unemployed teacher. Phew. I signed up to be a sub in my old district, so I am ready to start receiving those crazy morning phone calls.
The best part of this week was reading through the excited posts from my friends who finally - and deservedly - landed full time jobs this year. A friend who is teaching in Ecuador is enjoying his position, and it is with such excitement and pride that I read through his blog. Another friend who landed a last minute kindergarten job is also briefly posting updates, and I am so thrilled for her, as she stayed true to the one district she wanted most to teach in. I am also in touch with another friend who has been teaching in Vietnam for the past 3 years, and she generously has shared her daily journey with me via phone calls and e-mails. All of these experiences that I am observing from afar allow me to "stay in the game" and learn from other teachers' experiences, just as I might in teaching at a school like a normal person. It's nice to feel included, even if I am working vicariously though others.
Another fun part of the week is seeing all of those pictures of children of friends who are starting school... the eager faces, the new clothes, the stiff nylon backpacks, and the proud parents digitally downloading all of the images for all to see. While I delighted in watching my god-daughter board the bus for the first time, I wanted so much more to be on the receiving end of that same bus. And yet, had I been on the receiving end, I never would have had that opportunity.
So for now, I have to sit back and await the trill of the phone. And while I wait, I can lesson plan with the CCSS in mind, look into charter school establishment, research STEM schools, and take breaks from cleaning the house by playing with my dogs. Not such a bad life. Hard to make the transition, but once I begin to ease into it, the angst of unemployment will fade.
The best part of this week was reading through the excited posts from my friends who finally - and deservedly - landed full time jobs this year. A friend who is teaching in Ecuador is enjoying his position, and it is with such excitement and pride that I read through his blog. Another friend who landed a last minute kindergarten job is also briefly posting updates, and I am so thrilled for her, as she stayed true to the one district she wanted most to teach in. I am also in touch with another friend who has been teaching in Vietnam for the past 3 years, and she generously has shared her daily journey with me via phone calls and e-mails. All of these experiences that I am observing from afar allow me to "stay in the game" and learn from other teachers' experiences, just as I might in teaching at a school like a normal person. It's nice to feel included, even if I am working vicariously though others.
Another fun part of the week is seeing all of those pictures of children of friends who are starting school... the eager faces, the new clothes, the stiff nylon backpacks, and the proud parents digitally downloading all of the images for all to see. While I delighted in watching my god-daughter board the bus for the first time, I wanted so much more to be on the receiving end of that same bus. And yet, had I been on the receiving end, I never would have had that opportunity.
So for now, I have to sit back and await the trill of the phone. And while I wait, I can lesson plan with the CCSS in mind, look into charter school establishment, research STEM schools, and take breaks from cleaning the house by playing with my dogs. Not such a bad life. Hard to make the transition, but once I begin to ease into it, the angst of unemployment will fade.
Monday, September 3, 2012
WARNING: Cranky and Angry Post
WARNING: If the post title did not warn you, I am warning you yet again. This is a post based on personal observations and is not happy, positive, or perky. Read at your own risk.
The local paper ran a headline that bemoaned the local unemployed folks and how they were facing the end of their unemployment benfits. It also talked about how unemployment was like hopelessness. Huh. http://www.oregonlive.com/money/index.ssf/2012/09/oregonians_out_of_work_for_mon.html
The article talked about how it was really hard to stay positive when looking for a job. One guy they interviewed said he had applied to just over 100 jobs. (Catch up to my 300+, dude, and then we'll talk.)
I wonder how many people know that teachers who can't find jobs are not able to collect unemployment? And that you cannot collect unempoyment during the summer months. I wonder how many people know that when applying to teaching jobs, you are up against literally hundreds of other applicants - all for ONE position? (Yeah, that's right, I said hundreds. This is based on repeated personal experience.) I wonder how many people have had to move out of state, even out of the COUNTRY, away from their families, just in order to get a job? (I know there are a lot of people who are doing this!)
I also wonder how many people who HAVE jobs remember to be thankful for having their jobs? I wonder how many people who bitch about their jobs ever think about all of the people in this country who are struggling every day to get a job.
I wonder how many people have walked into a school office and literally had the door closed in their face? And how those same people hired some 22 year old with NO experience because a principal in another district said she was a great teacher. These of course, are the same people who tell you "not to take it personally".
Try that on for size and stay positive. Am I angry? You bet. Am I tired of all of the bemoaning of how long unemployment benefits last? Am I sick to death of people who bitch about their jobs? Absolutely.
I wish people would simply think before they speak.
OK, Rant over.
The local paper ran a headline that bemoaned the local unemployed folks and how they were facing the end of their unemployment benfits. It also talked about how unemployment was like hopelessness. Huh. http://www.oregonlive.com/money/index.ssf/2012/09/oregonians_out_of_work_for_mon.html
The article talked about how it was really hard to stay positive when looking for a job. One guy they interviewed said he had applied to just over 100 jobs. (Catch up to my 300+, dude, and then we'll talk.)
I wonder how many people know that teachers who can't find jobs are not able to collect unemployment? And that you cannot collect unempoyment during the summer months. I wonder how many people know that when applying to teaching jobs, you are up against literally hundreds of other applicants - all for ONE position? (Yeah, that's right, I said hundreds. This is based on repeated personal experience.) I wonder how many people have had to move out of state, even out of the COUNTRY, away from their families, just in order to get a job? (I know there are a lot of people who are doing this!)
I also wonder how many people who HAVE jobs remember to be thankful for having their jobs? I wonder how many people who bitch about their jobs ever think about all of the people in this country who are struggling every day to get a job.
I wonder how many people have walked into a school office and literally had the door closed in their face? And how those same people hired some 22 year old with NO experience because a principal in another district said she was a great teacher. These of course, are the same people who tell you "not to take it personally".
Try that on for size and stay positive. Am I angry? You bet. Am I tired of all of the bemoaning of how long unemployment benefits last? Am I sick to death of people who bitch about their jobs? Absolutely.
I wish people would simply think before they speak.
OK, Rant over.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Kindergarten is not my path...
I woke up early after a fitful night of sleep punctuated with thoughts of bilingual labels and math manipulatives for five year olds. Got dressed in heels (you know I never do that!) and put together all of my professional paperwork together. Showed up to the school and ended up giving my card to one of the other kindergarten teachers who spoke with the principal. He wasn't interested in talking to me, and already had 6 interviews lined up for the day. Oh well.
So that was the end of that venture. What I realized is that I feel good for the attempt. I have no regrets for trying.
Yes, I am disappointed. Is kindergarten my dream job? No. But it would have been an in, an entry towards my dream position. It would have been a challenge, an adventure, and terrific experience.
So the path I need to take is not this one. OK, I can accept that. So I am still looking to find the path that is mine. As long as I keep on trying, I have no regrets.
So that was the end of that venture. What I realized is that I feel good for the attempt. I have no regrets for trying.
Yes, I am disappointed. Is kindergarten my dream job? No. But it would have been an in, an entry towards my dream position. It would have been a challenge, an adventure, and terrific experience.
So the path I need to take is not this one. OK, I can accept that. So I am still looking to find the path that is mine. As long as I keep on trying, I have no regrets.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
On the Cusp
I have been mentally preparing to get back into subbing for the district in which I both was trained and worked. The first step was to pay for and take the video training on child abuse, sexual harassment, and bloodborne pathogens. (That one has to do this yearly is another topic.) Then I submitted a copy of my license in order to obtain a small yellow paper card saying that the educational district has a copy of my teaching license. The district I want to sub in has posted hours each Tuesday in order to sign up. Naturally I hurried up to get the training completed on Monday to be ready to sign up as soon as little card appeared in the mail. Today is Wednesday, and it showed up. Of course. So I wait until the first day of school, next Tuesday, in order to go to the district office during the anticipated hours.
As I was eating my dinner, a frantic phone call came in from a dear friend. This friend has several children who have all attended the local elementary school, and wrote a letter to the principal on my behalf, in the hope that he might look at me closely during the last week of summer as enrollment numbers rose. She and two of her girls were at the school to drop off school supplies and meet the teachers. While they were there, it came to her attention that they were going to have to hire another teacher at the last minute. She called me to tell me I should apply and to show up tomorrow in order to be interviewed. So I filled out the online application. And I will head over there tomorrow.
So it's a kindergarten position. I'm more of an upper grades teacher. The classroom is naked and holds only desks and some hopeful students. I've never taught in this district before. I've never met the principal. I have to brash and bold to meet him and get an interview. That's not exactly my way.
I want the job. OK, I want to work. This would give me an opportunity to work and get into a district. I'd be able to live with my husband and work full time.
Did I mention it is kindergarten? Tiny kidlets. Tears and 10 minute lessons. Nap time and clapping and rhyming.
We will see what happens tomorrow.
As I was eating my dinner, a frantic phone call came in from a dear friend. This friend has several children who have all attended the local elementary school, and wrote a letter to the principal on my behalf, in the hope that he might look at me closely during the last week of summer as enrollment numbers rose. She and two of her girls were at the school to drop off school supplies and meet the teachers. While they were there, it came to her attention that they were going to have to hire another teacher at the last minute. She called me to tell me I should apply and to show up tomorrow in order to be interviewed. So I filled out the online application. And I will head over there tomorrow.
So it's a kindergarten position. I'm more of an upper grades teacher. The classroom is naked and holds only desks and some hopeful students. I've never taught in this district before. I've never met the principal. I have to brash and bold to meet him and get an interview. That's not exactly my way.
I want the job. OK, I want to work. This would give me an opportunity to work and get into a district. I'd be able to live with my husband and work full time.
Did I mention it is kindergarten? Tiny kidlets. Tears and 10 minute lessons. Nap time and clapping and rhyming.
We will see what happens tomorrow.
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