Here's the scoop...

Sorry for sucking at posting lately.

This last week has been a lot of ups and downs for me. The downs have been mostly due to the fact that this will be the first month that I haven't received some sort income. I have NEVER EVER in my life been unable to contribute financially. It is rather suckish, to say the least. The ups have been more often, but almost more tentative. My husband is amazing, he does everything he can to cheer me up when I start to worry about money. He is working 50 hours a week to cover everything and never complains about me not working yet. 

Also, if you have remember, I left a rather vague post about the possibility of having a job, but didn't say anything else about it because I didn't want to jinx it. I have been spending the last week trying VERY hard not to worry about it and just let things happen as they will. The situation is this: I am a certified Secondary Social Studies teacher that hasn't had my own classroom in 2 years. I have subbed, but in every other subject possible...except math...we have a hate/hate relationship...I would've damaged children forever if I had to do more that proctor a math test. I made a random trip to the city school district last thursday while out running errands. I had sent in an application for a S.S. position, as well as subbing, if nothing full-time came up. The receptionist was great, someone had filed my teacher app under clerical (wth?) so she went through and checked all of my experience and made a list on the front of the app (it was a long list, I have taught or been involved with a LOT of different subjects.) She noticed that I did a long-term sub job at the other HS in town in Spanish and Drama.

She looked up and asked "Do you speak Spanish???"

Er, yeah...a little rusty but enough to teach level 1 and 2.

"Stay right here while I make a copy of your app."

Me: Um, sure...>.>

She comes rushing back into the lobby with a copy of my app and tells me that I need to go over to the HS RIGHT NOW and talk to the pricipal there. That they have a Spanish position open and haven't had ANY applicants and that "he would LOVE to speak to you!"

Not one to argue (hush, mom) I said "Yes ma'am, thank you very much!" and headed over to the school...

Did I mention it was 104 degrees, I barely had a touch of make-up on and was dressed semi-casually? (I usually don't dress up or put on make-up for errands, but randomly took an extra few minutes to doll myself up a little)

Well, she told me that he may not be there at that time, but to leave my app with the receptionist with my number, so I really wasn't expecting to have him walk into the office as I was introducing myself to Ms. K and telling her that Ms. P sent me over here about the Spanish position. He stopped in his tracks and leaned over to his AP and said "Wow, we are on a roll today!" He asked me to wait while he finished his current interview. I just kept thinking that it is a great thing that I have spent so much time in theater and food service, because I can switch on my game face and confidence like nothing else!

The interview went great, he was asking me all kinds of random questions not necessarily related to teaching, but I realized that he was "feeling me out" (not up, you pervs!) When I mentioned that my daughter was a sophomore and an amazing singer and was really disappointed that the choral program at her school (the other HS in the area) had been eliminated his eyes got big and he said "Well, you know, we are a performing arts school and have a great choral program. As an employee, your kids would qualify to come here."

Me: Oh?? (amg amg amg he is talking like he's already hired me!!!!) That's great, I think she'd really do well here.

So why am I not hired already? The only obstacle is the fact that I am not certified in Spanish, even though I can speak it. I had planned to take the Spanish Praxis this summer, but cash was super tight, the test is $80. The next test in in mid-September. So, after the Principal spoke to the Spanish teacher that I subbed for (she gave a glowing recommendation and he told her that he really liked me!) he called back this morning and said he thought that the impromptu interview went really well and he would love to have me on board. He needed to call his admin office and see what process was available to get me hired on without the Spanish endorsement. BUT that even if they couldn't find a way to get me in the classroom that there was another position there that he would be willing to hire me for just to get me in the door at the school. It would be as an ISS Instructor, and wouldn't pay certified salary, but...its a job, right? I told him that obviously I would prefer to be in the classroom but that if the lack of endorsement was an "immovable object" that I would definitly want to have the opportunity to get on at the school in any way so that I have a better chance at another position later.

Great, right?

 I have been really trying not to think about it, because I don't want to get my hopes up. But I feel really good about it, and for totally "superstitious" reasons.

Every time I have been hired for a new position, it has been within a week of the start of school.

Every time I have been hired at a new school, I wasn't actually planning on an interview that day.

Twice I have been hired to teach something other than my certified area and had to jump through hoops.

Everytime I have been hired I have had to completely build my materials from scratch, I have only taught the same subject from one year to the next once, my 1st and 2nd years.

(can I tell you how much it stinks to have to scramble to create all of those documents over and over again?)

Their colors are Red and Black....EVERY school I have worked in has had RandB as their colors.

Mr. Principal said he'd call me back later today with news.

Trying to keep busy...which leads to my next post!

<3

Between a Rock and the Proverbial Hard Place...

Any one that knows me or has read my blog knows that I am a teacher. I worked fulltime in my own classrooms for 6 years and have subbed for the last 2. I have, on several occasions, questioned my choise to stay in the career that I have always felt I was drawn to. I know that I have done good in my time in the classroom, I still get messages, texts, phone calls etc from former students, many of whom call me Mom.

The state of education as it is now is rather dismal. The environment in the schools is only part of it. The fact is, that many of us who went into education (for whatever reason) were told "you will always have a job, we will ALWAYS need teachers". Too many of us now know this to be untrue. Financial deficits has caused significant numbers of teachers and staff to be cut. Lack of funds and "low performance" (sometimes just a political load of crap) as well as the transient nature of the populace of most cities has led to the closure of numerous schools.

I know that I am a good teacher, in spite of the fact that I have been unable to find permanant employment in my chosen career. I was one of the more than 200 casualties of closing schools in my former city in Colorado. I was a 1st year teacher in district on a one year contract. I chose not to go back to the school that nearly put me in the hospital due to stress-related health issues. I was basically black-listed by the "interim administration" for not going along with the fixing of common assessment scores and standing up for my students' rights to have a safe and productive learning environment as well as my own rights as a teacher and human being. The next one and a half years I was the "favorite sub" in the 12 schools that I served. I had teachers call me 2 months in advance to make sure I would be available...especially in the middle and alternative schools.

 (For whatever reason, the "trouble kids" and I get along just fine  >.>)

I love the feeling of being rushed by kids when I walk into a school asking who I am subbing for and the reaction when they find out its one of their teachers(or not). It makes me feel good. That's what I want to do.

I want to teach.

I want my own classroom again.

I want to have the same kids every day.

I want to be able to connect with my kids and learn about who they are, who they are becoming, how they learn, how they interact with each other.

I miss that.

That's the rock.

Here's the hard place:

I haven't worked since the end of school.

Things are tight, but we're ok. Bills are paid, kids are "fat" and happy, if bored.

I know that I will probably work 4-5 days a week as a sub in the 2 districts in this area as a sub if I don't get hired on as a fulltime teacher. School starts August 5th and, so far, there are no positions available for my subject closer than an hour's drive away. (I would prefer to work close enough to get the kids off to school in the morning, even if we're not at the same school)

My husband's father found me a job.

He's got connections all over this small town and one of his good buddies is opening a big truck-stop type gas station and needs cashiers.

I have cabin fever like crazy from sitting at home all summer with 4 kids.

 I want to work.

But I am not sure if I want to take this job, even as part-time, because I KNOW that I can sub and make good money even if I don't get a full-time job. I am the kind of person that will stick with a job even if a better one comes open, especially if its only been a few months. ESPECIALLY since my FiL recommended me for it because he knows I want to work.

RAWR

I don't know what to do!