Patiently awaiting a phone call on a job interview I went on. They said they would call this afternoon. It is now 4:32 PM. I plan on turning down the job. Crazy, I know. Here is why:
It is a 40 minute commute, no traffic.
They want me to teach drama after school till 5:00 every day. Dress rehearsals and shows could last all night.
This would have me getting home at 6:00 (with rush hour traffic) at best. It is more likely I would arrive home at 6:30.
No one has called........yet.
I mean, come one. You can only get so much sugar for a dime. I am desperate for that dime but I really want to see my daughter grow up. She is 10 months old.
I would leave this house by 7:00 and get home around 6:00. After washing bottles and feeding her, it would be time to go to bed. When would I have time to grade papers? Work on lesson plans?
I have to have faith that He has a plan for me.
Patiently awaiting.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Job Interview
I went on a job interview today. It was out in the boon docks. A small but nice school. I would be teaching two 9th grade classes (collaborative) and three "senior" classes... I would be preparing the students to graduate. Should know something by Tuesday. Fingers crossed!
Word to the wise: Know your philosophy of education and be prepared to state it!
Word to the wise: Know your philosophy of education and be prepared to state it!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
The Printer Monster
I would like to print my cover letter....please.
This is what I plead to the HP printer monster. He says my ink is expired. I say it is only a year old and completely full. He says fine. And then promptly shuts himself off and refuses to turn back on.
I shall get my old printer and outsmart current printer monster. I buy new printer ink ($28) and shove it in its mouth.
Remove and check cartridge
Arrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........................
This is what I plead to the HP printer monster. He says my ink is expired. I say it is only a year old and completely full. He says fine. And then promptly shuts himself off and refuses to turn back on.
I shall get my old printer and outsmart current printer monster. I buy new printer ink ($28) and shove it in its mouth.
Remove and check cartridge
Arrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........................
Monday, June 3, 2013
Why I left my old job
Well, it looks like I am back on the market. The job market that is.
Why did I leave my old job you ask? FIRST, thank you for asking. Second, I do not know WHY I do not have a job. If you are a teacher, perhaps this answer makes sense to you. Let me explain: If you do not have tenure, they (administration) do not have to give you a reason. So I am left to speculate. I speculate that I had a baby this year andthey she did not like that I had to take off 6 weeks. Three of the people "let go" took medical leave this year. Two took maternity leave (yours truly was one). This is only my first grievance (besides the fact that I still owe 10 days to the sick bank and it will be deducted from my paycheck).
I was hired last year in November to take the place of a teacher that left due to the whole retirement/insurance fiasco. Read more here: http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/11/466_alabama_teachers_retiring.html
Now, I have been working in the school system since 2007 as a special education paraprofessional and a long term substitute. I had definitely paid my dues. I was a one-on-one aide for a student that was physically abusive. Worked with her for three years. We both changed each other's life and I love her for it. But I digress. So I was hired in November to teach English. And teach, I did. Glowing reviews. The principal, assistant principal, and fellow teachers loved me. But then May of 2011 came and so did all new administration. A female with something to prove.
The first thing to happen to me was what my my students call, "The Room Psychologist" aka horseshoe lady. She came along and rearranged my room (during 6th period as students watched on). She made all the desks into a horseshoe shape...it didn't work. She told me I needed more Post-it note activities. I incorporated Post-it note activities out the wazoo. We would meet, as I was a "new" teacher, and she was to impart me with her vast knowledge. Instead, she squandered the time talking about how she hated the new boss, what pins she had pinned on Pinterest, and what websites the system allowed her to go to. I would sit there and smile and nod. I would bump into her in the workroom and listen to her talk about other teachers. I had to hear her laugh about her "boyfriend" (a fellow teacher that was old and gray). Yet I could not say much because she was a [somewhat] superior. I aired my grievances about her unprofessional comments and actions to my lead teacher, who then went to the principal. He told her that I did not want to be filmed by her and her iPad (her latest idea to torture new teachers). The trust was not there to participate in such an exercise as that. He informed her that there was some unprofessional comments that she has made and suggested she talk to me. She never met with me and cancelled appointments to do so. Could this have been the reason? I should add that Horseshoe Lady was never the wiser. I can get along with anyone. Beelzebub himself...but I don't have to like him. How does she still have a job, I ask? She squeezes herself into inappropriately tight and ill-fitting dresses. Her jewelry is from lost and found (I caught her wearing a monogrammed bracelet I had turned in to LAF a week earlier...not even her initials).
When she came to our school she brought a staff load of people from her old school. She even demoted the head custodian so that her former custodian could lead our school to cleanliness (the school has never been dirtier). Perhaps she has a friend at her old school that would like my former position.
She did observe me once. For 45 minutes. We were in the computer lab working on peer editing. If that observation did not go well, why not come observe the teacher again IN HER ACTUAL CLASSROOM? Oh no, that makes too much sense. If you are going to let someone go, ruin her dream career, change her life, you owe it to them to observe again. She said that I didn't write the daily objective on the board. Remember, we were in the computer lab...I write the objective daily on the board in my classroom. She would not know this as she has never graced me with her presence. I should also add that this was a surprise observation. She said I had a positive rapport with students and a low stress environment. She also said that two students went to the bathroom and that, because of that, I had not stressed the value of the day's lesson. Could it be that it was 6th period? An hour after lunch? Did it matter that they waited until I was finished with the lecture and everyone was working? She said they were all actively engaged. I feel like she was looking hard for nit-picky items. If this was the feedback I received, what was the problem?
I am a good teacher. A damn good teacher. I care. I come to school every day and CARE. I work every weekend. I am the last teacher to leave school every day. I love my students, and they love me. I can prove it too. I had a student donate money to the school in my name. Parents have called that woman requesting that their child be placed in my room next year. But there will not be a next year.
When word got out that I was to be let go, nine people called and emailed on my behalf. Board members to fellow teachers to parents. Did she stop to rethink? No.
A few days before the board met she let teachers know that she was going to ask the board for the contracts not to be renewed. She did this in the tackiest way ever. During my seventh period class, I received a knock on the door. I was taken out of class and led to the office. I sat down and was informed that my contract would not be renewed. She also told me that I could take this time if I needed it because "my classroom was covered." I told her that I had to get back to class because we were going on a field trip and my kids needed ME. Really, you had to do it during class? Could you have not called me during one of my off times? How about after school? Before school? How tacky can one person be? Word spread like wild fire about the mass firing:
"She did what?"
"You are kidding me!"
"What is she trying to prove?"
"How degrading"
"How embarrassing!"
One poor teacher after the other. Boom, boom, boom. Life changed forever. Thank you very much.
I'm embarrassed and ashamed. For what? I know in my heart that I am a great teacher. I know that I have done nothing wrong. She is the one that should be ashamed for the way she has handled herself.
So, I am dusting myself off and hitting the pavement. Wish me luck world. I'm going to need it.
Why did I leave my old job you ask? FIRST, thank you for asking. Second, I do not know WHY I do not have a job. If you are a teacher, perhaps this answer makes sense to you. Let me explain: If you do not have tenure, they (administration) do not have to give you a reason. So I am left to speculate. I speculate that I had a baby this year and
I was hired last year in November to take the place of a teacher that left due to the whole retirement/insurance fiasco. Read more here: http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/11/466_alabama_teachers_retiring.html
Now, I have been working in the school system since 2007 as a special education paraprofessional and a long term substitute. I had definitely paid my dues. I was a one-on-one aide for a student that was physically abusive. Worked with her for three years. We both changed each other's life and I love her for it. But I digress. So I was hired in November to teach English. And teach, I did. Glowing reviews. The principal, assistant principal, and fellow teachers loved me. But then May of 2011 came and so did all new administration. A female with something to prove.
The first thing to happen to me was what my my students call, "The Room Psychologist" aka horseshoe lady. She came along and rearranged my room (during 6th period as students watched on). She made all the desks into a horseshoe shape...it didn't work. She told me I needed more Post-it note activities. I incorporated Post-it note activities out the wazoo. We would meet, as I was a "new" teacher, and she was to impart me with her vast knowledge. Instead, she squandered the time talking about how she hated the new boss, what pins she had pinned on Pinterest, and what websites the system allowed her to go to. I would sit there and smile and nod. I would bump into her in the workroom and listen to her talk about other teachers. I had to hear her laugh about her "boyfriend" (a fellow teacher that was old and gray). Yet I could not say much because she was a [somewhat] superior. I aired my grievances about her unprofessional comments and actions to my lead teacher, who then went to the principal. He told her that I did not want to be filmed by her and her iPad (her latest idea to torture new teachers). The trust was not there to participate in such an exercise as that. He informed her that there was some unprofessional comments that she has made and suggested she talk to me. She never met with me and cancelled appointments to do so. Could this have been the reason? I should add that Horseshoe Lady was never the wiser. I can get along with anyone. Beelzebub himself...but I don't have to like him. How does she still have a job, I ask? She squeezes herself into inappropriately tight and ill-fitting dresses. Her jewelry is from lost and found (I caught her wearing a monogrammed bracelet I had turned in to LAF a week earlier...not even her initials).
When she came to our school she brought a staff load of people from her old school. She even demoted the head custodian so that her former custodian could lead our school to cleanliness (the school has never been dirtier). Perhaps she has a friend at her old school that would like my former position.
She did observe me once. For 45 minutes. We were in the computer lab working on peer editing. If that observation did not go well, why not come observe the teacher again IN HER ACTUAL CLASSROOM? Oh no, that makes too much sense. If you are going to let someone go, ruin her dream career, change her life, you owe it to them to observe again. She said that I didn't write the daily objective on the board. Remember, we were in the computer lab...I write the objective daily on the board in my classroom. She would not know this as she has never graced me with her presence. I should also add that this was a surprise observation. She said I had a positive rapport with students and a low stress environment. She also said that two students went to the bathroom and that, because of that, I had not stressed the value of the day's lesson. Could it be that it was 6th period? An hour after lunch? Did it matter that they waited until I was finished with the lecture and everyone was working? She said they were all actively engaged. I feel like she was looking hard for nit-picky items. If this was the feedback I received, what was the problem?
I am a good teacher. A damn good teacher. I care. I come to school every day and CARE. I work every weekend. I am the last teacher to leave school every day. I love my students, and they love me. I can prove it too. I had a student donate money to the school in my name. Parents have called that woman requesting that their child be placed in my room next year. But there will not be a next year.
When word got out that I was to be let go, nine people called and emailed on my behalf. Board members to fellow teachers to parents. Did she stop to rethink? No.
A few days before the board met she let teachers know that she was going to ask the board for the contracts not to be renewed. She did this in the tackiest way ever. During my seventh period class, I received a knock on the door. I was taken out of class and led to the office. I sat down and was informed that my contract would not be renewed. She also told me that I could take this time if I needed it because "my classroom was covered." I told her that I had to get back to class because we were going on a field trip and my kids needed ME. Really, you had to do it during class? Could you have not called me during one of my off times? How about after school? Before school? How tacky can one person be? Word spread like wild fire about the mass firing:
"She did what?"
"You are kidding me!"
"What is she trying to prove?"
"How degrading"
"How embarrassing!"
One poor teacher after the other. Boom, boom, boom. Life changed forever. Thank you very much.
I'm embarrassed and ashamed. For what? I know in my heart that I am a great teacher. I know that I have done nothing wrong. She is the one that should be ashamed for the way she has handled herself.
So, I am dusting myself off and hitting the pavement. Wish me luck world. I'm going to need it.
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