New job!
Brace yourselves, this is going to be a long post!
I've obviously been looking for a teaching job for the last year. There were very few posted over the summer and even into the school year. I did apply for the ones that came up, but no interviews. The only interview I had this year was back in May for a 1/2 time kindergarten job for the fall. Since then, I just got called to interview for that long term sub job a few weeks ago.
When I wasn't having any luck getting teaching jobs by September, I decided to apply for teacher assistant jobs. There are no benefits and the work days are the days when kids are attending. The pay rate, even for certified teachers, is the same as substitute teaching. I figured being a certified teacher would at least get me an interview. I applied for several in Grand Haven, where I really want to get a teaching job, and no interviews. A half-time job was posted in Spring Lake, closed Monday, and still no call for an interview on that one. And that's even for a building where I've been a regular sub all year.
I recently came across a posting for a full time 3rd teacher assistant in Zeeland Public Schools. Zeeland is about a 40 minute drive from here on good weather days, meaning in winter that could easily become 80 minutes. It's a great district, but because of the distance, it's not one where I'd be likely to look for a teaching position. Plus I don't like 3rd graders. ;-) But I decided it wouldn't hurt to apply for the job and I did. Then I got called for an interview with a few days of applying. I decided it wouldn't hurt to go on the interview, but I really didn't know what I'd do if I was offered the job.
The interview went very well. It was the first time I've been on a teacher assistant interview so I felt very naked without my portfolio that no one ever looks at anyway. The principal was very nice, we were mostly chatting and not so much interviewing. One of her actual interview questions was to tell her about a child with a behavior problem and how I'd handled it. I found myself telling her about K., my demon kindergarten student from three years ago who made me want to give up the profession. So since I didn't come out on top in that story, I also told her about a temper tantruming child from the year prior to that who I got down from a tantrum every 30 minutes to once or twice a week. She said the staff was a very close-knit group, not at all cliquey like some staffs can be. They all eat lunch together and every Wednesday is treat day so they all enjoy the treats together. I got a very good feeling from the principal and all she had to say about the staff. She also said that Zeeland and Grand Haven look at each other as being comparable in curriculum so knowing how Zeeland works means knowing how GH works and vice versa. She said there's three other teacher assistant from Grand Haven who work in her building so carpooling was possible with them. She said I'd hear from her by the end of the day about the position, either way.
I immediately began trying to figure out what I'd do if she offered me the job. But by the time I went to bed on Monday, I still hadn't heard from her. So I assumed I wasn't being offered the job which meant that the decision was made for me. On Tuesday, I was really off my game and ended up leaving my phone at home when I went to work. Sure enough, when I got home, I had a message from the principal offering me the job. Oh crap. Now I had to figure out what to do!
I talked to so many people when trying to make the decision: Jeff, my parents, my old principal, my cousin who used to live in Zeeland, my older sister and even the other teachers who live in GH and work there. My first message to the principal asked for the names and numbers of the teachers who lived in GH so I could talk to them since the distance was the big thing holding me back. After a long talk with Jeff, I went to bed that night thinking that I would take the job. (He said it didn't really matter to him either way, but that he thought it would be best for my mental health to take the job so I'm not left alone talking to the cat all the time.) I woke up Wednesday morning deciding not to take the job because the winter driving was going to stress me out and I wanted to be here for opportunities in GH and SL. Then I talked to the principal Wednesday afternoon and asked about whether or not the time worked counts towards my retirement (subbing does not because I work for an outside company and not a school district). She didn't know for sure, but gave me the HR number to call and find out for sure. That woman said that it does. So that becomes a major factor now. I talked to the GH teachers after school that day for a few minutes and they both raved about the school. It's the first year working there for both of them, but they really like it and the drive isn't so bad (though winter hasn't hit yet!). They said I'd be welcome to get in on the carpool, though I'd probably have to meet up with them at someone's house because I live farther away then they do. After them, I talked to my big sister for awhile. At first, she was on the side of not taking the job, but by the end of the conversation, she'd come around to taking the job. Steady work, good district, retirement days, easy job.
So after a good 36-48 hours of deliberation, I finally called the principal to accept the job. I thanked her for giving me so much time to make my decision and apologized for taking so long. I start on Monday.
I'm excited to finally be part of a school community again, but I'm really going to miss subbing. I've really loved it and getting to know so many different people. It bums me out that I'm no longer available for long term jobs, etc. Walking down the halls yesterday at the school where I've been at most of the year was really sad. I've been there enough now that everyone knows me and lots of kids say hi to me or give me a hug when they see me. But it's been so hard to even get an interview at either of these districts, that I have to let go and move on. Maybe having this teacher assistant job and the districts already having lost me as a great sub will get me interviews next year. We'll see.
For now, I'm looking forward to Monday and hoping that these 3rd graders aren't going to be as bad as I think. ;) Oh yeah, the details on the actual job! There are three 3rd grade classes there, all with about 26 or so students. The principal hired two assistants who will work among the three rooms. So I'll at least have a partner in crime -- who is also from Grand Haven. If nothing else, I'm hoping that carpooling with these three other teachers will at least help me to finally make a friend in the area.
In other news, my mom went to her first doctor's appointment since the surgery yesterday. They told her she was doing very well and should start water therapy. Then she got a call a few hours later. Upon closer inspection of the x-ray, it turns out she has a small fracture at the point of the fusion. They asked if she'd fallen which she hadn't. So they canceled the water therapy and said they'll check her again in two weeks. Hopefully it will have healed itself by then. If not, she'll have to another surgery for them to put another pin in it. Holy crap. I sure hope it doesn't come to that.
I've obviously been looking for a teaching job for the last year. There were very few posted over the summer and even into the school year. I did apply for the ones that came up, but no interviews. The only interview I had this year was back in May for a 1/2 time kindergarten job for the fall. Since then, I just got called to interview for that long term sub job a few weeks ago.
When I wasn't having any luck getting teaching jobs by September, I decided to apply for teacher assistant jobs. There are no benefits and the work days are the days when kids are attending. The pay rate, even for certified teachers, is the same as substitute teaching. I figured being a certified teacher would at least get me an interview. I applied for several in Grand Haven, where I really want to get a teaching job, and no interviews. A half-time job was posted in Spring Lake, closed Monday, and still no call for an interview on that one. And that's even for a building where I've been a regular sub all year.
I recently came across a posting for a full time 3rd teacher assistant in Zeeland Public Schools. Zeeland is about a 40 minute drive from here on good weather days, meaning in winter that could easily become 80 minutes. It's a great district, but because of the distance, it's not one where I'd be likely to look for a teaching position. Plus I don't like 3rd graders. ;-) But I decided it wouldn't hurt to apply for the job and I did. Then I got called for an interview with a few days of applying. I decided it wouldn't hurt to go on the interview, but I really didn't know what I'd do if I was offered the job.
The interview went very well. It was the first time I've been on a teacher assistant interview so I felt very naked without my portfolio that no one ever looks at anyway. The principal was very nice, we were mostly chatting and not so much interviewing. One of her actual interview questions was to tell her about a child with a behavior problem and how I'd handled it. I found myself telling her about K., my demon kindergarten student from three years ago who made me want to give up the profession. So since I didn't come out on top in that story, I also told her about a temper tantruming child from the year prior to that who I got down from a tantrum every 30 minutes to once or twice a week. She said the staff was a very close-knit group, not at all cliquey like some staffs can be. They all eat lunch together and every Wednesday is treat day so they all enjoy the treats together. I got a very good feeling from the principal and all she had to say about the staff. She also said that Zeeland and Grand Haven look at each other as being comparable in curriculum so knowing how Zeeland works means knowing how GH works and vice versa. She said there's three other teacher assistant from Grand Haven who work in her building so carpooling was possible with them. She said I'd hear from her by the end of the day about the position, either way.
I immediately began trying to figure out what I'd do if she offered me the job. But by the time I went to bed on Monday, I still hadn't heard from her. So I assumed I wasn't being offered the job which meant that the decision was made for me. On Tuesday, I was really off my game and ended up leaving my phone at home when I went to work. Sure enough, when I got home, I had a message from the principal offering me the job. Oh crap. Now I had to figure out what to do!
I talked to so many people when trying to make the decision: Jeff, my parents, my old principal, my cousin who used to live in Zeeland, my older sister and even the other teachers who live in GH and work there. My first message to the principal asked for the names and numbers of the teachers who lived in GH so I could talk to them since the distance was the big thing holding me back. After a long talk with Jeff, I went to bed that night thinking that I would take the job. (He said it didn't really matter to him either way, but that he thought it would be best for my mental health to take the job so I'm not left alone talking to the cat all the time.) I woke up Wednesday morning deciding not to take the job because the winter driving was going to stress me out and I wanted to be here for opportunities in GH and SL. Then I talked to the principal Wednesday afternoon and asked about whether or not the time worked counts towards my retirement (subbing does not because I work for an outside company and not a school district). She didn't know for sure, but gave me the HR number to call and find out for sure. That woman said that it does. So that becomes a major factor now. I talked to the GH teachers after school that day for a few minutes and they both raved about the school. It's the first year working there for both of them, but they really like it and the drive isn't so bad (though winter hasn't hit yet!). They said I'd be welcome to get in on the carpool, though I'd probably have to meet up with them at someone's house because I live farther away then they do. After them, I talked to my big sister for awhile. At first, she was on the side of not taking the job, but by the end of the conversation, she'd come around to taking the job. Steady work, good district, retirement days, easy job.
So after a good 36-48 hours of deliberation, I finally called the principal to accept the job. I thanked her for giving me so much time to make my decision and apologized for taking so long. I start on Monday.
I'm excited to finally be part of a school community again, but I'm really going to miss subbing. I've really loved it and getting to know so many different people. It bums me out that I'm no longer available for long term jobs, etc. Walking down the halls yesterday at the school where I've been at most of the year was really sad. I've been there enough now that everyone knows me and lots of kids say hi to me or give me a hug when they see me. But it's been so hard to even get an interview at either of these districts, that I have to let go and move on. Maybe having this teacher assistant job and the districts already having lost me as a great sub will get me interviews next year. We'll see.
For now, I'm looking forward to Monday and hoping that these 3rd graders aren't going to be as bad as I think. ;) Oh yeah, the details on the actual job! There are three 3rd grade classes there, all with about 26 or so students. The principal hired two assistants who will work among the three rooms. So I'll at least have a partner in crime -- who is also from Grand Haven. If nothing else, I'm hoping that carpooling with these three other teachers will at least help me to finally make a friend in the area.
In other news, my mom went to her first doctor's appointment since the surgery yesterday. They told her she was doing very well and should start water therapy. Then she got a call a few hours later. Upon closer inspection of the x-ray, it turns out she has a small fracture at the point of the fusion. They asked if she'd fallen which she hadn't. So they canceled the water therapy and said they'll check her again in two weeks. Hopefully it will have healed itself by then. If not, she'll have to another surgery for them to put another pin in it. Holy crap. I sure hope it doesn't come to that.