"So how did the interview go?"

I didn't hit a home run, but I don't think I totally stank it up, either. The best part was giving a quick mini-lesson on the Pythagorean theorem. That was the first time I'd ever done something like that in an interview, and it went very well, I thought. I should know by the end of the week if I got it or not.

It's amazing what you'll find...

...when you clean up your web browser's bookmarks. Among the many items were a couple of new links I guess I wanted to share:

• An excellent article entitled "Why You Should Choose Math in High School".
  
• The awesome and sadly very necessary Girls Go Tech, a group striving to get more girls interested in math, science, and technology.
  

A newfound appreciation for the profession

I had a very interesting assignment last week. I was filling in for a junior high science teacher for three days, but I had very little to do. The students were doing the teaching. The student groups had to research a topic on states of matter, then present a pretest, a short lecture or set of notes, a lab or demonstration, a worksheet, and a posttest—all in one class period. It was fascinating to watch all of the various techniques, and the huge range of success. Some were pretty good, but most, sad to say, were not. I recognized a lot of rookie teaching mistakes, and it gave me new insights as to just how tough it is to be a teacher. I think a lot of the students now have a better understanding of what teachers do, as well.

Thanks to the holiday, and the job interview tomorrow, this is going to be a very short week, but I already have one job lined up. The most interesting phenomenon, however, is that I already have jobs lined up for three of the five days of the last week of school, including one for that Friday. Already, I've been told that day will pretty much be the end-of-the-year assembly and field day. After that, a quiet week, then my tutoring jobs ratchets up for the summer. That ought to give me some breathing space, and a chance to squeeze out a few more applications if I need to.

Now THIS is a cool story!

I just read this story in the paper this morning, and I thought it was so cool that I'm linking to it so the rest of you can read it. Check it out! It's at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003024015_science28.html.

And in her column today, Nicole Brodeur profiles a teacher I worked with many years ago. Here's the column: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nicolebrodeur/2003024112_brodeur28m.html. In fact, I was on a long-term sub assignment at MLK when Jan won the lottery and announced the scholarships, and I've always admired her dedication and generosity. Seattle may be losing one of the good ones, but they've also been most fortunate in having her in the first place.

The future is looking much brighter!

I have an interview Tuesday afternoon for a high school math job. I just hope this is either the first of many, or such a slam dunk that I can spend the summer getting ready for my new job. Wish me luck!

A Time to Brag

Okay, this has nothing to do with teaching, but I've got to shout it out some place. For the second time in my life, I'm going to be trying out for Jeopardy!. It happened a few years ago when I made it to the first Seattle tryouts. I made the cut, but didn't get called. (Let's face it, a white male teacher is a pretty typical J! contestant.) I submitted my name for the second Seattle search, but didn't get called in. This time around, I took the online test, and made the cut, since they've asked me down to Portland next month for a tryout and interview. The best part is, it won't be until after school is out. If I do very well, I may just give up subbing and/or tutoring, and this blog may no longer be about teaching...

Quick update

Not much to tell you all, really. I've been getting lots of interesting jobs. There were THREE days where I didn't have a prep period, but I got paid extra for those, and it balanced out by getting paid a half-day yesterday for doing before-school elementary orchestra — and I didn't even have to do anything, as a classified employee did the actual running of the class. I was the warm certificated body, and all I had to do was help set up and take the kids to their buses after. Then I got to go home before going to my other job for the afternoon. So it all balances out. Lots of PE, which isn't bad at all. I know there are a lot of subs who don't want to teach PE, but I don't mind it at all. It gives me the chance to wear sweats, and all I usually have to do is get the kids going.

Now that the WASL is over, the jobs are coming out of the woodwork. I have every day but one this week already filled, two days already next week, and the entire week after Memorial Day. Of course, I'd better get as many jobs as I can before summer, as the money will dry right up after that. (Thank goodness for tutoring, that will at least help keep the wolf from the door.)

Not a lot of progress lately on the job hunt, I've been either busy, tired, sick, or any combination of the above. But at least I have a lot of apps out right now, I hope to hear about some of them soon.