Did you miss me?

I seem to have caught a nasty head cold at the best of times, because work seems to have temporarily dried up for the moment. I suspect it has something to do with all that high-stakes testing going on in the district this week. Fortunately, the work picks up again tomorrow, so perhaps it's just as well that I don't have anything going on right now, and can rest and get over this thing.

So, yes, I'm ashamed to say that this is my first entry of 2012. But what can I say, I've been busy. That two and a half week job at the start of January didn't go quite as smoothly as I'd hoped — lots of issues of students not quite getting the connection between "teacher talking" and "I should listen" — and I never did get that observation. Oh, well.

While you're here, do you mind if I vent a bit? Thanks. First off, what is up with all of these teachers who can't give me a letter of reference? Back in November, I lined up several teachers I've worked for before and who know my work to write letters of reference to help in my job hunt. All were enthusiastic and said they would, but now that the job hunt is on and I've asked for those letters — repeatedly — they're not available. I've had some personal run-ins with some of them who then say, "Oh, yeah, I'll write that for you soon," and then silence again. It's pretty frustrating!

The other gripe is the lack of subs at the high school. This results in me having to fill in subbing for other teachers during what should be my prep period, or even during another period where I'm scheduled to be somewhere else but can be covered by someone else. I understand that this can happen once in a while, and I don't mind doing that, but it happens just about every day now. What's even worse, however, is that the regular teachers have to fill in, too, even though they really need that period off for grading, planning, and such. From what I gather, the problem starts when some substitute teachers come in, have to fill in during their planning, decide they don't want to do that, and therefore don't accept another job at the high school. The trouble is, that just makes it more likely that the rest of us who are there will have to fill in somewhere because there's one less substitute teacher to take up the slack. I also think that the teachers at the high school need to do a better job of coordinating days off and accommodating sports, field trips, and the like. This does not appear to be an issue, I will add, at the middle or elementary schools, although I've had to fill in once in a while at the middle schools. I don't mind doing my part, and the extra money helps, but there's got to be a better way.

The job hunt has started, and there are a few openings so far, but things are going slow. To be honest, after not even getting an interview all last summer, I'm not terribly hopeful. But I'm not sure what else to do at this stage.

The latest update

Wow, I just looked back on my blog. I knew it had been a while since my last update, but I'd forgotten just how long it had been! So, here's a catch-up and a few thoughts on how the first third (!) of the year has gone.

First off, I'll at least say this for my current district, they're keeping me busy, particularly at the high school. The secretary there knows she can count on me, and keeps recommending me for all kinds of things. This has its good side and its bad side! The bad side is that I got roped into "teaching" welding (!) for three weeks, around Thanksgiving. The school was in a bind, as the guy who actually knew welding who was going to fill in couldn't make it after all, and the next sub only lasted one day! They coaxed me into at least filling in for a day, then another, and finally for the rest of the assignment. However, I couldn't actually supervise welding! So it became a study hall/busywork time, which I'm not wild about, but we got through it and the administration kept offering me profuse thanks. Good thing, too, since I'm going to call in a favor. I should be in the middle of a long-term job right now for a math teacher there, but that got postponed until after school gets back in January. However, that means the job is now two and a half weeks instead of two, and I won't have to deal with the "Is it Christmas yet???" squirrelliness that can lead to wasted days. During that time, I plan to ask the administration for an observation and some general advice on the job hunt.

Speaking of which, sure enough, I've been much more proactive about getting on track with that. I talked to one middle school principal, who offered me some insights and reassurances. I've also lined up a bunch of potential recommendations, from teachers I've worked with and/or for in my current district. I even tracked down my last principal (he's now working in a new district on the far side of the state), and he's reassured me that he will help in any way he can.

Other than what I called zen welding, it's been pretty straightforward, work a day or two here and there, survive it, go on to the next job. It's frustrating, because so often it's little more than glorified babysitting. Dang it, I want to actually teach something, not just say, "Here's your worksheet, good luck!" And of course, to the students I'm not a "real" teacher, so they don't show me much respect at all (but I don't think the regular teachers get much more, at least).

One other complaint: Bait and switch jobs. I don't teach elementary very often any more, but I still occasionally take one if it's otherwise quiet and it looks like something I can handle. So I took a PE job the other day — elementary PE is a lot of fun, and for once, the kids are supposed to be running around and making noise. And this was bowling, even! But when I got in, there was a last-minute swap, and I got placed in a first grade class. I know my strengths as a teacher, and first grade is far from one of them! But I think I managed all right, and I certainly didn't scar anyone for life. But this is now the third time I've gone in thinking I'd teach something else, only to get first grade instead (two last year, this was the first of this year). The previous ones had only been for part of the day, but this was the whole day. Grrr...

I've got eight more teaching days this month, and two of them are already filled (including one day working with the teacher I'm filling in for next month). So now I just have to keep hunting and hoping. Now that Laura's established in her new job, however, there is one plus: Insurance! I've been without since leaving the last district, as I couldn't afford anything, but now my dental is covered under Laura's plan, and we can afford catastrophic medical insurance as well. (Medical under Laura's plan was just way too expensive.) That's one less worry. Now all we have to do is get our debts paid off and save some for the next rainy day, both of which we've already gotten a good start on.

I have no idea when I'll report again, but I hope it won't be quite so long next time!

Roller-Coaster Day Back at Work

Yesterday was one of the wildest roller-coaster days I've had in some time. First of all, it was my first day back teaching. It was high school science (three zoology, one biology), and it was pretty simple and straightforward. As this was only the fifth day of class, the students haven't had a lot of instruction yet, so this was a bit of an introduction day. The teacher had prepared some handouts, and the students read them and answered some questions. Pretty typical stuff for when there's a sub, right? The biggest problem was getting a couple of the classes settled down and listening while I took roll and gave directions, and even that went well once they figured out class had started. No, the big problem was the weather. The high school is undergoing a major expansion and remodeling project, and I gather that the air conditioning is out in the building I'm in. As we are having an unusually warm September, and temperatures got into the 90s in the afternoon, it got a little hot. Still, with two doors and a window open, it didn't get too bad, either.

It was after school that things got interesting. The head of personnel in a neighboring district wanted to chat about some of the less-than-pleasant stuff that's happened in my career, looking towards the possibility of hiring me in the future if something comes up. So we chatted, and I think I won him over. But when I got there, I also discovered that I still had the key from yesterday's job! This is maybe only the fifth or so time I've ever walked off with the key, and the first time I wasn't nearby and couldn't just turn around and return it. (I returned it this morning, at least.) I also asked him about the general state of hiring right now, in light of my not getting an interview. As I suspected, yes, there's a glut of teachers right now, especially at the elementary level.

I got home, and there was a note from my wife to contact another school I'd applied in, and as soon as possible. So I called. It turns out they'd been trying to get ahold of me all last week, but someone gave or read a wrong phone number or something, and couldn't do it. And by the time I talked to the principal yesterday, they'd offered the job to someone else. So it appears I need to do a little investigating. But I was bummed for the rest of the night about missing out on a potential job like that. (And I just checked the cover letter, and my phone number there is correct, and my e-mail address is also there. I don't know what I wrote on the application, but I know I gave them as much information as I could, including alternatives.)

Despite the troubles yesterday, I was slightly encouraged by my encounters. It looks like there will be some more hiring around here over the next few weeks, so I'm still going to keep checking those websites as often as I can and making myself known. But both of the people I talked to also asked if I had a science background, since they both desperately need science teachers. I know the local district also needs one. Perhaps, if the finances go well, I could go back and get a science endorsement in the near future...

No job today, but it's early still, and at least I already have a job lined up for Friday.

And a shoutout to my brothers and sisters in the Tacoma School District, who are now on strike. Hang tight and stick together, everyone, it will work out in the end!

*SIGH*

Today is the first day of school in our not-really-quite-new-any-more home town. Some other nearby districts have been going for two weeks already. And I'm not in the classroom with new students. I'm disappointed, of course. I'm especially concerned because I didn't get any interviews this year, which is a first.

Still, I'm philosophical. Now that my wife has a job, I can at least afford to sub. And now that I'm already established in the local district, I can get started right away, possibly as early as this week (must pay attention to the substitutes' website...). We'll need to save up a bit to get through the summer, but it's certainly manageable. So now I just have to concentrate on doing the best job that I can.

But I'm not going to limit myself to just teaching this year. It's clear that I need to make some changes, so here are some I plan to make:

1. Talk to someone in human resources. I'd like to get some insight into how a district hires and what they're looking for, and what I can do to make myself look better.
   
2. Make some connections. Last year was pretty much about getting my feet back under myself again. Now I hope to talk to some of the teachers I've filled in for and some principals and see about what I need to do to show what I can do and get some more up-to-date references.
   
3. Keep looking. I've been interviewed, and even hired, well after school started, so it's entirely possible that something else will turn up. I hope to put myself in a good position should that opportunity arise again.
   
4. Look outside the box. Let's face it, despite how much I like my job, and how good some people have said I am, I may just not be cut out for it. So I'm also going to keep an eye on other jobs. I don't necessarily plan to change careers, but if the right opportunity should arise, I would be smart to at least investigate it.
   

I at least have one opportunity coming up. I'm interviewing for an after school tutoring job later this week. This sounds like a lot better deal than my last tutoring job, as it's only a couple of hours, not five, and it would be local. The biggest drawback might be fitting it into my schedule, particularly on days when I'm subbing at an elementary school. But should I get the job, we can work something out, I'm sure. And it will be a little extra money to save up for some of the big things we'd like to get, such as my badly needed new computer, or fixing my car.

I am looking forward to getting back to work, but I just wish I'd already been working getting my room and lessons ready for today...

Update (it doesn't look good, and yet...)

Wow, has it really been nearly two months since I last posted? Well, it has been summer, and a pretty quiet summer at that. It's been a frustratingly quiet summer, actually, as there's been no progress on the job hunt at all. None whatsoever. Oh, sure, I've been applying all over the place, particularly in the last few weeks now that districts have a better idea of what they need. But I have not had one interview yet. None at all. I'm still cautiously optimistic that something could still happen, as some districts around here don't start for another two weeks, and new jobs are still being listed. Some jobs I applied for back in June are still listed as unfilled, however, so I don't know what's going on. And school already started yesterday in one local district, so the clock is ticking. I wish I knew what was going on, but even my local support network seems to be disappearing.

Well, I guess I just needed to vent a bit, and at least let you all know that I'm alive and still kicking. But if something doesn't happen soon, I may need to (again) seriously consider a career change. And that will not be easy out here in farm country.

The hunt goes on...

Not much to report right now. There are lots of jobs, I've been applying, but so far nothing beyond that. I heard back about a job at the local high school (didn't make the cut for an interview, but I heard through the grapevine that there were a couple of more established candidates ahead of me, so no surprise), and from a neighboring district turning me down for two jobs that I didn't think I'd get anyway. Otherwise, so far, nothing. The good news is that there are two math jobs at one of the local middle schools I've subbed at a lot, so I'm cautiously hopeful there. But for now, it's a case of check the websites, apply if something turns up, and wait for an interview. I have to keep reminding myself that it's early still, but it's frustrating.

I especially want to get a job, if I'm going to get one, early on, so that I can have a long talk with my principal about what I've done in the past, and what I need to do now to be a successful teacher, and get things up and running and ready well before school starts. People I've worked with and who have observed me say I'm a good teacher, and just need a few adjustments to be a success. So I hope I can finally get the chance to prove it to everyone, myself included.

So far, a busy summer

Good grief, school has been out almost a week now, and I've finally gotten around to blogging about it? Wow, shows you how busy I've been. So, let's play catch-up, shall we? First off, after the AP exams, I had the two weeks paternity leave job at the high school. It turned out to be not quite so exciting as I would have hoped, as the regular teacher, despite having a brand new daughter in the house to deal with, was well on top of things. I didn't have to do any grading or planning, as I just had to collect the work for him to pick up, and he'd leave me plans and papers for the next day or two. Oh, well, it still went well, I think I got a lot of good math out to those kids, I got a good brush-up on some of my little-used trig, and it was gainful employment for an extended period, so win-win all around. After that there were only two or three weeks left in the school year, but I managed to stay busy. There were a few half-days (I figured that was better than no work), a couple of now-not-very-common elementary jobs, and even the possibility of working on the last day, as one teacher I filled in for regularly developed tonsillitis right at the end of the year. I filled in for her on the second to last day of school, and made arrangements with the office staff in case she was going to be out the next day, but I guess the antibiotics did the job, as I never heard back.

Which means now comes the hard part, of getting a job for next year. New job listings were pretty sparse during the school year, but seem to have picked up now that school is over and the legislature finally figured out a budget. It's not good, as a lot of districts are having to do with a lot less money, which means some job cuts, but so far I've got applications in about a half dozen districts. I'm especially interested in my local district, since I've enjoyed subbing here, and there have been so far a high school and a middle school job open. But so far, it's early, so I haven't heard back about any interviews yet. So I'll just keep watching the websites and apply for any math jobs that turn up. Of course I'll let everyone know when there's some news.

Busy, busy, busy...

Okay, yeah, this has been a very interesting couple of weeks. First off, the AP exams. Pretty simple and straightforward: Read the directions, enforce the rules (and these kids were already pretty well prepared anyway), everyone goes home when they're done. Let's just say I got a lot of reading done when I wasn't doing something else. There were a few hiccups — particularly on the Spanish test, with a bunch of kids who weren't really familiar with how to use a cassette tape recorder (yes, those are falling further and further out of style) — but for the most part it was a good experience. I had two days with two tests, so those ended up being pretty long days, but the short days the rest of the time was worth it.

While working the AP exams, I lined up another job, for a math teacher at the high school whose wife was about to give birth. I'd worked with his students before, had good experiences with them, and several of his students were even lobbying for me to take over while he was gone. Sure enough, I found the job, and lined up to sub for him for two weeks. Woo-hoo! But, it turned out, there was a wrinkle: The baby came early. And as I was AP testing, I couldn't step in early. So they had another (non-math) sub for a few days, but they're good at working on their own, so I think it went well. I had time after my last AP test to go in and see what was up, and it's a good thing I did, as that's his trigonometry class, and they were a little lost. To be sure, I was rusty, too, but we managed to figure a few things out, and it went well. Friday was my first official day in the class, so I grabbed one of the books, took it home, and got myself up to speed again. I think we're going to do all right. His two geometry classes started a mini-unit on converting measurements, and I think I gave them a good grounding. His one algebra II class had a test, so that was pretty simple. This week looks pretty simple, as trig has a few more assignments and then a test, while the other classes will have practice tests in preparation for the state-mandated year-end exams. So I am at least going to be something like a real teacher for nearly the next two weeks. After that, we'll be getting close to the end of the school year.

Still not a lot of progress on the job hunt, as districts are still waiting to see what the legislature is going to do, and therefore what kind of funding they'll have. A few districts in the area aren't even waiting and are issuing RIF notices. There was one new position that I applied for, but the position closed without my getting an interview. Since it was only a .83 FTE in a rather faraway district, I'm not terribly unhappy.

A (mostly) quiet week

Eh, it was teaching this week. Not a lot to say, except for the second week in a row I ended up not teaching at all one day. Also, one day was one of the worst I've had teaching in some time, with a lot of very loud, uncooperative students who just didn't want to do anything I asked or their teacher had planned. I really felt like I dropped the ball, and said so in my follow-up note, but I also laid the blame on the students as well. Of course, these were students I'd had before, and while they were no angels, they weren't this bad for me the last time, nor in other classes in the same school. It just was not a good day at all. Fortunately, the next day was at another school, and a lot better, so I feel better this weekend.

This coming week is going to be short (professional day on Friday), and nothing's lined up yet, but the week after that could be extremely interesting. The head secretary at the high school nominated me to proctor the AP exams for the district. Cool! I'll probably find out more later this week, but it sounds like I get to go to the district office, proctor the exams, maybe get fed a little bit, and once the students are done, so am I. It would be all of the first week of May, plus a couple of days after that. So either the secretary thinks highly of my work ethic and feels I'd be a responsible person who could handle the job, or she wants to make sure I'm in the building for as few days as possible. I really hope it's the former.

Still nothing on the job hunt, I might add.

It's catch-up time!

What? You mean it's been a month since I last posted? And it's Sunday night and I have to go to bed in a few hours? Well, okay, then, I'll just do a quick catch-up.

Lots of work, subbing just about every day, and very little recently at the elementary level. I'm getting lots of math, but enough other jobs to keep it interesting. I was subbing in a history class at the high school one day when a bunch of the students, who'd already had me for math, decided to get me a job, and drafted a letter for the principal right then and there! I didn't offer anything in the letter, but did suggest that they should send a copy to the HR department at the district office. They also told me about a long-term job that may be coming up at the end of the year, and tried to figure out how to get me in there. If I've made that kind of positive connection with students, then I must be doing something right!

I had three days in a row where I was a floater at three different schools. That was interesting. At the high school I mostly taught math (they know what I can do there, apparently), and a little of everything at one of the middle schools. At the other middle school, they had a whole bunch of substitute teachers without an actual assigned class, and with the head secretary out, they weren't quite sure why we got those jobs or what to do with us! They gave me a special ed class, and I discovered (again) why I don't usually do special ed. I have great respect for those teachers.

So far, not a lot of progress on the job hunt, just because there's nothing listed. Even summer school jobs seem to be pretty sparse right now, which surprises me. But it's early, of course. I'm expanding my job hunt slightly to the area where my folks live. Those districts are at the bottom of my list, but if I were to get a job out there, I'd stay at my parents' place during the week and scurry home for weekends. If that happens, I would probably have to seriously consider studded tires. It would be tough on Laura and me, but if that's what it takes to get a full-time gig, we'd manage somehow.

Not much else to say, I guess. I already have three days lined up this week, all with a large amount of math (although only one is all math), and all for teachers I've worked for before. And we'll just see how the rest of the year goes. Are there really less than two months to go?

Damn

Laura didn't get the job. So now I guess I have to figure out what to do about a summer income, while continuing to hunt for a contract for the fall as well...

The latest update

The school district I am currently subbing in has done a very, very smart thing today. This is the first full day after we started Daylight Savings Time (which I still maintain was some sort of joke Ben Franklin came up with, only enough people took him seriously that we now actually have it). It's one of the toughest days of the year to wake up. So it's a professional day for the teachers. In other words, no students, and no need for substitute teachers. So a lot of people got to sleep in and adjust to the new clock today. (Good thing, too, as I had crazy rotten insomnia last night as well.) Not only that, today is π Day, so it's great that the district recognized the holiday.

It's been nearly a month since I last posted, so what's been going on? Not much, really. I have at least been getting steady work, usually at the middle school level (and often, but not always, in math). I actually had another interview, for a middle school supplemental math job in the same district down the road that I last interviewed in, but I apparently didn't get it. It came so quickly out from left field that I didn't really get a chance to mention it here. The district I'm in right now still has a math for the rest of the year position listed, and I've been told that my paperwork is in, but I'm not sure why nothing's happed with it yet. It's been up for nearly two months now, and the new trimester started at the high school last week, so I'm not sure what else can be going on. Meanwhile, the local districts are starting to build their application files for next year, and I've already got one in. It's a bizarre holding pattern, but I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that I'm not going to get a gig for this year — or if I do, it will be so short as to not have a lot of effect. And I also have to figure out what I'm going to do for an income this summer.

But it's not all gloom and doom. My wife, Laura, actually has an interview with the local district this week, working in their computer center. She already did a bang-up job on the skills test, so we're cautiously optimistic. If she does get it, it will be thanks to an aide in one of the middle school libraries, who mentioned the job to me. I passed the word on to Laura. If she gets the job, I am seriously tempted to send that aide a dozen roses!

The latest update

Ah, a holiday weekend. A perfect opportunity to catch up on some stuff and get all of my readers up to date on how my teaching career is going. And let's just say it's a very mixed bag right now. Lots of subbing, of course, but not quite enough math. Short term, of course, I need the money worse than anything else, so I'll take whatever job I can get. Fortunately, thanks to the online sub system, lots pop up, and I've generally been able to get middle and high school jobs. I've even gotten requests from teachers who don't teach math, which is probably a sign that I'm at least doing something right.

And things may move further ahead very soon. First off, I had an interview this week. It was for a middle school math intervention job several miles down the road. Half my time would be working with students in an additional catch-up math class, and half would be working with small groups in regular math classes, where I would not be the primary teacher. It sounded ideal, but I was told that I would know on Friday if I got it. No call, so I suspect I didn't get it. (No surprise, as I bobbled a couple of the interview questions.) But that's all right, as the job at the local high school is still open, after over a month. And there may be some development there, sort of. I was actually teaching math there one day, and the principal came in. Almost immediately, students were telling him, "Hire this guy!" I guess I'd already made an impact! This led to a brief chat between the principal and me about my background and qualifications, and now he knows that I'm a math guy. So now that seed has been planted, at least.

One other development is that one local district is already advertising for math teachers for next year. In fact, it's the same district where I just had the interview. As I already have a current application in, I'll write to personnel soon and see what I need to do to update it.

And now for a rant: Hey, if you're a regular classroom teacher, and you know you're going to be gone for more than a day, it would be terrific if you could arrange things so that you can get the same substitute teacher for the whole time. I have had an awful lot of jobs of late where I'm the second or third sub they've had in a row — which I don't even find out until I've worked with the first class. I understand it happens when teachers get sick and it's day-to-day, but how hard would it be to call in before the day is out and tell the secretary that you're going to be out another day, could you see if my sub can work another day? (Personally, unless I've had an extremely horrible experience, I will, and even under some circumstances cancel a previously scheduled job to do so.) But what really gets me are these teachers who know they'll be out in advance, and don't plan for one sub. I always leave my phone number and e-mail address, so should a teacher want me ahead of time, I can be reached directly.

Okay, everyone, thanks for letting me rant a little bit. I will, as always, keep you all posted on any further developments.

The week in teaching

Not a whole lot to mention about last week's jobs. I started off with middle school math (at the far middle school, for a teacher and students I'd worked with before) on Monday, middle school social studies (same school) on Tuesday (gave them packets, let them get to work), and middle school science (the other, closer middle school) on Wednesday, where they put seeds on wet paper towels, and they're going to make some observations, I bet. Thursday and Friday proved to be the interesting days. First off, the job was listed as being math at the high school, for both days. Of course I'll snag that! Thursday morning, however, the roads and walks were really badly iced over. Our sloped driveway was so icy, I slid down on my way out to get the paper. (Now I know why those little shoes I wear in the house are called slippers.) Laura and I finally noticed the extremely huge bruise on my left hip this morning. I turned on the news reports, and sure enough, all of the surrounding districts, and the local Christian school, were all on two hour delays — but not the public schools in town. Huh. Oh, well. I decided my best bet would be to walk, anyway, very carefully, since the alternative was to drive on that ice. I made it, and thank goodness for those people who cleared their sidewalks the day before, but there were a few spots I nearly fell again. Once I got to school, the first thing I heard was, "We're on a two hour delay." Yeah, it would have been nice if the district had said it earlier, before so many teachers and students got there. Oh, well, at least I had nearly three hours to get ready.

And I needed that time! It turned out that, first of all, she teaches science, not math. And she'd already been out the first part of the week, with two different subs. Yup, one of a substitute teacher's worst nightmares, being the second (or in this case third) sub, and no plans in sight. So I scrambled and tried to figure out where they were and what I could cobble together, and I did all right, actually, under the circumstances. But the writing was on the wall, and I decided to plan ahead for Friday. Since the teacher had the VCR checked out, but it wasn't in the room, that wasn't a good option, so I thought I would bring my laptop to use as a DVD player and see what I could find. Fortunately, I'd already built up a good relationship with one of the other science teachers, having worked in his room a couple of times during his prep. I found him, told him what was up, and he had a couple of good DVDs on volcanoes handy, which at least kept my students quiet and somewhat entertained for the day. Showing videos is not my ideal way to teach, and I'm not wild about getting videos when I sub, but in this case I figured it was for the best. But that poor teacher is going to have a lot to figure out and get heer students caught up on when she gets back (and I do hope she's back tomorrow — but if not, I at least gave her colleague a heads up that he may want to help).

So far, no word on the job front from that last district, but the local district I'm currently subbing in has an opening at the high school for the rest of the year! That would be ideal if I could get that one. The year is just about half over (what, already?), so it's possible that something else may come up here soon.

The week in teaching

Back to work this week, although it's a short one as today was a professional day for teachers in the local district. (I think they should have had that on the 3rd, for an extra day of winter break instead. However, starting back with a four day week, and two three-day weekends in a row, isn't bad, either.) I was afraid I wouldn't get much work, but I had a job every day. Monday was high school English, Tuesday was elementary reading, Wednesday was high school humanities, and Thursday was elementary reading and math, so a weird bit of symmetry. I did get a little math in, however, helping a student during a credit retrieval session at the end of the day Wednesday. And that's where I got some interesting insight into the last two years. That student, by coincidence, was one of my former students back in that last district I taught in. She thought I was a good teacher, she told me I'd taught her a lot, and she still had her notes! Wow, I did make an impact there, after all. She still lives down there, but decided to transfer to school up here for a number of reasons. I've encountered a few other students I've taught down there in my new situation, but this was the best insight I've had into what the situation is like there. I have also met some teachers who've told me that that district I worked in doesn't have a terribly good reputation. I wish someone had told me that before I accepted that job!

Another job has opened up in a nearby-ish district, and I'm seriously considering applying. So I'll keep you posted.

Last week in teaching

It's winter vacation now, and I don't have to worry about teaching for a couple of weeks. So now I can catch up on the rest of my life, such as this blog. The big excitement for me was last week, where I taught sixth grade math for the entire week. It was a great experience. To be sure, there were uncooperative students and squirrelly classes and all the other stuff that goes with teaching sixth graders, especially the week before vacation. But there were also a lot of great students, and I think I got the idea across to a lot of them, so that's some progress. I also had a lot of good chats with the other teacher, who works next door, and we coordinated things well. I even had a meeting with him, the math coach, and the principal about what was going on that week (it was the first time the coach had worked with a sub). Overall, at least for that one week, I felt like a real teacher again. And the weather cooperated, too, since it was at the far away school which is the furthest walk away. It was cold, but no snow or ice on the ground, so I just bundled up and walked a little more briskly. Had there been more inclement weather, I may have driven a day or two, but it just seems silly to drive that short a distance.

On the job hunt front, the job I interviewed for and never heard back about is still listed. Go fig. There's also a middle school job listed in a nearby district that I would apply for, but it's only a .6 FTP, for only four hours a day. That would be enough to get me some badly needed benefits, but the lower overall pay and expense of gas (it's not terribly close) does not make it attractive, so I haven't applied yet. If Laura can get a job soon, I will certainly apply, but she hasn't heard back from any of the dozens of places she's applied for.

So, another miserable, poor Christmas for us, just as we thought we'd turned the corner and things were looking up again last spring. Well, not a lot I can do about it right now, so I may as well sign off now, and let's see if the new year brings any improvement.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

It's snowing out right now, and snowing hard. And this is not like the kind of snow we usually see out here in this part of the state. It's not dry and powdery, which you can easily sweep off your walkway. No, this is the big wet clumpy flakes like we used to get in our old stomping grounds. At least out here there's a lot fewer of both drivers and hills to make getting around in this slop difficult.

So, where were we? Ah, yes, I'd just had an interview. Well, to be honest, I have no idea how it went, as I haven't heard back. Nothing, not a word. Which normally means that someone else got the job. However, the job is still listed on the district website! So I'm not quite sure what to do now. (I tried to figure out the principal's name so that I could e-mail her a polite query, but the school's website is so out of date that there are two different principals listed, and I don't remember which one it was! Maybe I'll write to the district HR department, but this sort of incompetence is not instilling any sense that I'd actually want to work in this district.)

Good news, however, is that I got another interview a couple of weeks ago! This was for a middle school math intervention job that would include computer instruction. Yeah, I know, right up my alley, right? And for once, I felt like the interview was actually going well. I thought I had a shot, but the principal called the next day and told me I hadn't gotten it. (At least he called back! I have great respect for people who call back after an interview, even with bad news.) However, they were still very impressed, so he flagged my file for the district office to keep an eye on me, and told me that there very likely would be more opportunities for me in the district this year, so keep an eye on the website.

In the meantime, subbing is going a lot better now. I'm working just about every day (the only two days I've missed in the past month were days I took off because I had interviews), and a lot of it is math. I'm even getting requests to come back, students are recognizing me and being friendly, and I even have a long-term-ish job for next week. Yes, I'll actually be teaching the same students for a whole week. Yes, it's the week before winter break begins, and these are middle school students, so it may get a little squirrelly, but it should be a good experience. (I really should write to the principal and see about an observation...) There's even a long-term subbing job at the high school, and one teacher and several students said I should take it, so I've put in for it. However, I have yet to hear back.

So the good news is, I'm feeling a lot more confident and competent as a teacher than I have in a long time, and I'm still glad that I've stuck with it. However, I'm still not making the money I should or need, I have no benefits, and if one of us doesn't get a job soon, I will at the very least have to figure out what I'm doing this summer. (Laura keeps applying for all kinds of jobs, but never hears back. Which is too bad, because she has some mad computer skills that would be of benefit to any business.) We're on food stamps, exhausted the savings, and are having to borrow to pay the bills. This is not good, but I'm not sure what else to do. Something has to give soon...

Well...

I just got back from my interview. The good news is that I totally did not blow it. It went well, but whether or not it went well enough for them to actually hire me will have to wait. (And of course I forgot to ask what kind of time frame we were looking at and when they could tell me.)

And yes, this sounds like a terrific job, and one that I enthusiastically said I want and would be a good fit for. It's elementary math, as I said, and I'd be teaching nothing but math — well, except for those time I get tapped to do something else because some teacher has to leave for an emergency or something, of course. (I suspect most of my fellow teachers out there know what I mean.) It's an interesting school, where about half the classes are taught in Spanish, a fourth in Russian, and a fourth are taught in English to students who mostly speak Spanish or Russian at home. (If this job goes past this year, and I'm back, I may see what kind of basic Russian I can learn this summer.) This school covers first through fifth grades. There are times I would be teaching small groups of four to six to shore up what they're already learning in class, or bring them up to where they need to be. There are times I would teach an entire class, in the same way elementary classes learn music or PE or go to the library. (It's a big school, and they apparently need a lot of specialists to give their teachers all their planning time.) There are times I'd be working with some of the teachers. And there are likely times I'd be on duty out on the playground or in the lunchroom, just to keep it really interesting.

One big drawback would be the commute. It's about fifty miles away, and a lot larger portion of our budget would be going towards gas. But I think we can manage it, if they offer me the job. So, fingers crossed, and I'll let you know what happens.

An update, and the last fortnight-or-so in teaching

I'm so sorry, to all of my faithful readers, for being so lax in updating you. But there hasn't been that much to update, I'm afraid. It's been a strange couple of weeks, and it looks like parts of it, at least, might be stranger before it starts making some sense (if it ever does). So, going back aways now, my first week of subbing in my new district went great, with a nice job each day. "Hey," I thought to myself, "I'm back in the game!" Well, the week after that (the last week of October) was a big contrast, as I got almost nothing. To be sure, one day was a day off for students, and one day I had to be out of town for a family event, which lessens the opportunities. But two of them? Nothing. No opportunities, no calls, no sick teachers. Finally, I snagged a job for one hour on Thursday. It was still available late in the morning, and I thought at least one hour would be a good reason to get out of the house for a bit. It was fourth grade, which I like, even though I haven't done elementary school in ages. But then, at the last minute, I got shifted to a first grade class instead. Their teacher had to leave suddenly while they were in music, so another teacher filled me in quick, and I picked them up. First graders are cute and fun and enthusiastic, but I know it's not my strength as a teacher. So here's the set-up. They'd been at a play that morning (lots of sitting still and being a good audience), they suddenly had this new teacher for the rest of the day, and their class Halloween party was the next day. Yes, they were excited and squirmy. Not that I blame them at all, but it did make some of the what we needed to accomplish a little challenging. The other teacher next door was a big help, however, and helped me get through it all. But that meant, for the entire week, I taught only two hours.

It didn't improve much last week, partly due to there being no students for two days due to conferences. (And I believe this is the first time I've ever seen a district schedule conferences at all schools at all levels at the same time.) I ended up only teaching Monday (middle school health) and Tuesday (high school math, yay!), as nothing turned up Wednesday, either.

This week, fortunately, seems to be a big improvement already. Yesterday I taught middle school language arts, tomorrow I'm teaching sixth grade something-or-other (for some reason, the sub system here tells you the grade, but not the subject, for middle school teachers), and eighth grade math on Friday. Thursday is a holiday, so no school, of course. I took today off to go to a job fair a few miles down the road. I mean, if I can't sub every day, I'd better find something else that can keep the wolf from the door, right? Not terribly promising — I think my wife is more likely to get something out of it than me — but I did leave behind a few résumés, one for one recruiter's husband who works in one of the local districts. While I was in town, however, I also decided to drop off a couple of letters of interest at another local district, which has a few openings still. So wouldn't you know, on my way out of town, they call to set up an interview next week! They hadn't even had the letter for two hours, which means they're either very interested or very desperate.

So, if I get this job, what will it entail? It's an elementary math intervention specialist position, which actually plays to a lot of my strengths and experiences. We shall see what happens. It sounds like it's full time for the rest of this year, which would be nice, and could get my foot in the door for any positions next year, too. If that doesn't work out, however, I have a few more leads right now, and who knows what else will come up?

Last week in teaching

Well, if I'm back to subbing, I guess I'm back to a weekly wrap-up. Last weekend was busy enough, however, that I didn't get around to it, but so far I don't have a job for this morning, so I can take a moment to get caught up. And last week proved to be surprisingly busy for a brand new sub in the district such as myself. I started off with a middle school science job, which went well. Tuesday I was originally scheduled to be at the high school for math, but they rejigged the job as the teacher was to be out for several days, and they wanted to give them all to one guy so that the students would have that consistency. So I ended up with a history job there instead. Wednesday I finally got a math job, at the other middle school, and that went pretty well. In fact, it went so well that they asked me back the next day, for another math teacher. And finally, Friday I was back at the high school for another math teacher. I did very well there, and helped a lot of students, but I also figured out just how much advanced algebra I've forgotten while trying to help a pre-calculus class with their work. I know I'd done it before, but the details had slipped from my mind through lack of regular use. By the end of class, however, with help from the students and their books and notes, it had come back to me and I think I got the idea.

The nice part about subbing in this district is how it's laid out. There are eight schools. One elementary school is way far out of town. One is all kindergarten, and I don't anticipate going there. The rest — three elementary schools, two middle schools, and the high school — are all within walking distance, although I suspect I'll be driving to the far-away middle school some days during the worst of winter. I've also gotten some good feedback from secretaries and other teachers. But will I stay here? Can I change this to a permanent job somehow? And what am I going to do during the summer? I'm just not sure how long this teaching thing can last.