So, after a year long hiatus from my whining and bitching, I am trying to get back in the habit of updating this blog. I have opted to have separate school & home blogs, so I will limit this one to school related issues.
First, and update: I got a job! Since my last pity party post, I had some more luck in the employment department. I got a job at the start of the school year (literally the Thursday before school started) as a long-term sub at a high school. This was seriously the best job ever, and it made me long for public school employment. The kids were great, the hours were wonderful, and I got some good recommendation letters out of it (not to mention experience teaching upper level French). I also taught two sections of English which helped me decided my next educational endeavour will be getting an English endorsement. Unfortunately, that was only an 8-week gig, leaving me unemployed for another 2.5 months.
In January, there was a spree of French job openings. I had three interviews and ended up with a job at a charter school in Detroit. Not my dream job, but good pay and I got to teach history as well as French. Even better, I have a signed contract for next year, so I at least know I will be employed in the fall.
While I really like the school I am at- it's infinitely better than where I was last year- it has its downsides. For one thing, the hours are absolute bullshit. Report at 7:30, leave at 4:15. The 7:30 doesn't bother me as much as the 4:15- I don't get to pick up Charlie until 4:50-5:00. At the public school, I could stay after school for an hour and still get him by 3:30. This takes precious time away from my family, and it will be even harder if I have another little one at home (which is the plan for next year).
Second, they really strive for what I feel are "crossing-the-line" relationships with kids. It is expected for you to give out your cell phone number to students, and that isn't cool with me. I will be getting a Google Voice number for next year to handle that. I definitely want to have positive relationships with my students, but I don't think that really requires me texting them to see what they are doing on a Friday night. They also expect teachers to spend HOURS after school, either tutoring, coaching, or running a club or activity. Again, I would be more than willing to do this, but the school day is just too damn long! I REFUSE to sacrifice my time with my family for students. I love teaching, but I love my family more. I see no point in procreating if I am going to raise someone else's kids, ignoring my own. Call me a bitch, and I'll wear that label proudly.
Another issue I had, and I think this speaks more of starting at a new school in the middle of the year over anything else, but the teachers were rather cliquey. I was excluded from a lot of stuff, which was particularly brutal at the end of the year when I would find all the teachers watching movies in one room (because anyone who taught seniors was done teaching at the end of May), and I was not invited in. It hurts, but again, I can see that A) I am not exactly the most bubbly person in the world and B) they have known each other for 2+ years and only known me for a couple months. If I do return (and all signs point to yes), I should be able to get to know people better, and hopefully things in this department will change.
Finally, I have discovered that, at least in inner-city schools, I cannot teach the way I like to teach. I wasn't able to do things the way I did at my first school or even where I was a sub. And I don't like it. I am going to attempt to implement new things next year, since in all likelihood I'll be working with freshmen, but I think my style just doesn't mix with urban kids. As much as I bitched an moaned about the first school I was at, but that was how I liked to teach. With the history classes I taught, I really hated what I did with the classes. I did maybe two debates and the rest was read and answer questions. I HATE that. I HATE that I did that to students. I know I was really over my head, but I cannot use that as an excuse. I knew better. I also really botched what could have been a fantastic elective by turning it into a movie class. Pathetic. I am so mad at myself about that it is unreal. But what's done is done. As of now, I will not be teaching history next year, so I don't have to worry.
So that brings us to the present. I am now starting to wrap my head around plans for next year (tenatively that is). I am still applying to any and every French & Social Studies (as I have officially completed the RX endorsement!) job I can find, but I am not getting my hopes up. I am just looking and if something pans out, fantastic. I just am happy to know that I have a job regardless. It may have shitty hours and annoying policies, but it has good pay and benefits. So now it's on to planning and adapting stuff for next year.
Au Revoir!
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