Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Jobs...

Applied yesterday: Saint Paul Academy and LaCrescent.

Applied today: Dover-Eyota, Salem-Kaizer, and Hayden (Colorado).

I checked the Lakeville website (periodically... just a few times, I swear), and I saw that the three positions open at Lakeville South are officially off the website. No phone calls at this point.

So here's how I am coaching myself: I am telling myself that I probably won't get the job (bummer for them, right?) so I won't be too overwhelmed with disappointment. BUT! There are a lot of jobs out there (I wish that was really true...) and I know that I will get one and be one of the best (better?) Language Arts teachers out there. Um, rephrase: I hope to become one of the best English/Language Arts teachers out there. If only there was a way to explain how dedicated I can be without sounding trite.

Speaking of wihch, I was at school well after six today, and it was fun! :) Actually, any day that I stay after for any amount of time is pretty fun... some days I am grading, some days I am working with students, some days I am putting together displays for my classroom, but today!, today I actually had two meetings. I met with the newspaper staff (or rather, I observed the staff) on the final issue of the student newspaper. After that, I got to observe the drama and chorus instructors w0rk their way through "War and Pieces," a spring play that presents four one-act plays written by students (how fun is that?!?) and a variety of famous musical pieces (they did some work from Rent, which made me so excited!--I am a *huge* fan! and I got all sorts of goosebumps when I heard them doing some of the pieces).

I'll hang out with them after school again tonight. My being there has a two part purpose--one is to observe, which is good in case I am ever in the position to direct, but I also am hoping to have some experience. Michael Sheeks, the main director, told me I might be able to have some more direct experience "directing" some of the students (one-on-one, etc.), which would be really great for me. We have about a week and a half before the play goes on... so that's a lot of time for me to get involved. Mr. Sheeks has been so kind to help me; we met during first hour to talk about drama classes (it would be so much fun to teach!) and how that translates to performances and the pressures there.

I also met with Kerby Carlson, the yearbook instructor. I hope to exchange some materials--in case I ever teach yearbook, and she wants to improve on the writing for the yearbook staff... so as a journalism teacher, I hope to have something that is helpful!

Anyway, I am determined to keep my hopes up with Lakeville, though Faribault is interested in an interview... this is more an update for family and friends as well as anyone who might be going through the job search as they read this... both the current cohort and a future cohort (???). It's a tough market out there, and I have to respect these decisions... yes, there are many of us seeking a job right now, but honestly--congrats to the schools to have such a great pool to pick from! I know that one school said that English teachers were a "dime a dozen" at the job fair, and I like the reaction of one of my fellow cohort members--"Yes, we may be, but a good teacher is not a dime a dozen." I completely agree. The majority of our cohort... I just have to say that many schools would be lucky to have such compassionate and dedicated teachers. If I were a high school principal, I would be so glad to have many of these people apply for jobs... GOOD LUCK to all of you! :)

And me too. Keep your fingers crossed and I will have a job for the fall and be able to remain with Ryan. I keep thinking about how wonderful it will be to have my own classes and my own classroom... it may or may not be distant in the future, but it's one of those tingly-with-excitement kinds of things. Yes, I will sub for a while. Yes, I have made peace with that. But it would be so absolutely wonderful to start off in my career -right now-... to decorate the room, to rearrange the desks, to be a teacher in the meetings (as opposed to that less-then-important student teacher who doesn't even get a bottle of water at parent-teacher conferences though every other teacher does not that I'm bitter or anything ha ha), to plan out a year and to rearrange for the next year. It seems silly or lame or whatever, but honestly, my heart swells at the thought.

This is what I'm meant to do. I have the passion, the intelligence, the dedication. I just need the job. :)

And on and on...

You might actually be wondering what I'm doing in the classrooms that I have right now!

My English 10's are working their way through a research paper. I have it related back to Inherit the Wind (Amy's lesson) where they research an issue in education. I made a list of suggestions and saw how many "cell phones in the classroom" she got, so I kept that off the list. Yes, I approved many topics that weren't on the list, though I didn't want to read a million papers on the same issue. Whoops... half are on uniforms in the school. Three days in the library to research, three days in the computer lab... tomorrow is peer revision day... They will have two conferences and I will make comments on each paper (that I got yesterday). Friday is the final draft day. I have a small poetry project to work on if they finish up quickly, though I hope it takes all hour in order to really participate (I have a handout that has things like "Does the title seem compelling?" and "Did the first paragraph draw you in?" etc.)

Honestly, I really am going to update the teaching webpage very, very soon. I have to remember to bring that darn To Kill a Mockingbird binder home so I can develop that! And Journalism, etc...

No comments: