School is in Session.. Without Me

I can't believe that it's already the end of summer! The weather is getting cooler and school is back in session. Usually by this time I have spent hours setting up my classroom and planning the first day. It's fun to decide where to put the desks and centers and what colors you want to use for bulletin board paper. Should I go primary colors or switch it up this year and use only one color to make it look more uniform and zen? Should I keep the kids' desks in cooperative learning groups of four or try rows or a semi-circle? Should I set up all the centers so it looks inviting and busy (for the parents) or introduce them slowly so the kids can learn the procedures first? And I wonder, What group of kids will I have this year? Where will they be academically? What kinds of parents will I be working with and how what will the grade level team be like? Will we plan together? Will they be serious or have a sense of humor? Will they complain about their students or will they be their biggest champions?' So many factors can make or break a school year.

As I type this this evening, I realize that typically at 5:15 pm at the end of August I am still in the classroom reviewing the day and planning for the next. Should I switch Bobby to a different seat so he won't bug Allison? Was having them do seat work first thing in the morning a good idea or should I allow them to be more social? Should I call Lia's mom about her attitude or let it slide? When should I let parents come in to volunteer? What highlights should I include in the weekly newsletter?, etc! Well, this August I am not doing that. Since I've been back from Ethiopia, I've been looking for the perfect fit job-wise. I've been researching teaching jobs in public, charter and independent schools, reading articles on school districts, reviewing pay scales, AYP scores, benefits, diversity, hours, working conditions, successes and failures, etc . I've read school mission statements, articles about administrations, budgets, school closings, strategic plans, curricula, etc. I've sent out close to 40 resumes, had eight interviews and gotten some offers. But each one of those offers had something fundamentally wrong with it. Poor compensation or work environment being the top two reasons I had for not accepting them. I thought I needed to be in a place which a) paid me more money and b) where I thought I could stay for at least two years so I wouldn't have to change jobs in the middle of becoming a new parent. I firmly believed that the right opportunity was going to come along if I could only manage to hold out until that happened.

And hold out I did - and I was offered a fantastic job in the beginning of July at one of the top schools in "District A". Diverse student body, small class size, great principal, etc. but all summer long HR strung me along saying I could sign the contract 'on July 1', 'July 15', 'August 1'... until finally they admitted that they actually weren't doing any more hiring. I was so disappointed. Not only to lose the opportunity to teach in a wonderful, dream school, but really I was terribly annoyed that I had a verbal offer from HR at District A for them only to renege. How unprofessional! But, "OK", I thought, "No 'District A' but something better will come along" and low and behold I was right! A couple of weeks later another great opportunity fell into my lap. A great fit at a school in another district, "District B". I was excited! Great principal, nice staff (I attended the first staff meeting), close to my house, diverse student body. But once again, the principal's offer wasn't enough- had to get the green light from HR; and once again I was told they had a hiring freeze and had to place all the other teachers currently under contract before they could extend new ones. I was so frustrated! But before I could really dwell on it, a third district contacted me! "District C". Their HR department called me asking me to please complete my file so I could be part of their hiring pool (this was the district I shunned a couple of months ago when I learned of a $22,000 penalty I was going to be subjected to for leaving.. but two months later I am more humbled and less picky!) so I went ahead and completed my file. I will find out tomorrow if they have everything they need so I can be put into the candidate pool. (Even though school has started, there are many schools which have higher enrollment that they had anticipated). But in the meantime, here I am. Not teaching. Not in a classroom. For the first time in fifteen years. It is a little odd but I remain optimistic. Really. Even when it's due to utter disorganization. (When I say disorganized, let me illustrate : the principal from District B emailed me today saying that he had taught second grade on Monday and since then there have been a variety of subs! Why? He's still short one teacher! Can you imagine your child starting the year with substitute?!) So school is in session and some students have substitute teachers and others have administrators teaching them but I am remaining positive that something is about to come through. Schools are still looking. I am qualified. In the meantime I still work an eight hour day.

workout...................... 1 hr.
write.............................1 hr.
clean.............................1 hr.
organize.......................1 hr.
job hunt.......................2 hrs.
work on home biz.......2 hrs.

Next week, I may allocate the hours differently but that's it for now. Yikes! Is it really 6:50?! I still have to clean, organize, do and hour on the home biz and 30 minutes of working out. Better get crackin'!


**I'm fortunate that I have the ability to be a bit choosy and wait for the right opportunity, but it's obviously not the best way to complete a home study. So alas, the adoption is on hold again. *sigh*