Dans ce pays-ci, il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres
According to that humourous, dirty old reprobate Voltaire, in Britain it is thought wise, from time to time, to execute an admiral in order to encourage the others. Perhaps a similar thought inspired the decision a year ago to deny me tenure. To my surprise and gratification, this provoked petitions, letters, and other protests and offers of support by students, their families, and faculty, which doubtless contributed to a fourth probationary year during which I had a second chance to earn tenure.
It has been a hard year. As a test I was given all new classes--8th grade history (which I did not expect to like, but really did once I got into the swing of it) and 9th grade honours modern history (which was a lot of work, but probably worth it; I will teach it a little differently if I teach it again, though)--and apparently I passed. I was voted into tenure last week at the April School Board meeting and the relief is tremendous--so much that it is difficult to accept it as real: indeed, I continue to have the sick sense in my stomach that I have had the past twelve months, primarily, I suppose, out of habit. No doubt it will clear up soon.
This finally lets Robin and me plan for the future, as well. If she can get her passport in time we may spend the first two weeks of June in England, Wales, and Ireland. If not, we will probably go to Minnesota, or possibly even back to New England (we bought an electric griddle this year and have made so many pancakes that we are down to just one and a half gallons of maple syrup, so we will have to go back to Vermont some time in the next year or so). We will probably try to make an offer on the parcel of woods behind the house, although I fear the owner may want more for it than we are willing to pay. After that, it should only be two and a half years until we begin adding to the population of Tennessee's oldest county. If Jeopardy! will only call me from the waiting list to the contestant list, it will be a happy year indeed.
In any event, last week was quite a relief and a reward (that I hope I am not jeopardising by writing about it--internal disagreements in the school system probably ought to be kept quiet). If any of my few readers had a hand in getting me 25 more years of employment, I thank them. I also discourage anyone ever mentioning it again to any member of the school system's administration, as I am trying to keep a low profile for the next few years.
It has been a hard year. As a test I was given all new classes--8th grade history (which I did not expect to like, but really did once I got into the swing of it) and 9th grade honours modern history (which was a lot of work, but probably worth it; I will teach it a little differently if I teach it again, though)--and apparently I passed. I was voted into tenure last week at the April School Board meeting and the relief is tremendous--so much that it is difficult to accept it as real: indeed, I continue to have the sick sense in my stomach that I have had the past twelve months, primarily, I suppose, out of habit. No doubt it will clear up soon.
This finally lets Robin and me plan for the future, as well. If she can get her passport in time we may spend the first two weeks of June in England, Wales, and Ireland. If not, we will probably go to Minnesota, or possibly even back to New England (we bought an electric griddle this year and have made so many pancakes that we are down to just one and a half gallons of maple syrup, so we will have to go back to Vermont some time in the next year or so). We will probably try to make an offer on the parcel of woods behind the house, although I fear the owner may want more for it than we are willing to pay. After that, it should only be two and a half years until we begin adding to the population of Tennessee's oldest county. If Jeopardy! will only call me from the waiting list to the contestant list, it will be a happy year indeed.
In any event, last week was quite a relief and a reward (that I hope I am not jeopardising by writing about it--internal disagreements in the school system probably ought to be kept quiet). If any of my few readers had a hand in getting me 25 more years of employment, I thank them. I also discourage anyone ever mentioning it again to any member of the school system's administration, as I am trying to keep a low profile for the next few years.