(no subject)
Okay, that happened quick as all get out! Not one, not two, but THREE job offers all nice schools and nice positions. I decided to go with a public school because they'll get my certification sorted out faster (it takes effin' MONTHS to get one's certification here in Maryland), pay me best and offer more opportunities down the line (I've started thinking that I'll get pigeon-holed as only able to work with really low-functioning kids). I can only hope like hell that it's nothing like the other public school I worked at. This one is mostly co-teaching, it's only two subjects (Language Arts and Math neither of which I'm certified in but that's another worry for another day); the periods are half as long, the curriculum is canned (so I don't have to create every little bit of curricular material, invent every activity and design every worksheet for every blessed subject every blessed day) and I'll be co-teaching at least two classes with an actual experienced teacher who's been co-teaching for years. If nothing else, I'll maybe finally get the chance to learn how other teachers handle shit. God that would be nice.
Teaching is sooooo lonely. And for someone like me who wasn't an education major, it's sheer guesswork an awful lot of the time. Take something as simple as filling out a gradebook: I honestly have no goddamn clue. Really. No one took the time to show me how to do it, so I guessed. Little shit like that that drives me nuts because I'm indecisive and slow to get it done as a result. A few systems for handling stuff like grading masses of papers, figuring out what and how to grade and I'd be so much more confident.
It's funny too, because everyone assumes because of my age that I have buttloads of experience and really I don't. Plus they figure that because of the kinds of kids I've worked with that I must know way more about teaching than they do...and again, I really don't. I maybe know more about managing such kids and about creating modified lessons, etc. But basic how-to's of regular classroom teaching, lesson preparation, pacing, etc. I have yet to learn. I'm forever pestered and fretful that I'm missing something that will make this or that job easier or that I'm not presenting stuff I ought to be, etc. etc.
Today I went to a meeting explaining benefits, filling out required forms and all like that and learned that the district has hammered out an additional point for benefits: Domestic Partners are covered!!!!! The Love Object is a dog trainer, working for herself and self alone...here in the beeyooteeful US of A she naturally cannot afford individual health care, self-coverage whatever it's called. God no, of course not. It'll require some fol-de-rol of filling out a notarized affadavit or some such bull pucky to demonstrate that we live together and have debt together (that's how to show one's love, I guess - share a bank account honey, that means I love you!)which we've done a couple of times now. We're just so happy that it's offered. Funny how all the places granting legal status/recognition to gay relationships are places offering universal health coverage - oh, I forgot myself for a moment there, BOLIVIA offers universal health coverage for cryin' out loud!
Anyway, just another month to go and I'll finally be enjoying/enduring the high school teaching experience. Imagine, seeing different students during the day; imagine working with experienced colleagues; imagine having scheduled breaks...imagine me talking about something besides work!!!
Teaching is sooooo lonely. And for someone like me who wasn't an education major, it's sheer guesswork an awful lot of the time. Take something as simple as filling out a gradebook: I honestly have no goddamn clue. Really. No one took the time to show me how to do it, so I guessed. Little shit like that that drives me nuts because I'm indecisive and slow to get it done as a result. A few systems for handling stuff like grading masses of papers, figuring out what and how to grade and I'd be so much more confident.
It's funny too, because everyone assumes because of my age that I have buttloads of experience and really I don't. Plus they figure that because of the kinds of kids I've worked with that I must know way more about teaching than they do...and again, I really don't. I maybe know more about managing such kids and about creating modified lessons, etc. But basic how-to's of regular classroom teaching, lesson preparation, pacing, etc. I have yet to learn. I'm forever pestered and fretful that I'm missing something that will make this or that job easier or that I'm not presenting stuff I ought to be, etc. etc.
Today I went to a meeting explaining benefits, filling out required forms and all like that and learned that the district has hammered out an additional point for benefits: Domestic Partners are covered!!!!! The Love Object is a dog trainer, working for herself and self alone...here in the beeyooteeful US of A she naturally cannot afford individual health care, self-coverage whatever it's called. God no, of course not. It'll require some fol-de-rol of filling out a notarized affadavit or some such bull pucky to demonstrate that we live together and have debt together (that's how to show one's love, I guess - share a bank account honey, that means I love you!)which we've done a couple of times now. We're just so happy that it's offered. Funny how all the places granting legal status/recognition to gay relationships are places offering universal health coverage - oh, I forgot myself for a moment there, BOLIVIA offers universal health coverage for cryin' out loud!
Anyway, just another month to go and I'll finally be enjoying/enduring the high school teaching experience. Imagine, seeing different students during the day; imagine working with experienced colleagues; imagine having scheduled breaks...imagine me talking about something besides work!!!