moving, moving, moving keep them bulldykes moving
Yeehaw!
Finally I have been offered a position as a teacher in the land of Tennessee. Sheesh, I think the whole 'but she's not from here' issue slowed things down. Because the nationwide shortage of highly qualified and experienced Special Ed teachers exists in TN just as it does here, but I have not gotten many expressions of interest compared to what I've come to expect as my just due. Lemme tell ya, if you've got certification for high school in an academic subject (mine are social studies and reading) along with Special Education - public schools want you. Add in real live experience, and you are an attractive package.
Getting all this certification done has done wonderful things to my job-related ego, I gotta say. Looking for work has always been torture for me and now while I can't say it's a pleasure, I no longer stress out like I used to do. Like I used to stress out so much that I'd start projectile vomiting and worse - I'm serious when I say job hunting used to be hell for me. Now, it's more like 'heck' I guess.
I've become used to people calling and emailing me about work (not as much as my neighbor the IT project manager making more than 100K a year but still...). I've gotten unsolicited interview invitations from schools around the country. The school districts down there have been very interested and aranged interviews so I could be put on an "Okay to Hire" personnel list. But the principals, the folks who do the actual hiring, haven't exactly been racing to contact me. I called and emailed all around (yes, I'm talking dozens of contact attempts to dozens of schools)and honestly got what, for me and my current expectations, seemed like fairly lukewarm responses.
But then I interviewed at a high school for kids who've been too much trouble to make it at regular school. Or they may be in a transition back to school from prison or rehab or mental hospital. About a hundred students, a dozen or so teachers. I think I'll like it.
It's always so damned hard to tell, isn't it? The facility is a beat up urban school built in the 50's. Once an elementary school, so rooms are pretty small, there's no air conditioning and I assume that the building itself will have issues like windows that won't shut or maybe won't open, missing and mismatched tiles and paint, etc. The school's neighborhood looked awful - tiny, run-down and dirty houses, many of them apparently vacant.
But the folks I interviewed with were so friendly and open. The interview itself was relaxed and comfortable, with each of the three people (the principal and two teachers) asking questions from a form but digressing as new topics came up. We seemed to get along really well. I've been wishing for a placement in an all Special Ed school, something smaller than the big school I've worked at all year, and thought it would be nice if I could maybe get at least a little social with people at work since I won't know anyone but the in-laws down in Nashville.
This school seemed to hit all those buttons, plus they actually offered me the job instead of waving me away with vague hints at possible further interviews. I think the fact that the principal isn't from TN was a good thing; I suspect it's going to be a long period of adjusting to how business is done down there.
Anyway, got a job!
Finally I have been offered a position as a teacher in the land of Tennessee. Sheesh, I think the whole 'but she's not from here' issue slowed things down. Because the nationwide shortage of highly qualified and experienced Special Ed teachers exists in TN just as it does here, but I have not gotten many expressions of interest compared to what I've come to expect as my just due. Lemme tell ya, if you've got certification for high school in an academic subject (mine are social studies and reading) along with Special Education - public schools want you. Add in real live experience, and you are an attractive package.
Getting all this certification done has done wonderful things to my job-related ego, I gotta say. Looking for work has always been torture for me and now while I can't say it's a pleasure, I no longer stress out like I used to do. Like I used to stress out so much that I'd start projectile vomiting and worse - I'm serious when I say job hunting used to be hell for me. Now, it's more like 'heck' I guess.
I've become used to people calling and emailing me about work (not as much as my neighbor the IT project manager making more than 100K a year but still...). I've gotten unsolicited interview invitations from schools around the country. The school districts down there have been very interested and aranged interviews so I could be put on an "Okay to Hire" personnel list. But the principals, the folks who do the actual hiring, haven't exactly been racing to contact me. I called and emailed all around (yes, I'm talking dozens of contact attempts to dozens of schools)and honestly got what, for me and my current expectations, seemed like fairly lukewarm responses.
But then I interviewed at a high school for kids who've been too much trouble to make it at regular school. Or they may be in a transition back to school from prison or rehab or mental hospital. About a hundred students, a dozen or so teachers. I think I'll like it.
It's always so damned hard to tell, isn't it? The facility is a beat up urban school built in the 50's. Once an elementary school, so rooms are pretty small, there's no air conditioning and I assume that the building itself will have issues like windows that won't shut or maybe won't open, missing and mismatched tiles and paint, etc. The school's neighborhood looked awful - tiny, run-down and dirty houses, many of them apparently vacant.
But the folks I interviewed with were so friendly and open. The interview itself was relaxed and comfortable, with each of the three people (the principal and two teachers) asking questions from a form but digressing as new topics came up. We seemed to get along really well. I've been wishing for a placement in an all Special Ed school, something smaller than the big school I've worked at all year, and thought it would be nice if I could maybe get at least a little social with people at work since I won't know anyone but the in-laws down in Nashville.
This school seemed to hit all those buttons, plus they actually offered me the job instead of waving me away with vague hints at possible further interviews. I think the fact that the principal isn't from TN was a good thing; I suspect it's going to be a long period of adjusting to how business is done down there.
Anyway, got a job!