Back In Brooklyn
Not only am I back from the dead, I am back teaching in Brooklyn, and I am a much happier camper for it.
All summer, when I wasn’t WoWing or generally goofing off, I pounded pavement, sent out resumes, determined to get a job as a teacher in NYC.
And after a small bite in June, and absolutely nothing all summer, I started to get worried. And, as of Monday night, I was resolved with the fact that I was going to eat crow and go back to teach another year in NJ. Tuesday morning, I got up at my usual crazy-ass time, took the train to Penn Station, and stopped there.
I couldn’t believe that there was no teaching job for me in the Big Apple.
So, instead of going to work via NJ Transit, I played hooky and took the 2 Train to the upper recesses of The Bronx, where I pounded more pavement, hoping for the best. Something worked out. I landed an interview later that afternoon in a middle school. I went to the interview, answered the questions earnestly and honestly, and was asked to return the next morning (Wednesday morning) to teach a model lesson.
On the way to teaching said model lesson-playing hooky a second day-I got a message offering another interview in a small alternative high school in Brooklyn: the AP wanted me to come in that very afternoon.
I arrived at the middle school at 8 a.m., waited for an hour and a half until the registration nightmare that occupies the first few days of every elementary and middle school in the City subsided, and taught my lesson.
At 1 p.m. that afternoon the middle school principal called me and offered me the Bronx job. I asked for him to please wait a few hours until I interview at the other school.
I went to the second interview that day, and waited an hour until the principal figured out and distributed the Metrocards to the students. I went in for the interview, answered the questions earnestly and honestly, and, after admitting the fact that I had a pending job offer, I was granted a second job offer.
I took the job in Brooklyn, since it was exactly where I wanted to be.
Peace.
All summer, when I wasn’t WoWing or generally goofing off, I pounded pavement, sent out resumes, determined to get a job as a teacher in NYC.
And after a small bite in June, and absolutely nothing all summer, I started to get worried. And, as of Monday night, I was resolved with the fact that I was going to eat crow and go back to teach another year in NJ. Tuesday morning, I got up at my usual crazy-ass time, took the train to Penn Station, and stopped there.
I couldn’t believe that there was no teaching job for me in the Big Apple.
So, instead of going to work via NJ Transit, I played hooky and took the 2 Train to the upper recesses of The Bronx, where I pounded more pavement, hoping for the best. Something worked out. I landed an interview later that afternoon in a middle school. I went to the interview, answered the questions earnestly and honestly, and was asked to return the next morning (Wednesday morning) to teach a model lesson.
On the way to teaching said model lesson-playing hooky a second day-I got a message offering another interview in a small alternative high school in Brooklyn: the AP wanted me to come in that very afternoon.
I arrived at the middle school at 8 a.m., waited for an hour and a half until the registration nightmare that occupies the first few days of every elementary and middle school in the City subsided, and taught my lesson.
At 1 p.m. that afternoon the middle school principal called me and offered me the Bronx job. I asked for him to please wait a few hours until I interview at the other school.
I went to the second interview that day, and waited an hour until the principal figured out and distributed the Metrocards to the students. I went in for the interview, answered the questions earnestly and honestly, and, after admitting the fact that I had a pending job offer, I was granted a second job offer.
I took the job in Brooklyn, since it was exactly where I wanted to be.
Peace.