So the question remains ...
... what to do next year ... meaning, this year, of course.
1. Spend three months to get my certification in Instructional Design and then make a break for it. Portland? Seattle? Somewhere else? ( found a GREAT possibility in Oregon today, and I found another one in Charlotte, NC)
2. See if I can really curb this relentless restlessness and actually stay awhile, like another year or more, here. Buy a house. See how that might change my sort of "hands off what's the point if I'm leaving soon" attitude toward my community.
3. Go back to teaching in Northern Virginia. My "old job" will be open in September, and man, let me tell you I'm feeling so inspired to return to the classroom and REALLY integrate some technology, get grants, and all that jazz. Can NOT afford a house up there AT ALL.
4. Go back to teaching here, somewhere close anyway. Nah.
5. Market myself with my good friend Robyn and earn a living--or at least a supplemental income--tutoring Northern Virginia students on college admissions essay writing. Bring that small piece of what I LOVED about teaching back into my life to fill the void that is, undeniably, there without teaching and students.
6. Go back to Grad school full time in any of a plethora of programs: instructional design, curriculum and instruction, general education, English, psychology, information science, etc.
What appeals to me about returning to the classroom is that first and foremost, it is absolutely unquestionably where both my passion and talents lie. Second, it does offer a GENEROUS "vacation" policy compared to the ONE WEEK (WTF!!!??) at my current job. During a summer, I could, for example, go live in Washington State, hunkered down in a tent on the side of Mount Baker. During a Spring Break, I could, perhaps, go do some volunteer type of thing overseas somewhere ... something like Doctors without Borders, only not doctors. I could also finish my master's and have it basically paid for too. Finally, I could get my National Board Certification because ... well, you know, because it's the highest level of certification you can get as a teacher, and, well, I just want that. Ego, pride, my perfectionist tendencies, I'm not sure. But I know that I really want it.
What is frightening about going back to teaching either here or in NOVA is that I'd be much more poor with either of those options. If I teach here, I take a pay cut. If I teach up there, I lose most of my income in housing.
Right, right, when have I ever been one to count money as a factor?
The other thing that scares me about going back to the classroom is that it is so much harder than I can ever remember. I would not, for example, be sitting here pondering my next move because I'd be buried under an endless stack of essays to grade. I also would not be spending Spring Break in Argentina; I would be spending Spring Break catching up on all the grading I was behind in. And a summer in Washington State? Uh-huh, when I'll have courses to take for recertification, college entrance recommendations to write, and other professional development requirements.
Still, I left teaching because I wanted to try to find some kind of balance and then go back rejuvenated. I have failed miserably in finding balance. So maybe I go back rejuvenated and still seeking balance.
(Time to get out the prioritizing grid.)
1. Spend three months to get my certification in Instructional Design and then make a break for it. Portland? Seattle? Somewhere else? ( found a GREAT possibility in Oregon today, and I found another one in Charlotte, NC)
2. See if I can really curb this relentless restlessness and actually stay awhile, like another year or more, here. Buy a house. See how that might change my sort of "hands off what's the point if I'm leaving soon" attitude toward my community.
3. Go back to teaching in Northern Virginia. My "old job" will be open in September, and man, let me tell you I'm feeling so inspired to return to the classroom and REALLY integrate some technology, get grants, and all that jazz. Can NOT afford a house up there AT ALL.
4. Go back to teaching here, somewhere close anyway. Nah.
5. Market myself with my good friend Robyn and earn a living--or at least a supplemental income--tutoring Northern Virginia students on college admissions essay writing. Bring that small piece of what I LOVED about teaching back into my life to fill the void that is, undeniably, there without teaching and students.
6. Go back to Grad school full time in any of a plethora of programs: instructional design, curriculum and instruction, general education, English, psychology, information science, etc.
What appeals to me about returning to the classroom is that first and foremost, it is absolutely unquestionably where both my passion and talents lie. Second, it does offer a GENEROUS "vacation" policy compared to the ONE WEEK (WTF!!!??) at my current job. During a summer, I could, for example, go live in Washington State, hunkered down in a tent on the side of Mount Baker. During a Spring Break, I could, perhaps, go do some volunteer type of thing overseas somewhere ... something like Doctors without Borders, only not doctors. I could also finish my master's and have it basically paid for too. Finally, I could get my National Board Certification because ... well, you know, because it's the highest level of certification you can get as a teacher, and, well, I just want that. Ego, pride, my perfectionist tendencies, I'm not sure. But I know that I really want it.
What is frightening about going back to teaching either here or in NOVA is that I'd be much more poor with either of those options. If I teach here, I take a pay cut. If I teach up there, I lose most of my income in housing.
Right, right, when have I ever been one to count money as a factor?
The other thing that scares me about going back to the classroom is that it is so much harder than I can ever remember. I would not, for example, be sitting here pondering my next move because I'd be buried under an endless stack of essays to grade. I also would not be spending Spring Break in Argentina; I would be spending Spring Break catching up on all the grading I was behind in. And a summer in Washington State? Uh-huh, when I'll have courses to take for recertification, college entrance recommendations to write, and other professional development requirements.
Still, I left teaching because I wanted to try to find some kind of balance and then go back rejuvenated. I have failed miserably in finding balance. So maybe I go back rejuvenated and still seeking balance.
(Time to get out the prioritizing grid.)