As the great quest for gainful employment continues we find our young heroine lost on the wrong side of the tracks. Friendless and frightened she wanders though the run down shacks and back allies of "that side of town." When all seems hopelessly lost she stumbles upon a friendly face.
"You seem a bit lost there stranger. Can I help you find your way?"
"Thank you, sir, I am a bit lost," she replies, "I am here looking for work, and can't seem to find any."
"What kind of work do you do?" he asked.
"I am a teacher, a science teacher."
"Why, what a coincidence I am a principal and am in need of science teacher. Why not come work for me?"
"I think I shall, thank you."
Of course the interview wasn't quite so easy as all that, but it might as well have been. I am a science teacher in an open market. There are more vacancies than teachers, as evidenced by my bulging voice mail. Come work for me. No come work for me. The principals can't fill the openings for the current science requirement and the state is pushing to increase it. Soon high schools will require all students have 4 years of English, math and science.
In the end, I will benefit from such desperation as I have been offered, and have accepted the offer to begin teaching full time in January at a school where the population is very low income, the technology is behind, and the roofs leak (actually that last one isn't true, it just helped the sentence flow better). Actually, the school isn't so bad. It doesn't pay as well as some others, but the benefits are good and there is a lot of opportunity for advancement. It has block scheduling so I will have 3 classes a day. One Remedial Biology, one General Biology, and one AP Biology. Yes, you read that right. My very first semester teaching and I will be given the responsibility of teaching an AP class. This means a lot of work for me. I have to prep for 3 different classes and write the curriculum for the AP class, but the experience will be very valuable for me as my career progresses. As for the school, apparently it has been declared a neutral zone by the local gangs. I had a chance to meet some of the students and I think I am going to like it there. The administration is very supportive and they have an excellent mentoring program for new teachers. All in all, I am very excited to be an Owl and I am looking forward to the straining new challenge.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Neutral Zones and OWLS?!...it is starting to sound a little like a movie...Harry Potter maybe. I saw the cutest Hallmark ornament of Harry potter in potions class. I couldn't help but think of you. I doubt that it is worth $25 though!
Michelle
What "advancement" is there in teaching? Isn't it pretty much you get a standard raise every year or get fired regardless of how great or incompetant you might be? Isn't the only way to "advance" by getting another degree, kissing some butt, and becoming part of administration?
- Go unions!
I should have said there is a lot of opportunity for "professional development." They have a program in place to help you get your National Board Certification which will allow me to certify to teach in any state, bump me up on the salary schedule and increase my marketability
Post a Comment