Subbing

It is even hard to get called up for sub jobs right now in the great Northwest. The district I would really like to work at, where my kids go to school, is only accepting sub applicants if you have a special ed, music or PE Endorsement, or secondary math or science endorsements. Most of my fellow graduates that I have talked to haven't heard any information about subbing either.

I decided to be proactive, and went to visit the human resources dept in person to find out what I needed to do to at least get on the sub list. I was prepared to beg, to give them my first born child, offer up my kidney, just to get on the sub list. You think I jest, but with a husband who has been without a job since February, and the teacher job market the way it is, I really want a job. So after talking to the ladies there, I only had to ask and plead a little bit( I think I was I little pathetic so they took pity on me. Amazingly they didn't want my first born or my kidney.) They said if I could get a principal in the district to request an override for me, they would enter me into the system.

Next step -- offering up my kidney or first born to the principal I know the best to see if she would add me. Luckily, she couldn't use either of them , and took pity on my as well. I would love to say that they were all dazzled by my stunning resume, my numerous accomplishments, my inner light shining through, and my desire to teach which made them realize that they just had to have me. However, since I don't have anyone banging down my door to come teach full time for them, I'm thinking not.

So while I still haven't given up hope of getting my own classroom, I am trying to wrap my arms around subbing. Frankly I am terrified. I remember having subs when I was a kid. The stories you hear from your own kids. The jokes, the lack of respect, the pranks... am I tough enough to make sure they listen and respect me? And never knowing what you are going to teach? Not having days or weeks to think out how you are going to present something? Not knowing which kid needs extra help in which area.

So I am doing the same thing I do whenever I have something new in my life that scares me. I am researching it. I have books on subbing requested at the library and at Paperbackswap , i have been looking up websites and reading all sorts of tips I can find. Next I will start asking friends who teach all about subbing. Will educating myself help my fear? Only time will tell.

Being Proactive

I have filled out all the district web applications, but I don't do well just sitting around and waiting for things to happen. I have to be proactive. I spent today driving around to all the elementary schools in my children's district to drop of a letter introducing myself, a resume and copies of my letters of recommendation. I don't know if it will help me at all in the long run, but it makes me feel like I am doing something.

Tonight I have printed up letters to the schools in the next district over and will go deliver them tomorrow.

It is funny how people will tell me " oh you don't want to work at such and such school." What they don't realize is that I would love to work at any school. I want to teach! I want to be a teacher. I want to have my own classroom, my own walls to hang stuff on, my own students to nurture. It doesn't matter to me how old the school is, how strict the principal is, how tough the kids are, how bad their WASL scores are. I want to teach.

Back to School Shopping and Dreaming

I have decided I am like a woman who has just found out she is pregnant. I go out and longingly look at school supplies instead of baby clothes. I look at the stickers and pencils, put them in my cart, reasoning that they will be good for any age. No matter if I get a job teaching first or fifth, I can use stickers and pencils.

Then I move onto books. This one looks good. I can envision future students picking up the books, lovingly looking through it, eagerly reading it, wanting the next book by that author or in that series. But like the woman who doesn't know yet whether to buy the blanket in pink or blue, I put it back on the shelf, because I don't know yet what grade I may get.

I look at storage totes, I could buy those for my future classroom, with the plan of putting pencils and scissors and supplies for the students to share. I look at wall posters, and teacher-type decorations. Should I start a theme? What sort of theme will my future classroom have? Like the new mother's dreams of how to decorate the nursery. Again, she wonders, should I wait until I know whether it is a boy or girl, or decorate in green and yellow? Should I wait till I find out how old, or decorate in sealife or rainforest?

What about furniture? Bookshelves are safe --teachers always need bookshelves right? But what if I don't get that class I am dreaming of? What if I wind up subbing for awhile? Do I want to store bookshelves or desks for a future classroom?

So I buy school supplies for my kids, secretly inhaling the smell of new pencils and crayons, buy some safe school supplies for my future classroom and secrete them away in the garage with the rest of my "saving for when I become a teacher" stuff. I resist buying anything tied to a certain age for now.

August Dread

August is here. The most dreaded and anticipated of times for a hopeful teacher who is searching for employment. All my applications are in. Now comes the waiting. Will they call? Will I get an interview? Will I do ok in an interview, or will I bomb it. Am I what they want? What do they want?

My stomach is in knots and I wonder if it would be better to get an interview or not. Would the rejection be worse if I got an interview and didn't get a job, or if I never even got called.

Then I wonder - what happens in September if I don't get hired. Do I sub? Scares me down to my toenails. Makes me tremble in my boots. Does that scare me more than having my own class? I'm not sure. I'll let you know when I decide.