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Aug. 11th, 2006 03:25 pm
Secher Nbiw!
It's official. I am now Mr. Johnston, English Teacher.
I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!
Starting MONDAY, I teach 9th Grade English, 11th Grade AP English, anda film class Journalism. (After talking with the VP, we decided that would be better both for the students and for me.
HOLY CRAP!!!!
I'm leaving the house now to pick up my curriculum materials and get the keys to my room.
I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!
Starting MONDAY, I teach 9th Grade English, 11th Grade AP English, and
HOLY CRAP!!!!
I'm leaving the house now to pick up my curriculum materials and get the keys to my room.
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Aug. 8th, 2006 01:33 pm
Well, fuck.
Heard from that Principal in Davis.
She loved me. She wanted to hire me. She says I'll be a great teacher, and offered herself as a reference. But her HR department has decided they had enough traditionally credentialed applicants, so District Intern Credential applicants were off the table.
*sigh*
Back to the drawing board.
She loved me. She wanted to hire me. She says I'll be a great teacher, and offered herself as a reference. But her HR department has decided they had enough traditionally credentialed applicants, so District Intern Credential applicants were off the table.
*sigh*
Back to the drawing board.
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Aug. 3rd, 2006 01:55 pm
Crossed fingers!
So I interviewed today at School X, where I really really really want to teach. I think I did ok in the interview, but of course I'm nervous as all hell. I really liked the principal, and the English teacher (not sure, but I think he's the head of the department) that was in the interview was pretty cool, too -- though we were dressed so alike, it was kind of weird. Same color outifts, the only difference was I had a tie and jacket.
The principal told me that if I don't hear from the district within 24 hours, to call him. Basically, the District may not call because I didn't get the job, or they may just take too long to actually make the call, and he believes it's wrong to keep people hovering and waiting to see if they got it, so if I call him tomorrow afternoon he'll tell me whether or not I got the job.
I almost dread making that call, to be honest. I mean, if it's "Yes, you're the new teacher here," that's great! But if it's another "You were great, but we decided to go with someone else," then I'll be down all weekend.
I'm going to tell you all the same thing, though: Even if I'm hired, I may wait to announce it until I've signed the contract, which will make it real in my head. So if you hear nothing this weekend, don't worry too much for my mental health.
(Who am I kidding? If I get the position, I'll probably announce it milliseconds after I call Elli to tell her)
On the other hand, I do have another interview on Monday morning with a high school in Davis, so all is not lost. But I'd rather get the one I interviewed at today.
The principal told me that if I don't hear from the district within 24 hours, to call him. Basically, the District may not call because I didn't get the job, or they may just take too long to actually make the call, and he believes it's wrong to keep people hovering and waiting to see if they got it, so if I call him tomorrow afternoon he'll tell me whether or not I got the job.
I almost dread making that call, to be honest. I mean, if it's "Yes, you're the new teacher here," that's great! But if it's another "You were great, but we decided to go with someone else," then I'll be down all weekend.
I'm going to tell you all the same thing, though: Even if I'm hired, I may wait to announce it until I've signed the contract, which will make it real in my head. So if you hear nothing this weekend, don't worry too much for my mental health.
(Who am I kidding? If I get the position, I'll probably announce it milliseconds after I call Elli to tell her)
On the other hand, I do have another interview on Monday morning with a high school in Davis, so all is not lost. But I'd rather get the one I interviewed at today.
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Jul. 31st, 2006 01:39 pm
On the other hand ...
I just scored an interview with my top-choice school (no, not McClatchey*) on Thursday. You know my mantra now, don't you?
Yep. That's right: (Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up.)
And no, I'm not going to say which school it is. I'll tell you afterward.
* McClatchey was originally my top choice of schools, but then reality set in and I realized that wasn't likely to happen. It's a top-choice school, and many people with a lot more experience than I have apply there every year. So I set my sights on a good school that has more possibilities. Not to say I wouldn't gladly and eagerly take a job at CKM, but it's very unlikely.
Yep. That's right: (Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up.)
And no, I'm not going to say which school it is. I'll tell you afterward.
* McClatchey was originally my top choice of schools, but then reality set in and I realized that wasn't likely to happen. It's a top-choice school, and many people with a lot more experience than I have apply there every year. So I set my sights on a good school that has more possibilities. Not to say I wouldn't gladly and eagerly take a job at CKM, but it's very unlikely.
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Jul. 31st, 2006 09:20 am
Getting nervous...
Bad news:
Four to Five (depending on district) weeks until school starts. I still don't have a contract. I am, therefore, getting very nervous.
Good news: I might have a shot at a job in the Davis school district. That'd be great; it's a hard district to crack. Downside is it's an oddly-run school on a non-traditional model I'm not entirely comfortable with, but I'd be willing to give it a shot. I could always work out my contract and then transfer to another school if it's not a good fit.
Four to Five (depending on district) weeks until school starts. I still don't have a contract. I am, therefore, getting very nervous.
Good news: I might have a shot at a job in the Davis school district. That'd be great; it's a hard district to crack. Downside is it's an oddly-run school on a non-traditional model I'm not entirely comfortable with, but I'd be willing to give it a shot. I could always work out my contract and then transfer to another school if it's not a good fit.
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Jul. 26th, 2006 09:09 am
Job-Seeking Post
So, my interview may have gone well, but another guy who interviewed after me was offered a position, and I wasn't. I'm probably somewhere behind him, so if he turns it down, I may get the offer. Eh.
Today I'm back on the "Hey, hire me!" grind, visiting a school I'd like to work in to introduce myself. I talked to the woman from my class who already got hired there, and I'm essentially doing what she did. I'm not above name-dropping, either--if they like her, that's good, because she's worked with me on developing lesson plans for our subject and can vouch for my ability.
Last night I got two calls I'll be returning today. The first I won't take an interview with, as it's in Vacaville and pays $4000 less than anything here in Sacramento. The commute would make it hell, and we can't move (not that I'd move to Vacaville anyway). The second is from a school in Lodi, which isn't too far to drive daily, really, and pays almost as well as Sacramento, so it might be worth it for two years, just to get my credential established. Lodi opened a new school last year, and they need a whole slew of teachers to get it moving.
The point, really, is that the interview season is starting with a vengeance here. My friend Mark (from training) got his first interview call yesterday, and so did some others, so I'm not doing too badly -- I've got two down and a bunch to go, hopefully.
Today I'm back on the "Hey, hire me!" grind, visiting a school I'd like to work in to introduce myself. I talked to the woman from my class who already got hired there, and I'm essentially doing what she did. I'm not above name-dropping, either--if they like her, that's good, because she's worked with me on developing lesson plans for our subject and can vouch for my ability.
Last night I got two calls I'll be returning today. The first I won't take an interview with, as it's in Vacaville and pays $4000 less than anything here in Sacramento. The commute would make it hell, and we can't move (not that I'd move to Vacaville anyway). The second is from a school in Lodi, which isn't too far to drive daily, really, and pays almost as well as Sacramento, so it might be worth it for two years, just to get my credential established. Lodi opened a new school last year, and they need a whole slew of teachers to get it moving.
The point, really, is that the interview season is starting with a vengeance here. My friend Mark (from training) got his first interview call yesterday, and so did some others, so I'm not doing too badly -- I've got two down and a bunch to go, hopefully.
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Jul. 11th, 2006 07:10 am
Secher Nbiw Update
The Path continues. And it is long, and boring.
Module 3 of pre-service training has begun; this one is titled "Creating a Learning Community" and is basically self-explanatory. It's all about setting up an environment conducive to learning. The sad thing is, none of this is stuff I didn't already learn as part of my BA (I took the teacher-preparation concentration).
That's basically what this pre-service coursework has been: survey-depth coverage of material I've already surveyed. I'll have to take it all in more depth once I've got a position and enroll in the two-year program, but at least then I won't feel like it's so incredibly common-sense.
One of my fellow interns continues to amaze me with his utter and complete dismissal of anything the instructors say. They talk about not yelling at students, and his reply is "That might work for you, but it won't cut it in my school." Only it sounds more like "... in my skoo." He's basically of the opinion this is all airy-fairy nonsense, and it shows in his dismissive attitude. The instructor will be talking to him, and he just ignores her and fiddles with his phone, his soda can, his books. He's basically a perfect model of a bored, uninterested student. It's fascinating to watch how they handle him. It's infuriating to be placed in a group with him, though: he disengages completely, and will only speak if he's prompted to. He just sits there silently, maybe makes a snarky comment about how stupid this (where "this" is whatever exercise we're doing at the moment) is, and that's it. Some of us have learned to avoid teaming with him if we can help it. So far we're all friendly with him in general, but wary of him in class. I'm trying not to dislike him, but his presence is so off-putting it's difficult.
Another intern, who I thought had to be no older than 25, revealed to me she's only a year younger than I am. Yeesh. I hate people who look that young. I know I'm not old, but I think I look older than I am. That's partially a function of being overweight, though -- it distorts the face and makes things look worse than they are.
My applications have hit the 45 mark; we're told July is terrible for job-seeking because most Principals go on vacation about this time. SCUSD has openly declared now that we WILL have a chance in their district; apparently there was a lot of confusion about this.
The Path goes ever forward...
Module 3 of pre-service training has begun; this one is titled "Creating a Learning Community" and is basically self-explanatory. It's all about setting up an environment conducive to learning. The sad thing is, none of this is stuff I didn't already learn as part of my BA (I took the teacher-preparation concentration).
That's basically what this pre-service coursework has been: survey-depth coverage of material I've already surveyed. I'll have to take it all in more depth once I've got a position and enroll in the two-year program, but at least then I won't feel like it's so incredibly common-sense.
One of my fellow interns continues to amaze me with his utter and complete dismissal of anything the instructors say. They talk about not yelling at students, and his reply is "That might work for you, but it won't cut it in my school." Only it sounds more like "... in my skoo." He's basically of the opinion this is all airy-fairy nonsense, and it shows in his dismissive attitude. The instructor will be talking to him, and he just ignores her and fiddles with his phone, his soda can, his books. He's basically a perfect model of a bored, uninterested student. It's fascinating to watch how they handle him. It's infuriating to be placed in a group with him, though: he disengages completely, and will only speak if he's prompted to. He just sits there silently, maybe makes a snarky comment about how stupid this (where "this" is whatever exercise we're doing at the moment) is, and that's it. Some of us have learned to avoid teaming with him if we can help it. So far we're all friendly with him in general, but wary of him in class. I'm trying not to dislike him, but his presence is so off-putting it's difficult.
Another intern, who I thought had to be no older than 25, revealed to me she's only a year younger than I am. Yeesh. I hate people who look that young. I know I'm not old, but I think I look older than I am. That's partially a function of being overweight, though -- it distorts the face and makes things look worse than they are.
My applications have hit the 45 mark; we're told July is terrible for job-seeking because most Principals go on vacation about this time. SCUSD has openly declared now that we WILL have a chance in their district; apparently there was a lot of confusion about this.
The Path goes ever forward...
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May. 22nd, 2006 01:39 pm
This is a pain.
There are job openings for English teachers all over the place, but I can't apply to most of them -- at least, not yet.
See, I'm not a credentialed teacher yet. I'm just some guy with a BA and a lot of pre-service classes in ESL and the like. So for me to apply to district jobs, I have to be able to show that, if hired, I'll be teaching on an Intern credential for two years and supervised/trained. If I get accepted to Pipeline, that's made a little easier; if I receive the "He's one of ours" letter from Impact, it's a little easier; if a miracle happens and SCUSD calls after all (and that's probably about as likely as me spontaneously changing genders), it becomes moot and my search is done.
And if the district doesn't participate in either Pipeline or Impact? Forget it: there is no chance of being hired there. For example, Davis. No alternative credentialing track there, dammit -- they need a bunch of English teachers, and I can't apply for any of the positions.
Until one of those three things happens, I'm just uselessly spinning my wheels. And I have deadlines: If I don't have a secured, signed contract by June 7th, then I'm completely out of Impact (It's possible I could do the classes later in the summer, but unlikely).
I mean, ok, I know I've said that if nothing else pans out I will become a substitute teacher for the year of 2006-2007, and that's still the tertiary plan, but ... it's not what I want. It's a fallback position, a way of salvaging what was supposed to be a fairly easy process and has become instead a nightmare. It isn't really a part of the golden path. But then, the golden path is looking pretty fucking tarnished, right now.
See, I'm not a credentialed teacher yet. I'm just some guy with a BA and a lot of pre-service classes in ESL and the like. So for me to apply to district jobs, I have to be able to show that, if hired, I'll be teaching on an Intern credential for two years and supervised/trained. If I get accepted to Pipeline, that's made a little easier; if I receive the "He's one of ours" letter from Impact, it's a little easier; if a miracle happens and SCUSD calls after all (and that's probably about as likely as me spontaneously changing genders), it becomes moot and my search is done.
And if the district doesn't participate in either Pipeline or Impact? Forget it: there is no chance of being hired there. For example, Davis. No alternative credentialing track there, dammit -- they need a bunch of English teachers, and I can't apply for any of the positions.
Until one of those three things happens, I'm just uselessly spinning my wheels. And I have deadlines: If I don't have a secured, signed contract by June 7th, then I'm completely out of Impact (It's possible I could do the classes later in the summer, but unlikely).
I mean, ok, I know I've said that if nothing else pans out I will become a substitute teacher for the year of 2006-2007, and that's still the tertiary plan, but ... it's not what I want. It's a fallback position, a way of salvaging what was supposed to be a fairly easy process and has become instead a nightmare. It isn't really a part of the golden path. But then, the golden path is looking pretty fucking tarnished, right now.
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Aug. 29th, 2005 11:02 am
Self-mocking entry
I just joined the SCTA, which is the student division of the California Teachers Association. Now, this is a student organization, and it does not make me a teacher, or anything like that. I could easily become a teacher without joining it.
But it makes me happy that I did so. As does the knowledge that I'll be receiving CTA and NEA publications from now on (so my friend Sally can stop handing hers off to me). For I am a sad, sad man (my enemies need not post agreement).
Heh -- I just realized that this afternoon (after 5pm) I can look up how I did on the CBEST (though only on the math and reading sections; the writing section I won't find out about until 9/6), and my heart started pounding.
But it makes me happy that I did so. As does the knowledge that I'll be receiving CTA and NEA publications from now on (so my friend Sally can stop handing hers off to me). For I am a sad, sad man (my enemies need not post agreement).
Heh -- I just realized that this afternoon (after 5pm) I can look up how I did on the CBEST (though only on the math and reading sections; the writing section I won't find out about until 9/6), and my heart started pounding.
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