"If offered the position today, how soon could you provide a response?" asks the principal. "Today!" I confirm.
Four days later I am offered a teaching position after being unemployed for an entire school year. Sounds great when initially offered time off (oh, and sleeping in was great) but "resting" after six years of consecutive service leaves a void. The weight of guilt, anxiety, sense of failure, and the feeling of complete dependency was lifted...in came the feelings of intelligence being turned back on, contributor to our livelihood, gratitude, and pride!
June 24th, 2011 was a terrific day that concluded a terrific month. Earlier the previous week I was in Atlanta visiting friends and attending a dear friend's wedding. I was there with my boyfriend and having a pity party for myself as we ate dinner with a beautiful view of the city. The day of our dinner in the city I received three rejection e-mails from schools I submitted resumes for teaching positions. I was pissed and deflated once again. As we ate our dinner I began complaining about leaving my career and friends. Little had I known he was planning a marriage proposal this same evening. In retrospect it made sense because Atlanta was the city that brought and kept us together through the distance and years.
The restaurant was extremely cold and by the end of dinner he had moved to the same side of the table as I was sitting. As I turned to gather my belongings and get up to leave I turned back around to find him on one knee asking me to marry him. I laughed, because I was in rare form as I was throwing a pity party and felt bad for having such a poor attitude but then I began crying because I knew regardless of the attitude or employment situation this man loved me without condition. Of course I said 'yes' with tears and a HUGE smile. I guess one could say this began my luck...
I extended my stay in Atlanta to celebrate my proposal with friends and enjoy the city in a much more favorable mood. The day I was scheduled to leave I received a phone call from the principal at "MY NEW SCHOOL" requesting a time to interview with me. I was not able to return her call on that Sunday but I'll have you know I was highly desired because she called me first thing Monday morning and was extremely willing to wait until Friday to set up time to meet with me. And so here we are in the present, me a newly hired veteran teacher!
I am ecstatic to take on this next year!!! I mean clearly I'm committed to being successful and proving my qualities as a teacher to ensure continued employment because it is Saturday evening I'm setting up this blog, e-mailing colleagues from Atlanta to share ideas for 4th grade instruction, brainstorming projects, conducting searches for professional development, and reading about the New Teaching Program I am required to participate in for the next two years!
It makes me gag a little because I don't exactly see myself as a novice to attend such silliness, but believe me I will be the most appreciative participant come August. I'll be damned if I'm not a teacher trainer and promoting the program in two years...
Now that I'm officially on a summer break I am using my time to diligently plan for the next school year and joyfully plan a wedding! Oh, now I have something to write about that will convey the true "Life and Times" of a teacher. It took a year of feeling sorry for myself to get here, but what an amazing support system I had in place. I am so in awe that I am where I am today! I guess one could say we began our first year living together in the "for worse" category of "for better or for worse."
I believe now I can use this avenue of mass media to discuss with others the joys and woes of having taught in Atlanta, being unemployed, interviewing, being hired, and maintaining a personal balance with the professional demands of being a public servant. I'll be in the Honeymoon Stage for a bit, as expected, but I hope to take several snap shots, reflect, and share with the public the "Life and Times of a Newly Hired Veteran Teacher." I am in the ideal position of blending the past with the present to assist with the future.
Four days later I am offered a teaching position after being unemployed for an entire school year. Sounds great when initially offered time off (oh, and sleeping in was great) but "resting" after six years of consecutive service leaves a void. The weight of guilt, anxiety, sense of failure, and the feeling of complete dependency was lifted...in came the feelings of intelligence being turned back on, contributor to our livelihood, gratitude, and pride!
June 24th, 2011 was a terrific day that concluded a terrific month. Earlier the previous week I was in Atlanta visiting friends and attending a dear friend's wedding. I was there with my boyfriend and having a pity party for myself as we ate dinner with a beautiful view of the city. The day of our dinner in the city I received three rejection e-mails from schools I submitted resumes for teaching positions. I was pissed and deflated once again. As we ate our dinner I began complaining about leaving my career and friends. Little had I known he was planning a marriage proposal this same evening. In retrospect it made sense because Atlanta was the city that brought and kept us together through the distance and years.
The restaurant was extremely cold and by the end of dinner he had moved to the same side of the table as I was sitting. As I turned to gather my belongings and get up to leave I turned back around to find him on one knee asking me to marry him. I laughed, because I was in rare form as I was throwing a pity party and felt bad for having such a poor attitude but then I began crying because I knew regardless of the attitude or employment situation this man loved me without condition. Of course I said 'yes' with tears and a HUGE smile. I guess one could say this began my luck...
I extended my stay in Atlanta to celebrate my proposal with friends and enjoy the city in a much more favorable mood. The day I was scheduled to leave I received a phone call from the principal at "MY NEW SCHOOL" requesting a time to interview with me. I was not able to return her call on that Sunday but I'll have you know I was highly desired because she called me first thing Monday morning and was extremely willing to wait until Friday to set up time to meet with me. And so here we are in the present, me a newly hired veteran teacher!
I am ecstatic to take on this next year!!! I mean clearly I'm committed to being successful and proving my qualities as a teacher to ensure continued employment because it is Saturday evening I'm setting up this blog, e-mailing colleagues from Atlanta to share ideas for 4th grade instruction, brainstorming projects, conducting searches for professional development, and reading about the New Teaching Program I am required to participate in for the next two years!
It makes me gag a little because I don't exactly see myself as a novice to attend such silliness, but believe me I will be the most appreciative participant come August. I'll be damned if I'm not a teacher trainer and promoting the program in two years...
Now that I'm officially on a summer break I am using my time to diligently plan for the next school year and joyfully plan a wedding! Oh, now I have something to write about that will convey the true "Life and Times" of a teacher. It took a year of feeling sorry for myself to get here, but what an amazing support system I had in place. I am so in awe that I am where I am today! I guess one could say we began our first year living together in the "for worse" category of "for better or for worse."
I believe now I can use this avenue of mass media to discuss with others the joys and woes of having taught in Atlanta, being unemployed, interviewing, being hired, and maintaining a personal balance with the professional demands of being a public servant. I'll be in the Honeymoon Stage for a bit, as expected, but I hope to take several snap shots, reflect, and share with the public the "Life and Times of a Newly Hired Veteran Teacher." I am in the ideal position of blending the past with the present to assist with the future.
