Thirty-nine months. That's how long I have until my district, the one I've devoted myself to for the past eight years, formally ends my layoff package and wishes me a sad farewell. That's a long time, but it's perhaps not long enough to recapture the students lost to the competing charter school (read: we'll give your kids a laptop and not require that they read anything, so come on down!), not long enough to generate jobs in a local economy of fast food, retail, and...what the heck do people do for a living here? People certainly don't open new businesses in the 65% of retail space currently unoccupied in our small town.
Therefore, those thirty-nine months may not be enough time for my superintendent to call me one fateful morning with those words I long to hear, "I have good news. We'd like to invite you back." However, thirty-nine months is plenty long enough to watch Bank of America politely take back my house, and to see my family migrate like modern-day Joads in the opposite direction, in search of work and a new home. Ah, California schools. Livin' the dream.
It's probably obvious this is my first blog, but I have time on my hands, so I thought I'd give it a try. If you are an unemployed teacher, join in! Commiserate! If you are still holding onto your job, this blog will make you appreciate your sick leave and prep period, and envy the fact that I'm blogging and not grading poorly written essays about the symbolic significance of card games in Of Mice and Men. Yes, high school English teacher; you got me. You may be surprised to find that this California teacher has just as much frustration for my union as for my administration. The "Public School Question", like "The Woman Question" in 19th Century England is complicated, and the answers won't be simple. But, if you're reading this, you already knew that.
I'm currently subbing in my own district, so after fourteen years of teaching, an M.A. in Education and endless hours of meaningful curriculum development and assessment, I am reduced to taking roll, pushing "Play" on the DVD, and passing out worksheets. You know we can't be trusted. I understand. I was once you, but now I'm just a...
Teacher Not Teaching.
3 comments:
Remember Teacher Not Teaching, I'm your first follower. With your fine writing skills and keen insights I'm sure this blog will be most successful. I'm going to link you on The Orate Fratres, feel free to do likewise.
As for modern-day Joads in search of work and a new home, remember the last shall be first and the first shall be last... Here's my favorite modern-day-joad song dedicated to us all in these times:
http://ilike.myspacecdn.com/play#Bruce+Springsteen:The+Ghost+Of+Tom+Joad:91590:s4040220.8113647.8735122.0.2.18%2Cstd_480325a3a9c44f03a4ae4e1dba754f88
All my love and prayers,
jme
Greetings, unemployed H.S. English Teacher here from Illinois! I wasn’t laid off, but instead I’ve never been given the chance. I’m fresh out of college and just have not been able to snag that first teaching position. I’m at a standstill on what to do next: sub, go to school for a Reading Specialist endorsement, go back and get my masters in Education, or just wait the year out. I’ll be following your blog. I’ve already posted it on my Twitter.
Best,
A.L.
Well...this is my second year of being laid off...and then brought back well into the school year. This means a new grade level...a combo last year...not to mention the stress and anxiety put on the little ones to move to a new classroom with a new teacher and new classmates. Now, I am ETERNALLY grateful to have a job that I love, but I'm getting pretty tired of this pingpong life. As a former sub at my school...I can say at least you know where the bathroom is!!
What has happended to our educational system..Good Luck
CA
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