You Can't Always Get What You Want
I think the last few hours can be best expressed by a lyric from my favorite eighties sitcom's theme song,
"You take the good, you take the bad. You take them both and then you have, the facts of life."
Yesterday I got a call for another job interview. Of course I didn't decline, although it did mean calling out of work last night on a moment's notice. (I actually HATE doing that.) As soon as I heard where the job was though, I knew I had gotten the position.
Why?
Well, for starters it isn't the most desirable district in the state. But in my flurry of email rage, I went a little crazy saying to myself "I don't care! I'll take anything."
Now I'm eating my words.
Another reason why I figured the job might be in the bag is because one of my oldest friends works in that very school, the kicker being even SHE didn't know about the vacancy. So, no my friends, having an 'in', although I had one, did not help me here.
I know what you are thinking. So why am I not jumping for joy? I mean at least one entry a week is devoted to the job I DON'T have, right?
Well, here's the breakdown:
1. I already told you about the not-so-stellar location, which I could deal with, but it also ties into the whole, "daring to dream the impossible dream" of moving out. For those of you who don't know, the cost of living in NJ is ridiculous. It actually gets worse the more north you go. Of course, this job is more north. And thus the predicament.
2. The position is not actually for a classroom teacher. I mean I'd be a classroom teacher and get paid the same amount, but I'd be something called an Intervention Teacher. Never heard of it right? That's ok cause up until yesterday, neither had I.
Basically an Intervention Teacher floats from room to room and leads mini lessons or pull out lessons with smaller groups at times. In some ways this is an ideal first year position considering you don't have all the paperwork and stress a regular ol' teacher gets. Plus, if you get a group of particularly devilish cherubs, the upside is you are only there for 45 minutes or so, unlike their classroom teacher that has the little buggers all day. The downside though is some teachers might be harder to work with than others or resentful you are in their room, period.
3. And then there are the hours. I was willing to deal with all of the above... when I heard about the hours. The position starts at 7am and ends at 2:30. Some might say this is great because then you have the rest of the day to yourself. But for those of us who think it's just plain wrong anyone gets up BEFORE the sun, it kinda sucks.
4. There is still a possibility that after signing with this district period I will get switched to being a classroom teacher. The principal told me point blank: "If I have an opening in a classroom, it's yours". Of course, there's the teensy, tiny matter of actually have the sheer luck (or even charm) so that happens in time for September.
Now are we seeing why I got offered this job, on the spot? I mean really, there is some truth in the fact that a girl likes to be chased.
I asked the principal if she would let me sleep on it and give her an answer in the morning. Surprisingly, she didn't respond with, "I wanna know right now! Will you work here? Will you work here forever? Do you need me? Will you never leave me?. In fact, she simply said,
"Sure."
The thorn in my side is the other job, the job I really want that I interviewed for last week hasn't called. (Isn't it always the way?) They said it would be about a week. It was a week ago yesterday. So I might call tomorrow in a last ditch attempt to see if the position is still open, letting them know that if I'm still in the running, I've got another offer so they better come a callin', and quick.
So there you have it. I open up the floor to you, my faithful readers. What would you do, if you were me?
Who am I really kidding. You know I'm gonna probably end up taking it.
"You take the good, you take the bad. You take them both and then you have, the facts of life."
Yesterday I got a call for another job interview. Of course I didn't decline, although it did mean calling out of work last night on a moment's notice. (I actually HATE doing that.) As soon as I heard where the job was though, I knew I had gotten the position.
Why?
Well, for starters it isn't the most desirable district in the state. But in my flurry of email rage, I went a little crazy saying to myself "I don't care! I'll take anything."
Now I'm eating my words.
Another reason why I figured the job might be in the bag is because one of my oldest friends works in that very school, the kicker being even SHE didn't know about the vacancy. So, no my friends, having an 'in', although I had one, did not help me here.
I know what you are thinking. So why am I not jumping for joy? I mean at least one entry a week is devoted to the job I DON'T have, right?
Well, here's the breakdown:
1. I already told you about the not-so-stellar location, which I could deal with, but it also ties into the whole, "daring to dream the impossible dream" of moving out. For those of you who don't know, the cost of living in NJ is ridiculous. It actually gets worse the more north you go. Of course, this job is more north. And thus the predicament.
2. The position is not actually for a classroom teacher. I mean I'd be a classroom teacher and get paid the same amount, but I'd be something called an Intervention Teacher. Never heard of it right? That's ok cause up until yesterday, neither had I.
Basically an Intervention Teacher floats from room to room and leads mini lessons or pull out lessons with smaller groups at times. In some ways this is an ideal first year position considering you don't have all the paperwork and stress a regular ol' teacher gets. Plus, if you get a group of particularly devilish cherubs, the upside is you are only there for 45 minutes or so, unlike their classroom teacher that has the little buggers all day. The downside though is some teachers might be harder to work with than others or resentful you are in their room, period.
3. And then there are the hours. I was willing to deal with all of the above... when I heard about the hours. The position starts at 7am and ends at 2:30. Some might say this is great because then you have the rest of the day to yourself. But for those of us who think it's just plain wrong anyone gets up BEFORE the sun, it kinda sucks.
4. There is still a possibility that after signing with this district period I will get switched to being a classroom teacher. The principal told me point blank: "If I have an opening in a classroom, it's yours". Of course, there's the teensy, tiny matter of actually have the sheer luck (or even charm) so that happens in time for September.
Now are we seeing why I got offered this job, on the spot? I mean really, there is some truth in the fact that a girl likes to be chased.
I asked the principal if she would let me sleep on it and give her an answer in the morning. Surprisingly, she didn't respond with, "I wanna know right now! Will you work here? Will you work here forever? Do you need me? Will you never leave me?. In fact, she simply said,
"Sure."
The thorn in my side is the other job, the job I really want that I interviewed for last week hasn't called. (Isn't it always the way?) They said it would be about a week. It was a week ago yesterday. So I might call tomorrow in a last ditch attempt to see if the position is still open, letting them know that if I'm still in the running, I've got another offer so they better come a callin', and quick.
So there you have it. I open up the floor to you, my faithful readers. What would you do, if you were me?
Who am I really kidding. You know I'm gonna probably end up taking it.
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