Well, the day I knew all along would come, has come. It looks like I get one more week with my little kindergarteners, then winter vacation, then two weeks of half days while we "transition" Official Teacher back into the classroom, and then I sub. I substitute my ass off. I substitute like it's my calling, like it's the greatest way to spend the second semester. I sub like I'm so grateful for the wide ranging learning opportunity that is not knowing when you'll work a day and when you'll stay home trying to not fight with your spouse because you're both really worried about money and why did this whole go into debt to get the degree so you can NOT get a job thing sound like a good idea anyway? I'll sub. OK. I'll sub like I don't miss the class. My class. Like I don't miss making lesson plans and going to staff meetings and hanging up the poster for the Letter of the Week. I'll sub like there's no tomorrow.
Or maybe I'll teach preschool. Head Start (a wonderful and valuable program if ever there was one) is hiring. If the pay is approaching OK, maybe I'll do that instead of sub. Which of course would mean stepping out of the school district a little and maybe not being quite as well set up for getting a contract if anything does open up. ARGH!
At least everyone was nice to me. A few teachers and paraprofessionals privately told me they thought I was doing well and should be there for the whole year. The principal was nice; he said I'd be #1 on the sub list, and so would be called first any time one is needed. That could pan out well, but there are no guarantees. We don't know when someone will be out. I can't figure out what to do. One more week of being their teacher. Better make it a good one, even if I seem to want to cry about four or five times a day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hi there! I don't remember how I found you, but I've been reading this blog (through a Google Reader mostly) for awhile and I thought I'd come out of lurkdom to offer my condolences on having to leave your classroom. It sounds like it has been a wonderful experience and it will be hard to let it go. I hope you are able to get lots of subbing jobs at the school and eventually get hired-- or that it all works out in some other satisfactory way.
Kate- thanks for the good wishes, and for letting me know I'm not talking to myself out here! I really intended this blog to be more about neat stuff we can do in the classroom or funny things the kids say, but lately it's been just an outlet for venting. Ah well... good things have a way of surprising me sometimes. :)
Post a Comment