Okay so I had to follow up yesterday's post with a light note. That people I ask around here say it's "most likely" that I'll have a job next year. And I tell myself worrying doesn't help. And Amanda tells me that even if I did lose my job- whatever happens, happens for a reason, and we will of course be fine. My visions of being one of those families holding up "Please Help" signs fighting for a better freeway onramp to stand at, will never be reality.
And on an especially lighter note, I got a hand made card from a kid today, a boy most would call a "bad kid," who blew me away this morning by giving me a Thank You card and writing that I was his favorite teacher! It gives me hope that I really am making a difference in kids' lives- even the impossible ones. I love my job
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
To work or not to work - no question
So turns out the state of Oregon feels that Education is a 'take it or leave it' kind of thing. No biggie. We'll just build bigger prisons.
A couple weeks ago we voted as a union whether we'd prefer to
A. Take 5-8% pay cuts for the next 2 years
or
B. Lay off a bunch of teachers and have class sizes of 40+
I'm sorry to say that from what I hear, more teachers voted for B. Those teachers were definitely not in my position. As a first-year teacher, no matter how awesome I am at my job I am the first to go. Luckily I teach math. If I was a language arts teacher I'd kiss my non-homelessness goodbye. But I am certified to teach math. And 2 math teachers at my school are retiring this year. That leaves a speckle of hope in a sea of darkness...
This is a bad shituation. I am nervous and probably won't know if I'm employed next year until June. The stress of this is bigger than teaching 30 middle schools, which by the way if you are one of my administrators, I'm really good at!
And so I've considered applying to be student council rep. for my school. I would be good at it, it would pay a little, and most of all I think it would help ensure me a job next year! But on the downside I think there's a reason nobody does it 2 years in a row. It's a lot of extra time I'd be at school and away from my family. But right now I'm feeling desperate. Maybe I'll have a job next year. Maybe not. Would picking up student council really change anything. If it didn't change anything, I wouldn't want to do it for only one reason: My family. I want to spend as much time as possible with them!
A couple weeks ago we voted as a union whether we'd prefer to
A. Take 5-8% pay cuts for the next 2 years
or
B. Lay off a bunch of teachers and have class sizes of 40+
I'm sorry to say that from what I hear, more teachers voted for B. Those teachers were definitely not in my position. As a first-year teacher, no matter how awesome I am at my job I am the first to go. Luckily I teach math. If I was a language arts teacher I'd kiss my non-homelessness goodbye. But I am certified to teach math. And 2 math teachers at my school are retiring this year. That leaves a speckle of hope in a sea of darkness...
This is a bad shituation. I am nervous and probably won't know if I'm employed next year until June. The stress of this is bigger than teaching 30 middle schools, which by the way if you are one of my administrators, I'm really good at!
And so I've considered applying to be student council rep. for my school. I would be good at it, it would pay a little, and most of all I think it would help ensure me a job next year! But on the downside I think there's a reason nobody does it 2 years in a row. It's a lot of extra time I'd be at school and away from my family. But right now I'm feeling desperate. Maybe I'll have a job next year. Maybe not. Would picking up student council really change anything. If it didn't change anything, I wouldn't want to do it for only one reason: My family. I want to spend as much time as possible with them!
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