I'm on my way home from school before I'm able to return a phone call. It's strange how used to receiving phone calls from numbers I don't recognize I've become. I guess all I can say is that it comes with the territory but between texts from administrators asking if I'm available, messages from schools telling me they need me, and emails from teachers letting me know when they need me to cover them I feel like a drug dealer some time. But my drug is knowledge.
Okay... It was bad. We'll move on.
So I see a call from a random number and assume that it's a teacher who knows she's "going to be sick" tomorrow because she's got a stack of papers to grade. I call the number back and had the most confusing conversation ever.
"Preston School."
"Hi! I received a call from this number"
"Okay, you have a student at our school correct?"
"Umm... No."
"Are you trying to enroll your child?"
"I actually don't have children. I think this could be in reference to a resume I sent in."
"Let me connect you to the Assistant Principal"
*Click.... Wait*
"Preston School."
"Hi! I received a call from this number. I think it was about a resume."
"Let me connect you to the principal."
*Click... Wait*
"Preston School."
"Hi! I received a call from this number. I think was about a resume. Also IS IT THAT HARD TO SAY HELLO???"
Fortunately for me I did not unload on the principal because shortly after what I transcribed from our conversation, I received an invitation to interview. Shockingly, I intend on doing bigger and better things with my life than substituting and working at a bar. I know, I know... Mom set the bar high.
I would like to use this opportunity to explain one of my biggest frustrations with the educational field and that is the idea of "experience." Throughout my (albeit short) professional career, every time I had an opportunity for a full time job I got met with the same chorus of "we went with a candidate that had more experience." Every time I sat down at a job fair, the interviewer asked me, "So you just finished student teaching, that's nice. Do you have any questions for me?" They're so smug with their jobs and their legal pad and their post it notes.
Somewhere along the line it became impossible for a new teacher to break into the job market unless they had an in of some sort. Every job I've ever seen posted wanted 2-3 years of experience. I understand the logic but the logic is backwards and completely illogical.
To me the concept makes as much sense as that last sentence.
So as I have about half a year's experience under my belt by now I became excited to enter these same interviews and be able to shout "LOOK AT ALL THE EXPERIENCE I HAVE" as if from a mountaintop. What I learned was that "experience" means having your own classroom, preparing your own lessons, and probably a lot less experience with class periods based around coloring. However, I do think my experience with all. the. snot. will still be counted, so that's one for the W column.
There is no way to hit that first step. That first step is really the third step and the first two steps are actually completely invisible and if you step on the wrong steps you blow up! I can't start in a charter school, then CPS schools will thing my experience "doesn't count." I can't start in the suburbs because then city schools will think my experience "doesn't count." I can't start in a middle school and teach high school because my middle school experience "doesn't count." It irks me to no end that as a teacher we must be inclusive and find the best way to adapt ourselves to our schools but as administrations schools are completely non receptive to anyone who doesn't meet their expectations.
That is, unless someone vouches for them.
I have a proposition for the betterment of America. Since teaching and acting/singer/being a reality star/getting catfished basically comes down to getting your big break and, judging by the shows people watch, America loves watching people get their big break I propose that we start the show "American Teacher." Basically it's American Idol but with teaching. Imagine the ratings! The human interest pieces leading up to a teacher delivering a thought-provoking and rousing lesson would bring everyone to tears. Students would BEG to be on the show to learn something. Simon Cowell would tear any teachers who brought coloring books to class a brand new bung.
But most of all... for one lucky aspiring teacher... Everything... will... change.
Hopefully I found my break tomorrow at that interview I scheduled. Hopefully it all works out. All I want is for Randy Jackson to say "You got the job, dawg!"
Lesson 10: Luck is when hard work meets penetration... and as luck would have it they're both available on Tuesday at 10 am.
No comments:
Post a Comment