Two classes complete--just in time!

I start teaching in ten days, and I've got two of my five classes from this semester completely done. The list is short for completing the other three courses, but I can't accelerate the calendar any faster for those assignments. I've got two presentations and two tests.

I met my new department chair on Tuesday, and we talked about my classes. I got teacher's editions of books, decided where we'll start each class on Monday, the 29th, and set goals for what each class will learn before Christmas. It's going to be a crazy time!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I'm thankful for all the people who have worked to make this semester more manageable for me, most of all Keith and my mom. They have offered to help me with a lot of things, and the offers have made so much difference in my sanity. My brother has also been awesome to talk to as he works through his classes, too. We've commiserated together and celebrated together, and it's been good to share the journey with him.

I'm also thankful for a paying job. I'm going to teach math, and Keith has decided to teach special education. With those choices, we hope to always have jobs when we want them. I get to get paid for my student teaching, and Keith gets to go to school this spring. We're quite happy with our upcoming arrangement!

Six months out of work

By the end of this month, I will be employed full-time again. My job actually starts before my classes are over, so I'm accelerating my school work in the next few weeks to be able to finish my assignments by Thanksgiving. I'll be working during the day and going to class at night for a few days, which will be quite busy. But, being with my new students sooner is better for them and for me.

With my new employment in a public school system, I'll limit my comments on our personal blog about my work. The personal impact of full-time employment is great--steady salary, a full package of benefits, and no more job hunting. I've been visiting classes in various schools since August, but I've started looking more carefully at the curriculum for the classes I'll be teaching. It's a variety of levels of math, which will keep me on my toes.

Since I'm still finishing up the MAT program, I'll have class one night a week in the spring. I'll also satisfy my student teaching requirements with my new job. Add in a complete portfolio, and I'll be graduating in May. That will convert my temporary teaching certificate to a more common status.

Things are looking great!

But, who's counting?

I have a few optional classes during the week before Thanksgiving, which leaves me with 14 more classes to attend this semester! The projects are still piled up, but there's only one way to take care of that: finish them! I'm going to work on some of them this week.

Also good news: I have an interview this Friday with a school that might have a math teacher opening coming up. It's not posted publicly yet, but there is a ton of turnover right now in our county. Even if the school I'm meeting with on Friday doesn't have an opening, maybe another school will. I have decided, though, that not having a job is not the end of the world because I'll teach far fewer weeks as "only" a student teacher. The advantage with a job, of course, is that I could make some money.

In order to make my file more appealing to principals, I moved my availability date up from Jan 1 to Dec 6. That sounds like a month earlier, but it's really seven school days difference because of Christmas break.

So, pardon my absence as I try to finish up projects and get a job. When I can, I'll keep this site updated with my status.