I'm currently job hunting, and clearly it's been far too long since I've done it. Gone are the days of sending a resume and cover letter. Most school districts now require the following items to be sent in an "application packet" in order for you to even be considered for hire:
♦ Resume/cover letter
♦ PA Standard Teaching Application (5 pages, plus an essay)
♦ Letters of recommendation (3)
♦ Medical form (including a recent TB test)
♦ College transcripts = $13 ($5 for ungrad college #1, $5 for undergrad college #2, $3 for grad school)
♦ Criminal Record Background Check = $10
♦ Child Abuse Clearance = $10
♦ FBI Fingerprinting = $40
♦ Copy of PA Teaching Certification*
A few days ago, someone pointed out that he got into the military with less paperwork. And I don't think he was exaggerating. So basically, it's easier to get a government issued rifle than it is to get a job as a teacher. Lovely.
The entire application packet is about 20 pages. Which means I have to get some big mailing envelopes and pay extra for postage when I mail them. The cost of all these background checks and fees doesn't bother me as much as the inconvenience of putting together a packet for a school that may or may not contact me. But most districts have made it quite clear on their website that "incomplete packets will not be considered." I wonder what they do with all the packets they reject? I hope they recycle... Save the trees!!!
Anyway, I've already started sending letters of interest and resumes to some districts. Keep your fingers (and toes) crossed for me. I just can't afford to be a Catholic school teacher anymore.
*FYI, here's what it cost me to get certified as a teacher in PA (excluding tuition from 3 different colleges):
♦ Praxis test = $130 ($50 for registration, $80 for the test)... multiplied by 7 (I had to take 4 tests for Elementary Ed and 2 tests for Special Ed when I got certified in those areas in 2000. I had to take 1 test for Reading Specialist when I got certified in that area in 2008.)
♦ PA Teaching Certification = $80 ($40 when I applied for Elementary and Special in 2000... $40 for Reading Specialist, added this year.)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
deep breath...
It's been an interesting week. I got a phone call on Thursday afternoon from my 16 year-old godson... he told me that his ex-girlfriend gave birth an hour earlier. To his son.
This was the first I'd heard about this situation from him. He never told me she was pregnant. So there wasn't much I could say to him after the fact. I told him that I'm hurt that he didn't tell me sooner. And while I don't agree with the decisions he made, I won't lecture him, because I'm not his mother. I told him I admire his decision to be in the baby's life - he grew up without knowing his father, and I urged him to make sure that never happens to his son. And I told him I love him.
He asked me to come see the baby. I wasn't going to offer, but since he asked, I couldn't say no. So after work on Friday, I drove to the hospital to meet the baby. It was a surreal moment to walk into the room and see my godson holding his son. Babies having babies.
Before I left work, my friend told me to be strong. It's not the worst thing that's ever happened. I know that. And he's not the first kid to be in this situation. I know that, too. Then she told me that I'd probably fall in love the minute I laid eyes on the baby. And I did. Damn her for being right, lol. But that doesn't change my feelings on the situation.
It's just so hard for me to wrap my brain around it. I don't get why kids want to grow up so fast. Being a teacher, I'm privvy to a lot of information I'd rather not know. I've heard stories about our 6th, 7th and 8th graders who are having sex or smoking pot. They want to drink and smoke. The girls wear revealing clothes and talk about having boyfriends as early as 4th and 5th grade.
If they wanna grow up so fast, let them get a real taste for what it's like to be an adult. For one week, make them go to work and deal with deadlines, bosses and responsibilities. Let them pay some bills ... or pay for gas. Let them wake up 3 or 4 times in the middle of the night with a baby that won't stop crying. And then make them change the diapers and clean the spit-up. They don't know how good they have it right now.
Ugh. I went off on a tangent. I didn't mean to. I just needed to vent.
This was the first I'd heard about this situation from him. He never told me she was pregnant. So there wasn't much I could say to him after the fact. I told him that I'm hurt that he didn't tell me sooner. And while I don't agree with the decisions he made, I won't lecture him, because I'm not his mother. I told him I admire his decision to be in the baby's life - he grew up without knowing his father, and I urged him to make sure that never happens to his son. And I told him I love him.
He asked me to come see the baby. I wasn't going to offer, but since he asked, I couldn't say no. So after work on Friday, I drove to the hospital to meet the baby. It was a surreal moment to walk into the room and see my godson holding his son. Babies having babies.
Before I left work, my friend told me to be strong. It's not the worst thing that's ever happened. I know that. And he's not the first kid to be in this situation. I know that, too. Then she told me that I'd probably fall in love the minute I laid eyes on the baby. And I did. Damn her for being right, lol. But that doesn't change my feelings on the situation.
It's just so hard for me to wrap my brain around it. I don't get why kids want to grow up so fast. Being a teacher, I'm privvy to a lot of information I'd rather not know. I've heard stories about our 6th, 7th and 8th graders who are having sex or smoking pot. They want to drink and smoke. The girls wear revealing clothes and talk about having boyfriends as early as 4th and 5th grade.
If they wanna grow up so fast, let them get a real taste for what it's like to be an adult. For one week, make them go to work and deal with deadlines, bosses and responsibilities. Let them pay some bills ... or pay for gas. Let them wake up 3 or 4 times in the middle of the night with a baby that won't stop crying. And then make them change the diapers and clean the spit-up. They don't know how good they have it right now.
Ugh. I went off on a tangent. I didn't mean to. I just needed to vent.
Monday, May 5, 2008
my four day weekend
As you can tell from the title, I had a four-day weekend. Before you get your panties in a twist about all my "time off," let me assure you that it was NOT relaxing whatsoever. FYI: The days off were for Ascension Thursday and a snow day we didn't use. And today, Monday, was a faculty meeting. So our kids had a five-day weekend. I guarantee they got more sleep than I did, lol.
Early Thursday morning, my 9 year-old cousin Kaitlyn came over for a "girls only day." I promised her one ages ago, and since we both had two days off, this weekend was perfect. We had a fun day: went grocery shopping, baked chocolate chip cookies from scratch, made pizza and salad for dinner, went to Mass, watched "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (two hours of my life I'll never get back...) and then she was in bed by 10 PM. Just in time for me to watch "Lost." Goooood stuff. I love that show!
I let Kait sleep in my bed and I took the futon. And she woke up at 7:45 on Friday morning. (I almost cried... lol. So much for sleeping in on my day off.) After breakfast, I painted her nails while we watched "High School Musical." By the time I dropped her off at her dad's house (after lunch), I was exhausted. And my allergies were killing me. But... no nap for me. I packed up some stuff and headed for my parents' house to do laundry.
Friday night was spent pricing stuff for a flea market and then packing it into my car. I spent the night at my parents' house because I had to wake up at 6 AM on Saturday morning. Sigh. Yet another early day. We worked the flea market from 7 AM until almost 1 PM... and then it was time to pack everything back up, drive back to my parents' place, unpack it all, and drive home. But... no rest for the weary! I had to eat lunch, iron clothes and make myself presentable for First Holy Communion at my work parish. Under other circumstances, I would have bailed to stay home and take a nap. However, I taught one of the CCD communion classes this year. And the 3rd graders who were receiving communion were once wee 1st graders in my classroom. Not to mention I was doing the second reading at Mass. Blah.
A quick word about First Communion. The parents were SO extremely disrespectful during the ceremony. Cell phones ringing, people going back and forth to the bathroom, people talking during Mass... and then during communion, parents started rushing to the front of the Church to take pictures. They were blocking the aisles, moving into the pews where they children had been sitting, pushing past people just so they could get a shot of their precious darling. We told the parents several times (first politely... and then not so politely) that they were not allowed to take pictures during Mass. They ignored us. They were told in Spanish. They ignored that, too. One parent even lied and said he wanted to get past so he could go receive communion. Instead of getting in line, he moved the the side, took a picture, and then went back to his seat. Lying?! In Church?!?? UGH. Other than that, the Mass was beautiful. The boys were immaculate in their white suits and ties, and the girls were adorable in lacy white dresses, hair freshly styled and adorned with pearl-studded veils. So sweet!
Anyway... I got home just in time for the MOST KICKASS FLYERS GAME EVER! Can you tell I'm excited? I don't think I breathed during the entire third period. It was amazing hockey. I can't wait for the next round against the Penguins. Should be very entertaining.
Then came Sunday... glorious Sunday! I slept late, lounged around the apartment for most of the day, and did absolutely nothing for hours on end. (Of course, I paid for it later. I spent my most of my night rushing to finish a presentation for today's faculty meeting.)
Yeah, so there's no real reason for this blog. Just felt like I haven't updated in awhile. That's all for now!
Early Thursday morning, my 9 year-old cousin Kaitlyn came over for a "girls only day." I promised her one ages ago, and since we both had two days off, this weekend was perfect. We had a fun day: went grocery shopping, baked chocolate chip cookies from scratch, made pizza and salad for dinner, went to Mass, watched "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (two hours of my life I'll never get back...) and then she was in bed by 10 PM. Just in time for me to watch "Lost." Goooood stuff. I love that show!
I let Kait sleep in my bed and I took the futon. And she woke up at 7:45 on Friday morning. (I almost cried... lol. So much for sleeping in on my day off.) After breakfast, I painted her nails while we watched "High School Musical." By the time I dropped her off at her dad's house (after lunch), I was exhausted. And my allergies were killing me. But... no nap for me. I packed up some stuff and headed for my parents' house to do laundry.
Friday night was spent pricing stuff for a flea market and then packing it into my car. I spent the night at my parents' house because I had to wake up at 6 AM on Saturday morning. Sigh. Yet another early day. We worked the flea market from 7 AM until almost 1 PM... and then it was time to pack everything back up, drive back to my parents' place, unpack it all, and drive home. But... no rest for the weary! I had to eat lunch, iron clothes and make myself presentable for First Holy Communion at my work parish. Under other circumstances, I would have bailed to stay home and take a nap. However, I taught one of the CCD communion classes this year. And the 3rd graders who were receiving communion were once wee 1st graders in my classroom. Not to mention I was doing the second reading at Mass. Blah.
A quick word about First Communion. The parents were SO extremely disrespectful during the ceremony. Cell phones ringing, people going back and forth to the bathroom, people talking during Mass... and then during communion, parents started rushing to the front of the Church to take pictures. They were blocking the aisles, moving into the pews where they children had been sitting, pushing past people just so they could get a shot of their precious darling. We told the parents several times (first politely... and then not so politely) that they were not allowed to take pictures during Mass. They ignored us. They were told in Spanish. They ignored that, too. One parent even lied and said he wanted to get past so he could go receive communion. Instead of getting in line, he moved the the side, took a picture, and then went back to his seat. Lying?! In Church?!?? UGH. Other than that, the Mass was beautiful. The boys were immaculate in their white suits and ties, and the girls were adorable in lacy white dresses, hair freshly styled and adorned with pearl-studded veils. So sweet!
Anyway... I got home just in time for the MOST KICKASS FLYERS GAME EVER! Can you tell I'm excited? I don't think I breathed during the entire third period. It was amazing hockey. I can't wait for the next round against the Penguins. Should be very entertaining.
Then came Sunday... glorious Sunday! I slept late, lounged around the apartment for most of the day, and did absolutely nothing for hours on end. (Of course, I paid for it later. I spent my most of my night rushing to finish a presentation for today's faculty meeting.)
Yeah, so there's no real reason for this blog. Just felt like I haven't updated in awhile. That's all for now!
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