Skip to main content

I've been searching my soul

I remember that song from Ally McBeal. I really liked that show, as I could identify with Ally's quirky ways a bit.

Yesterday I signed up for two online classes so that I can reactivate my teaching certification. One starts next week and the other begins a week later. Does this mean I am going to teach again? I honestly don't know. But over the past few months, while searching my soul, I have mostly come to the conclusion that I need to make a difference. Not an MLK difference. Nothing that will make me famous or change many, many lives. But I just think I need to do more. To give more. To help more.

Brian pointed out a management job in the paper, starting salary of 70k. Would I like to make 70k? Sure. I made nowhere close to that at my last job. But I would rather make half that or even less than half that and do something meaningful and something that I like. I keep thinking that job is out there somewhere.

I talked to Jordan's principal at the beginning of August about substitute teaching at the school. I gave her my resume a few weeks later, but have not heard anything. I don't want to bug her, and I doubt seriously that too many teachers have missed school, this being only the second full week. And she may not want to use me until my certification is active (most schools don't) anyway. But I think I need to fill out an application, get a physical, etc., before I can even do it. So I should probably get moving on that.

I think teachers have one of the most challenging jobs. And teachers in the poorer school districts really have it tough. Not only do they have to deal with kids who don't want to be there, violence, uninvolved parents, etc., but these teachers get paid less than teachers in more affluent areas who get to avoid a lot of those issues. Seems backward to me. Maybe Governor Spendell's idea of reducing the number of school districts will help that.

I don't know if teaching is the answer, and I am also not sure if I can handle working in a touch school district. But I am trying to be open to it. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I will continue to search my soul.
Labels:

Comments

ashley said…
i like the idea of you as a teacher. i think you'd be great. :)
September 10, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why do they stand up there and say that when they are just lying?

That extra-long title is courtesy of my nine-year-old and was something she uttered during "Say Yes to the Dress" on Friday evening. I watch very little reality TV, but I make an exception for this show because I like to look at the dresses. And sometimes, the stories are heart-warming. Typically at the end of the show, a snippet of a wedding is aired. In this particular show, a woman who was confined to a wheelchair was exchanging vows with her fiance. After the two of them finished, J made her comment. I asked her what she meant as I must have been on the computer while the TV was on, and she explained that because so many people just get divorced, why do they even say "as long as we both shall live"? That is tough one, kid. I tried with what I thought was a sound explanation: Most of the people who get married truly believe they will be together the rest of their lives, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. But if you don't think that you will be ...
10 comments
Read more

Do you ever just want to run away...

Yesterday's post was a rant about a fairly pointless two-hour delay. For the record, if it is snowing in the morning or if it has snowed throughout the night, I am not against a delay; the road crews have a lot of ground to cover. It is unfortunate for those who still need to get to work and are left scrambling to find child care or have to go in late. But I am all about safety. It is the temps that are clearly going nowhere any time soon that do not warrant a delay, again, in my opinion. It will be cold all day today. Having another delay today, once again, seemed pointless, but I am over it. ***** I had a rough weekend, and I have debated whether I should write about it. As my mom and one of my brothers are so fond of saying (though I will be paraphrasing), "Once you put it down in writing (on paper or in an email), it will always be there. You can't take it back." For that reason, when things weigh heavily on my mind, I don't always share them in this blog....
9 comments
Read more

TMI

When I refer to TMI, I am not talking about people sharing (often gross) things they probably should not. But rather sharing a friend's or a relative's personal information with a spouse or significant other. I know people who have cheated on their spouses, had abortions, have been raped or victims of domestic violence, committed (minor) criminal acts, did not disclose things to the government that they should have, suffered from various mental aliments, and who have been drug addicts or alcoholics. In most cases, I have not shared that information with Brian unless the person told me I could or I felt he needed to know for family safety issues (e.g., you have to consider who you let your children around). I am certain he would think less of some of these people if he knew things they did, so what purpose does it serve telling him? But more importantly, I want these people who confide in me to know they have my word. I can honestly say I don't think I can trust any of ...
8 comments
Read more