I had off from all my tutoring/teaching jobs last week for spring break. It was so lovely. I didn't miss working one bit. Is that a bad sign?? :/ I'm dreading going back to work tomorrow -- well, it's mostly working with the pre-schooler that I don't look forward to, partially because I still don't feel like I know what I'm doing with her. She's the first pre-schooler I've ever "taught." And partially because she's the only job I have to get up early for, and I really don't like getting up early. Also, she's routinely absent a couple of times a week, so every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday I drag myself out of bed, knowing there's a 40% chance she won't show up, so I will have gotten up early for nothing and not get paid. I live so far out in Brooklyn that it doesn't make sense to go all the way home, just to turn around and go to my job at the high school, so I end up having to just hang around Manhattan for a couple of hours. There are certainly worse places to hang around than Manhattan, but most days I would've appreciated being able to sleep in.
But at least I will have this summer completely off (except for job interviews). Wonderful. :) The Nicest Guy in the World and I took a quick 2-day trip to Washington, D.C. on Thursday and Friday, which was a lot of fun. We went to most of the memorials, and saw the original Declaration of Independence and Constitution at the National Archives. The weather was beautiful for walking around, so we really lucked out!
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I'm curious why our little pre-schooler is absent so much. I know you said she is residentially-challenged, but does that also prevent her from getting to school? Maybe it would. Although I bet it's still a little annoying when she doesn't show.
ReplyDeletewow....that's great you can take the summer off...if you don't mind me asking how did you budget your money so that you would have enough to last you through the summer.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, I think her mom is young and overwhelmed, and she's also pregnant. But I hope she's better about taking her to school regularly when she starts kindergarten this fall. :O
ReplyDeleteAnd Me, since federal unemployment benefits were, thankfully, extended, through this summer I'll still receive weekly unemployment checks which cover more than half my living expenses. And from the tutoring and teaching jobs I have right now, I've been saving the rest of what I'll need. It's a lot harder to get tutoring hours during the summer, so I'm lucky I'm earning enough now to cover myself then!
Is my memory correct that you taught in the Rio Grande Valley earlier in your career? If true, what challenges did you face there? I hope the school officials in Manhattan, at least, have impressed upon the poor mom the importance of a strong fundamental education early on.
ReplyDeleteHi Waitress from Mensa -- Yes, good memory! I taught middle school in rural south Texas from 1995 to 1997. Honestly, the challenges there were mostly from myself. I was 23 years old, brand new to teaching and not nearly confident enough to handle a classroom of 8th graders. My second year was easier because I had 6th grade, but I never felt truly comfortable in the classroom. Now i'm older & wiser...well, at least older ;) and I know that being a firm and consistent classroom manager is part of one's job as a teacher, because kids can only learn in an environment where there's order and structure.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I was so uptight and underconfident, I didn't just sit back and enjoy my students very often. That's why the tutoring and the resource room job have both been really good for me. Esp. the resource room job, because I'd never worked with high school age kids before. Often the kids literally have no work to do, so we just talk and get to know each other. So, now I know that I actually enjoy being around high school kids! Of course, teaching them would be harder than just sitting around talking to them, but at least I know I like being around them -- as opposed to, say, preschool. Preschoolers are adorable, but I don't think I could teach a classroom of them all day every. That age group is just not my cup of tea -- at least, not in large doses.