The fork in the road

Posted by S. , Saturday, September 11, 2010 6:31 PM

Teaching day from Hell Friday afternoon. Followed by the acting Principal coming to see me, asking me to quit my current job to take a 100%, permanent teaching position, complete with plane tickets and my own mansion-like house included in the deal. To teach Grade 2. Anyone that knows me knows that: I am a high school teacher. Grade 6 I can tolerate, but I am a high school teacher, not elementary. Having subbed at Knowlton a bit, I realized this. Working at the day camp this summer when I had the 12+ groups was awesome and a dream job. When I had 6-10 year olds.... well, everyday I was glad I had gone into secondary teaching not elementary. Also: it's a full year position until the last day of June. While this means not having to sub once my contract here is over in December (there are a lot of bumped high school teachers back home waiting for jobs). Mind you, Laval and the Laurentians are having trouble staffing their high schools and junior highs.... and there WAS that call from Sacre-Coeur in Granby...




It might sound stupid, but I came here with 4 months in mind, with the idea of coming back maybe next September for a full year. I had Becket (ok, ok, since Carrie friend-dumped me, that probably will not be happening for me this year), and THE SKI SEASON pretty much scheduled in already for when my job up here is done. I wanted to come for 4 months, also, to ... try it out. 2 weeks in I don't feel that I am ready to commit to the rest of the school year. Nor do I feel good about the idea of quitting a job 2 weeks in that paid my airfare and housing and food. Unprofessional, un peu.



I still have that... Southern mentality that turning down a great teaching offer means years until there is another one. I know that in the North, if turned down diplomatically for good reasons such as my main job... there will be more offers. Maybe, eventually, at the high school level.... This is the North. Teachers tend to have more burn outs, disappearances, and resignations than down South and they are always short and scrambling for someone.



Also, at 180 a day, and being able to get in my hours for my other job...it's more advantageous to me, financially, to sub a few times a week (or for a few weeks solid) than to switch right away.



In essence, I am not debating taking the job and quitting my current one. I am wondering how to communicate my reasons in a way that doesn't shut any doors. Because they seemed surprised that I needed a weekend to think about it. It is flattering to know that they want me to stay here for a long time. I just had viewed this as... travel, not a relocation. I viewed this as a last... contract before teaching. I can handle a winter of working at a ski hill and subbing. Also, this would totally kill Italy plans for June-July-August.



I wasn't expecting this 2 weeks in.



On another note, our "permanent" home was "ready" so Josh and I did some sort of weird nomadic move last night in the dark, trucking everything 4 houses down the street to the new one. Which is a bit smaller.... and a bit more ghetto. I mean, it still beats hands down pretty much any apartment I've rented in the past, but the house... well, I don't think we have housekeeping here nor do I think the last people were too concerned about cleaning before leaving. We also don't have TV anymore (meh, I've never had it at any apartment I've had, either). nor do we have home phone or internet til around the 18th. Which, if I have lesson planning to do, might be a pain and a godsend at the same time (I did agree to take the Grade 2s this week regardless of my decision, provided I could have a half day off to go get my abscess/cavity/jaw infection dealt with). I might be able to get the daycare signal, for wifi, what with being right across the street from it.

The house needs some cleaning. And a garbage cans, lightbulbs, blinds, and feng shui. Actually, the house is not entirely "finished", there are random "things" (dead bugs, table saw pieces, nails, etc) lying around everywhere. the shower doesn't work. the front window is broken. Clean, clean, cleaning day!

Decisions, decisions, decisions. At least Sunday is brunch at the Lodge, and soccer.