A new job, a new direction

I need to post some posts from earlier this summer.  This one is from June 28th, 2007. 

 I got the phone call this afternoon at about 3:15.   

Me: Hello?

S: Hi, can you guess who this is?

Me: S?

S: Yep.  Can you guess why I’m calling?

Me: Well, I’m hoping it’s about a teaching position.

S: It’s 4th/5th.   We just had a teacher resign.

Well. What can I say?  I was excited, to be sure.  I could hardly breathe, let alone talk.  I told her so.  So, she said, “Let me talk then for a while.” 

S: I was very worried about calling you, afraid that you would’ve already signed a contract to teach at another school.  I called M (head of school) and told her and suggested you.  She said, “Call her.”  And so, that’s what I’m doing. 

At this point, I was still excited, yes, but wanted to ask about the certainty of the job.  “S, I don’t want this to be a game.  I have to go to my supervisor and tell him that I am NOT going to student teach.  How sure is this job?” She said, “Well, only M can offer you the contract, but call her when you get back from vacation and you can get started right away.” 

So.

I’m hoping it’s a pretty sure thing (although I’ll feel better when I have a signed contract!).  M is on vacation for a week and I’m on vacation for two weeks, so it’s all good.  But basically, according to S, she was happy that I said I could do it.  

 I am so so so excited.  4th/5th is GREAT.  It will absolutely take care of my student teaching requirements.  What a relief.  I was looking forward to student teaching, but I was anxious about not being paid for a semester!  (Now I can say: Phew.)  And this age level is wonderful.  The research I’ve been doing focuses on the 5th grade, so I have 8 billion ideas for a class of this age.  S didn’t know for sure how many children were in the class, but she knew it was no more than 15.  COOL!  Since it’s a private school, I will have a LOT of freedom to be creative.  I can still follow the state standards, but I won’t be shackled to them.  YESSSSSSSSSS! How ironic.  Tomorrow is my official “last” day of my current job.  I get this teaching job the day before it ends!  I am just grinning from ear to ear.