12 April 2007

not renewing, not for nothin'

Last week was a week of Rash Decisions, none of which were thought out before I made Big Anouncements (resulting in whispers of "the school's not going to fall apart just because she's leaving" in the hallway- which made me happy that I'm making them sweat).

Ten job applications and two scheduled interviews later, I like that I've decided to head out and move on for next school year. My teenage self would be proud of me for sticking it to The Man, for having principles, for pushing the Ivy degree so that I get the interview. Because that's why I went: to always get the interview.

My boss's boss said that it's like they used to say in the Army: "If I'm going to get screwed, I should at least enjoy it."

Basically, I realized that a screwing was indeed coming, so I could at least decide on the terms. I did get my envelope asking me back next year, but teaching a course load I object to might have gone along with that. The letters were vague: We would like you to come back and do any and everything we ask without complaining and certainly without telling the PTA or AdCom or having the kids write about it in the school newspaper. No, I'm just kidding: it didn't say the last part.

And I'm back to having the world as my oyster, as my Calgarian friend used to say, and the choices are vast, expansive, and exhilarating: Do I want to teach in a local school or a shishi international school? History or English? Writing or literature or both? Middle school or high school?

And it feels good to remember that I'm a f-ing great teacher and that any school would be lucky to have me.

betholindo at 16:44

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