Now that I am gainfully employed again, I have less time to just sit down and blog. I have been working at the high school job for almost two months now and really enjoying it. I think that last year I was just at the wrong school environment for me and I mistook all the negativity of working at that place with the idea that I should stop teaching altogether. I really think that I want to continue working in the high school level when I complete my masters in school counseling next year.
In two weeks I will start my counseling practicum! I will be working at a community agency that offers counseling services to both children and adults and serves a large spanish speaking population. I'm both nervous and excited about getting to counsel clients. Next semester i will hopefully be able to do my internship at the guidance department at my school.
So busy will be my middle name the rest of the school year. I will have to balance teaching, practicum hours, one graduate class and still try to have somewhat of a social life.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
August Goals/ Unemployed Observations
I just got a phone call for an interview. My fourth interview since I was laid off back in June. Two interviews in which the employers lack of response makes me come to the conclusion that I was not the best candidate for the position. I had one last Thursday with a old supervisor for an exciting, grant-funded position that is more aligned with my counseling courses and not a classroom teaching job (which is the best part). The more I learned about what the position entails, the more I was salivating at the prospect of getting paid to do something that I am genuinely passionate about and incorporates my skills. I was told that a decision would be made this week and that I would get a call either way. So the waiting game continues.
This new interview is for a vo-tech high school that I didn't even apply to, they must have gotten my resume from the district database. Its a classroom teaching position, so I am not as thrilled I should be. The more I have time to think about it, the more I am realizing that I really am burned out on classroom teaching. Yep, I'm a cliche. The 3 year mark is when many young teachers decide to turn in their classroom keys for good and move on. I did 3 years of teaching. My first year was chaotic to say the least, being displaced early in the year moved to one of the roughest high schools in the district, and then landing at a great and supportive school to finish out the school year. Second year was my only happy year of teaching. I liked my co-workers and actually enjoyed the job. Third year I was not happy at the school, overwhelmed with multiple preps with no support and by the end of the year I was disillusioned with teaching as a profession. Honestly, I don't know if I have the inner strength and drive to make it another year in the classroom. I'm only applying to these jobs because its what I have the most experience in and I want to get off unemployment so that I can make a livable wage of sorts.
I feel like I'm going backwards in a way. I was very fortunate to land a teaching job last summer when I moved back, but I took a substantial pay cut from what I made in the public sector. Naively I thought at the cusp of turning 28 that I would be moving forward in my career both money wise and having more opportunities. I bought that "a college degree is essential to middle class success" line along with many other members of Generation Y. I played the game the way I was told: Get good grades in high school, take AP courses, get into a decent college and graduate.
Now I'm not sure if that was the best way to go about things. I'm taking out student loans on a masters degree for a career that I am deeply passionate about and would provide me a good work/life balance, but now I am scared that I will be unable to find a job in that field and wasted my time and money.
Being unemployed gives me a person too much time to think.
So to give myself some structure I have come up with monthly goals to aim for. I figure that I should try to accomplish something with all this extra time.
August Goals
1. Look into volunteering opportunities that match up with my interests.
I already looked into a local theater company that needs ushers. I will start this Friday evening and be able to get to see the shows for free.
2. Start doing Yoga again.
3. Learn one new recipe.
This new interview is for a vo-tech high school that I didn't even apply to, they must have gotten my resume from the district database. Its a classroom teaching position, so I am not as thrilled I should be. The more I have time to think about it, the more I am realizing that I really am burned out on classroom teaching. Yep, I'm a cliche. The 3 year mark is when many young teachers decide to turn in their classroom keys for good and move on. I did 3 years of teaching. My first year was chaotic to say the least, being displaced early in the year moved to one of the roughest high schools in the district, and then landing at a great and supportive school to finish out the school year. Second year was my only happy year of teaching. I liked my co-workers and actually enjoyed the job. Third year I was not happy at the school, overwhelmed with multiple preps with no support and by the end of the year I was disillusioned with teaching as a profession. Honestly, I don't know if I have the inner strength and drive to make it another year in the classroom. I'm only applying to these jobs because its what I have the most experience in and I want to get off unemployment so that I can make a livable wage of sorts.
I feel like I'm going backwards in a way. I was very fortunate to land a teaching job last summer when I moved back, but I took a substantial pay cut from what I made in the public sector. Naively I thought at the cusp of turning 28 that I would be moving forward in my career both money wise and having more opportunities. I bought that "a college degree is essential to middle class success" line along with many other members of Generation Y. I played the game the way I was told: Get good grades in high school, take AP courses, get into a decent college and graduate.
Now I'm not sure if that was the best way to go about things. I'm taking out student loans on a masters degree for a career that I am deeply passionate about and would provide me a good work/life balance, but now I am scared that I will be unable to find a job in that field and wasted my time and money.
Being unemployed gives me a person too much time to think.
So to give myself some structure I have come up with monthly goals to aim for. I figure that I should try to accomplish something with all this extra time.
August Goals
1. Look into volunteering opportunities that match up with my interests.
I already looked into a local theater company that needs ushers. I will start this Friday evening and be able to get to see the shows for free.
2. Start doing Yoga again.
3. Learn one new recipe.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Ways to stay sane during unemployment
Well its been over a month since I became part of the large number of unemployed Americans. Just like anything else, being unemployed comes with highs and lows. So I made a list of ways to keep your sanity during a period of unemployment.
1. Try not to sleep in everyday. (This is the hardest one for me to keep.) Waking up at 10:00 or later just makes you feel like a slacker for wasting half the day.
2. Give yourself a chunk of time daily to devote to job searching. Its easy to slack off on the job search by aimlessly wandering the internet, but you need to stay on it.
3. Try to do fun things to get your mind off being unemployed. I have used this time to look for new recipes and get more involved in my love of cooking.
4. Volunteer if you can. I have tried a few places so far and apparently this is popular with the unemployed folk. I can't find a place with openings for volunteers.
1. Try not to sleep in everyday. (This is the hardest one for me to keep.) Waking up at 10:00 or later just makes you feel like a slacker for wasting half the day.
2. Give yourself a chunk of time daily to devote to job searching. Its easy to slack off on the job search by aimlessly wandering the internet, but you need to stay on it.
3. Try to do fun things to get your mind off being unemployed. I have used this time to look for new recipes and get more involved in my love of cooking.
4. Volunteer if you can. I have tried a few places so far and apparently this is popular with the unemployed folk. I can't find a place with openings for volunteers.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Career crossroads
I have thought about starting a blog for some time now and here I finally am.
Well I have been unemployed for almost a month now. I remember those last few weeks at work where I was not sure if my position was going to be saved or cut, walking around with a head full of anxiety and nervous energy unsure of what would happen if I were to receive the dreaded pink slip.
I did.
Nights of being glued to Anderson Cooper communicating stories of the shambles that is our current economy and daily reading of news articles on how to survive layoffs had not prepared me for what would become my new reality. To say that its rough out in the job market is an understatement. I remember thinking how difficult it was navigating through my first true job search freshly graduated from college armed with nothing but hope and a bachelors degree in English, all the while trying to prove to employers that majoring in the liberal arts does show that I have employable skills. The difference is that back then I had clear and solid objectives for my career. Sure back then it was utilizing my degree in English to get a job in journalism, which somehow took a detour to becoming an English teacher for a few years. Now I'm at a crossroads careerwise. I obviously loved working in the schools for the past four years, that is why I'm in the middle of earning my masters in school/guidance counseling and I have a true passion for counseling adolescents. But I fear that I may not another year of classroom teaching in me. I had what many veteran teachers told me was an insane first year due to being transferred, an amazing and calm second year, and a draining third year where I was teaching grade levels that I was not ever trained for. I love working in the schools and helping students, but maybe this is my gut quietly telling me to let it go.
I'm just not sure.
Well I have been unemployed for almost a month now. I remember those last few weeks at work where I was not sure if my position was going to be saved or cut, walking around with a head full of anxiety and nervous energy unsure of what would happen if I were to receive the dreaded pink slip.
I did.
Nights of being glued to Anderson Cooper communicating stories of the shambles that is our current economy and daily reading of news articles on how to survive layoffs had not prepared me for what would become my new reality. To say that its rough out in the job market is an understatement. I remember thinking how difficult it was navigating through my first true job search freshly graduated from college armed with nothing but hope and a bachelors degree in English, all the while trying to prove to employers that majoring in the liberal arts does show that I have employable skills. The difference is that back then I had clear and solid objectives for my career. Sure back then it was utilizing my degree in English to get a job in journalism, which somehow took a detour to becoming an English teacher for a few years. Now I'm at a crossroads careerwise. I obviously loved working in the schools for the past four years, that is why I'm in the middle of earning my masters in school/guidance counseling and I have a true passion for counseling adolescents. But I fear that I may not another year of classroom teaching in me. I had what many veteran teachers told me was an insane first year due to being transferred, an amazing and calm second year, and a draining third year where I was teaching grade levels that I was not ever trained for. I love working in the schools and helping students, but maybe this is my gut quietly telling me to let it go.
I'm just not sure.
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