Don't ask me to make decisions!
Jun. 8th, 2018 02:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
olorielConfirmed: Schools in my region are desperate, will apparently hire just about anyone who can spell "education" and appear in time for the job interview, including yours truly. (I think I did well on the first interview. During the second, I was flustered, not least of all because it had originally been planned for Monday and then was brought forward to today on short notice, so I didn't have the time to read up on the specifics of this school and think of questions I could ask them, so I just asked about vague-ish standard stuff. NOW that I'm back at home, of course, I can think of plenty that I really should have asked! But they said themselves that I could cherry pick and would've let me sign the contract on the spot, so it probably doesn't matter that I wasn't at my best. The) So now I... sort of have two job offers, and three work days to figure out which one to take. This is hard. I rather expected that I would be lucky if any of them were willing to hire me, not that they'd be "On the one hand, what qualifies you to work at our school? What are you going to bring on board? On the other hand, we need you anyway"...
OK. I have to make a decision and... I'm not sure what I want, so I'm going to just list the pros and cons and hoping that'll help me to figure things out.
The Elementary School (TM)
> in neighbouring city = shortish drive to work ++
> good neighbourhood = parents want kids to learn ++
> parents are engaged and involved ++
> high helicopter parent density --
> grades 1-4 = not yet jaded, generally eager to learn ++
> on the whole, probably willing to listen ++
> like herding cats --
> run by town = official curriculum = subject to the whims of regional government --
> desperate for teacher = immediate open-ended contract ++
> full-time is the only option --
> can't provide tutor/mentor --
> do they even like me --
> high likelihood of teaching homeroom from the start --
> would have to cover all subjects = not boring ++ but all the work --
> otoh, only one class (group) ++
> but also afternoon duties --
> don't know yet how uncertified teachers get certified --
> I will apparently have to organise that part myself --
> on top of doing full-time teaching --
> because they don't have the capacities for anything less --
> but still expect me to achieve teaching certificate in two years --
The Secondary School (TM)
> a few towns further away = 40 min drive to work --
> rural town = tight-knit community ++
> tight-knit community? --
> very friendly & welcoming atmosphere, at any rate ++
> secondary = students of all talent levels, from can't/won't learn to gifted overachiever --
> students don't get segregated at an early age ++
> I would only teach two subjects (English and geography) ++
> but in a variety of classes at different levels --
> grades 5-10 = puberty, with all that entails --
> more individualist, more critical --
> more structured thinking/analysis? ++
> run by (Lutheran) church = less subject to whims of government ++
> not quite so desperate = might actually think I can be a decent teacher? ++
> will provide tutor/mentor ++
> but possibly only next year --
> until then, I'd be hired as substitute teacher ??
> but in general, following the regular training plan ++
> willing and able to cut down on hours during training ++
> afternoon duties? sometimes? --
> took the time to show me classrooms and faculty room ++
> have experience in certifying lateral entry teachers = already have a plan ++
> will coordinate classes and training seminars ++
... oof. I think it's precisely because they're so different that I find it hard to make up my mind. If both were elementary schools, it would be easier. Or not, because there's always "But they neeeeed me! Can I leave them hanging?". And, of course, the distance question. Uuurgh, I just don't know. I'll do some research on the theory behind lateral entry to elementary level teaching, I guess, because they completely blindsided me with the "no mentor and you'll have to organise your training yourself" thing. And try to figure out my complicated feelings. And the monetary aspects, maybe. I have no gut judgement to go by, alas. My gut judgement is "uuuurgh, I don't know"!
OK. I have to make a decision and... I'm not sure what I want, so I'm going to just list the pros and cons and hoping that'll help me to figure things out.
The Elementary School (TM)
> in neighbouring city = shortish drive to work ++
> good neighbourhood = parents want kids to learn ++
> parents are engaged and involved ++
> high helicopter parent density --
> grades 1-4 = not yet jaded, generally eager to learn ++
> on the whole, probably willing to listen ++
> like herding cats --
> run by town = official curriculum = subject to the whims of regional government --
> desperate for teacher = immediate open-ended contract ++
> full-time is the only option --
> can't provide tutor/mentor --
> do they even like me --
> high likelihood of teaching homeroom from the start --
> would have to cover all subjects = not boring ++ but all the work --
> otoh, only one class (group) ++
> but also afternoon duties --
> don't know yet how uncertified teachers get certified --
> I will apparently have to organise that part myself --
> on top of doing full-time teaching --
> because they don't have the capacities for anything less --
> but still expect me to achieve teaching certificate in two years --
The Secondary School (TM)
> a few towns further away = 40 min drive to work --
> rural town = tight-knit community ++
> tight-knit community? --
> very friendly & welcoming atmosphere, at any rate ++
> secondary = students of all talent levels, from can't/won't learn to gifted overachiever --
> students don't get segregated at an early age ++
> I would only teach two subjects (English and geography) ++
> but in a variety of classes at different levels --
> grades 5-10 = puberty, with all that entails --
> more individualist, more critical --
> more structured thinking/analysis? ++
> run by (Lutheran) church = less subject to whims of government ++
> not quite so desperate = might actually think I can be a decent teacher? ++
> will provide tutor/mentor ++
> but possibly only next year --
> until then, I'd be hired as substitute teacher ??
> but in general, following the regular training plan ++
> willing and able to cut down on hours during training ++
> afternoon duties? sometimes? --
> took the time to show me classrooms and faculty room ++
> have experience in certifying lateral entry teachers = already have a plan ++
> will coordinate classes and training seminars ++
... oof. I think it's precisely because they're so different that I find it hard to make up my mind. If both were elementary schools, it would be easier. Or not, because there's always "But they neeeeed me! Can I leave them hanging?". And, of course, the distance question. Uuurgh, I just don't know. I'll do some research on the theory behind lateral entry to elementary level teaching, I guess, because they completely blindsided me with the "no mentor and you'll have to organise your training yourself" thing. And try to figure out my complicated feelings. And the monetary aspects, maybe. I have no gut judgement to go by, alas. My gut judgement is "uuuurgh, I don't know"!
