21 August, 2020
Knowing is almost always better than not knowing and I’m about to report a bunch of punches and setback, but I’ll do what I always do best…pivot, side-step, recoil, conjure and get creative to respond to the situation at hand.
I shouldn’t be this hard. It should be this hard, but it shouldn’t be this hard. The thing is…I really don’t want to hustle for work. But here I am…hustling.
20-something is definitely in the realm of adult, legal consent, decision ownership, but I’m seeing that my decision to attend university in Canada has thrown up insurmountable obstacles some three decades later. The Virginia Department of Education does not recognize Brock University (St. Catharines, Ontario – CANADA) as an accredited school within this region for acceptable credentials. They are essentially saying my BA-TESL/Sociology doesn’t count, although the US Peace Corps and my Masters program accepted them.
And so, although I am ready, willing and able to take on a teaching position in a time when teachers are flocking the profession, I can’t get my foot in that bolted door.
I made contact with the community college (NOVA) which has a “career shifter” program toward licensure, but as they follow the VDOE guidelines for regionally accredited universities, they also can’t bring me into the program. They also took the time to point out that my MA is from an unaccredited program as well, so that won’t solve any problems for me.
And so, in order to take this job at an FCPS high school, I will be a “long-term sub” until they fill the position or until I get my license, which apparently is not happening. I will take this job for 100 days – and when that maxes out, I will be cut loose or the school will amend my job title, perhaps. This is not ideal
But here is my first “lemonade from lemons” act. My primary focus is on getting through my MA program so I will consider this work experience more than a career foothold. It’s still the same amount of energy and work being sunk into the full-load teaching schedule, but for significantly less compensation. This sucks at many levels -but how lucky is FCPS to have me for so cheap?
In my second act of “lemonade from lemons” – I take the time to consider where I feel best teaching – and that is with older teens and adults. I am trying to ascertain if I need a license to teach in the community college system, but it appears not. Bummer that now teaching in universities and colleges has a fancy word (adjunct) attached to the title, but really it means – gig economy…no benefits. It is not a career level job….it is a job. A job that one hustles for….deep breath.
My third splash of lemonade comes from the recollection that I am in the teacher training track of my MA-TESOL program so I am headed toward teaching adults anyway.
My intention is to keep my blogging short. I have so much to say, though. At the moment – I need to do some listening.
Learning is why. 