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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Here's what I decided

First, thank you all very much for all your input regarding my decision to SpEd aide or to English teacher. I appreciated all the comments and your perspectives. Some points really helped me twist my thoughts and look at this in several ways.

And I decided to go with the SpEd position. The easy and obvious points were I would know how much I am making ($$$ wise) and about the benefits RIGHT NOW. With the English teacher gig, I wouldn't know anything until, possibly, February. I will also have benefits that start now, and do I ever need a trip to the dentist.

I like the idea of possibly having a job next school year, which wasn't even a thought with the maternity leave. I like my supervisor, which is a positive. This lets me be in education. That's a good thing as well.

I can try and see if I like working in special education. So far I do like the kids and my class room teachers. I'm learning lots about special ed. kids, just being there for 2 weeks.

I also have a strategy about getting my degree. A teacher acquaintance told me I should just brow beat the state DOE to death. She said I should write letters and call repeatedly to get an exemption to the licensing rule. She said it's been done by others and if I'm dedicated and persistent, I could get it done. Since we have a State Secretary of Education who is trying to pass legislation that would let anyone with a Bachelor's degree get a teaching certification, then this might be a good time for me to strike with what I want. So while I'm working in SpEd, and not having to grade and do lesson plans, I can make getting my certification a part time job.

So, a new chapter in my educational life begins. I started teaching college, was an Assistant of of Students at a college, taught grades 7-12 at the high school level, and now I'm an aide for middle school special education.

Now, is it fair for me to ask how many days until Christmas vacation?

Maggie

5 comments:

Bragger said...

Yay! I'm so excited for you! It sounds like you've got something steady for now, and you've got plans for the future. Way to go! Mwah!

Anonymous said...

Hi there,

What a relief to make a decision! I think it's the wise one. Sooooo
CONGRATULATIONS!

P

Finn said...

Good decision - now relax(?) and enjoy the work.

If your school is the same as school here, I suppose you've got about 8 working days left until Christmas holidays - and then you'll probably have two weeks off!!!
Lucky you...

Maggie said...

Thank you everyone!

and yeah, Finn, 8 more days! whoot whoot! (can I say that even though I've only done this for a few days?)

Wiley said...

Good stuff!! I hope this turns out to be an awesome decision.
And definitely give the brow-beating a go. Not only can it be cathartic, but bureaucracies don't know how to deal with people who don't follow processes and sometimes they fold - trust me, I work in a bureaucracy. :)