So, last week was interesting.
In my previous entry, I mentioned that I was gearing up for a recruitment fair for teachers in NYC. Tuesday morning, just as I was waking up, a friend of mine called saying there was an ELA position open in her school and that she’d passed along my resume. I had an interview! Much freaking out ensued, but I got into the city and into the building, interviewed and was offered the position. I’d be teaching high school seniors in a brand new program that combined educational software, direct instruction, and a whole lot of collaboration with a team of teachers. The next two days were spent freaking out some more and feeling both nervous and excited about the challenges we’d be facing. On Thursday morning, I chose my classroom and jotted down some notes to make the space more inviting and less like traditional school. The thought was, if we were going to get these kids to come to school and want to succeed, we were going to have to prove that this was going to be a different experience, starting with the classroom environment.
Not too long after I took these notes, we found out that someone somewhere down the line made a mistake. I thought I’d be a New York City teacher, but that wasn’t the case. No adding to my pension, no union. We’d be getting a benefits package comparable to the city, but I wouldn’t be getting paid nearly as much as a first year NYC teacher. The whole situation was messy and upsetting. The commute would have been more difficult than my previous two school years working in the city, plus there was something that felt off. The program was being rolled out by a company that was based out-of-state and it seemed like there were always more questions than answers. After much deliberation and after talking to my teacher team, I decided not to accept the position. Most (if not all) of the other teachers decided the same.
And now it’s the day before school starts (or at least the day before teachers report back to work) and I’m feeling bummed out. Not only because I’m back to where I was a few months ago (unemployed and uncertain about the future), but because I think we really could have made a difference. My fellow team members were young and enthusiastic, not idealistic, but ready to work together to make something great. We had the same ideals and the same goals for ourselves and the students. We’d already planned out the schedule for the day and started brainstorming about what our school would be like. From what I know of the students we were going to teach, they could have really benefited from having a group of teachers that was on their side. The thought of all that lost potential is heartbreaking.
Still, there’s work to be done. Places to apply to. Interviews to be had. New opportunities yet to be discovered. If anything, this experience has made me realize just how much of a drive I have to be a teacher and to work with students.
Not onto our regularly scheduled programming: Monday Night Digs! Here’s what I’m into.
Music…
Aiden Grimshaw is an English singer/songwriter. He got his start on X-Factor (like these tiny fools), but I didn’t really know much about that. A friend of mind recommended his tunes and gifted me with Aiden’s debut album, Misty Eye. It’s got a rock edge with a wide appeal. The first song, “Hold On” is probably my favorite, because there’s a really eerie feel to it. I also love the heck out of his cover of Sia’s, “Breathe Me.” I don’t know all of Grimshaw’s songs by heart, but I’ve heard enough to know that he’s someone who can definitely make it in the States. I’m not sure why we’re not playing his music just yet, but I think he needs a great commercial deal or a hot piece of choreography using his music on So You Think You Can Dance and he’d be set. I really hope to hear him on my local radio stations by the end of the year.
Television…
Isn’t this fantastic? I saw this on Tumblr and squealed. It made me take a moment to recognize how talented people are and just strong this fandom is. Saturday was the premiere of the seventh season (of the new series) of Doctor Who and I happily hunted for a workable stream so that I could watch it as it aired on BBC (and then later on BBC America, of course). Despite my dislike of the Daleks, the premiere episode didn’t disappoint. I don’t want to spoil anyone, so I’ll hold off on talking about the twists and turns, but I really enjoyed it. I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who since the new series started airing back in 2005, when Christopher Eccelston was the Doctor.
There’s something about Doctor Who that speaks to everyone. Who wouldn’t want to travel in time and space in a spaceship/time machine that looks like a phone box? There are all sorts of adventures to be had and yes, it can be treacherous, but the thought of being able to explore and discover new worlds makes my heart skip a beat. There’s romance, drama, and a dash of horror, which I love and the guy running the show now is Steven Moffat and he’s responsible for some of the most memorable Doctor Who episodes in recent years. He’s a bit cheeky, but he’s also created some truly scary villains, which is hard to do. If you haven’t seen the show and you’re interested in watching, I’d recommend starting from season 5, the introduction of the eleventh Doctor played by Matt Smith. You should also check out the official Doctor Who Tumblr! Just beware of spoilers.
In conclusion: Let Craig Ferguson show you why you should be a Whovian.
Books, movies, Internet…
I think I’ve said enough for tonight. But I’ll add this to the Internet category: Dollar Shave Club. My pal Tamsyn linked this on Twitter and I’m so happy I took the time to check it out. I had no idea what this company was before today and now I’m a customer. Great advertisements deserve praise, yo.
(Good luck to all of you teachers and students heading back to school. To my coworkers of the past two years, I love you! I can’t wait to read all about your year with the kids, old and new. I’m sending good vibes your way! Please take care of our amazing students. ♥)
To catch up on other Monday Night Digs posts, click here. Please tell me what you’re digging! You can leave a comment, send an email, or even tweet me @cristinamoreno. If Tumblr is more your style, you can follow me at The Rambling Fangirl. Social media freaks, unite! ♥
Tags: aiden grimshaw, amy pond, arthur darvill, doctor who, dollar shave club, education, film, karen gillan, life, matt smith, monday night digs, music, new york city, nyc, one direction, owsin oswald, rory williams, teachers, teaching, television, tom and lorenzo, whovians, x-factor
Sorry to hear that the ELA position didn’t work out. I’ve never been in that situation myself but if I had been, I don’t think I would have taken the position either. Experiences like that are disappointing, but I think it’s easy to recognize when a situation is not a good fit for you. In not accepting the position, you allowed them to find the teacher who *would* be a good fit for them and freed yourself up to find the right position for you. I have no doubt that you will find a placement soon. My district is constantly doing last minute and mid-year hires. When I was first hired school had already been in session for a month and a half. It’ll work out. Just keep checking the posting and putting yourself out there. <3
(Isn't Dollar Shave Club the best?)
Thank you so much. It was such a strange experience and I think at first I was shocked, then I was angry, and eventually sad. We could have done so much and I was really excited about being a part of another wonderful team. I’ve wanted to start working with older kids again and I thought this was the perfect opportunity. I’ve reached out to some local districts about becoming a substitute teacher and I’m still applying for other teaching positions. I just have to keep going and hope that something comes up. ♥
(The greatest!)
That sucks about the teaching gig. I had a similar experience back in the day when I was fresh out of undergrad and got offered an overseas ESL gig. I am so glad my sketchy sense pinged and I turned it down and didn’t get stuck babysitting toddlers in the Korean countryside :/ Now the job of your dreams has to be right around the corner, doesn’t it?
Ugh. Thank you so much for writing about Aiden. He’s fantastic and he deserves so much success and I really really don’t understand the music industry. Things in Britain are so weird that he debuted at #19 on the charts, with < 1000 units separating him from the top spot. And now's he's down to #100. I think, if given the chance, he could do really well in the US.
<3
Hey there! Why do these things happen? Argh. I was so excited about being able to work and also finally having some sense of financial stability. Loans and bills and another year without health insurance (though I’ll have to figure that last one out soon, huh?)
Thank you for putting him on my radar! He really needs a marketing thing to come through. I hate that I’m even thinking about success in those terms, but it’s true.
Sorry to hear about the position! It’s always disappointing when things aren’t what they seem but there is always something better to come along! =]
Hi Sarabell! Thanks for commenting. It was actually a great reminder that I really need to post. I did find a semester position at a community college and now I’m going back to the job I held before that. The prospects for next September are still bleak, but I’m trying. May I ask how you found my blog?
Erm… I found it through Twitter somehow, but I don’t actually remember what led me to you! Most likely something writing related since I’m also a writer.
But nice to “meet” you and my fingers are crossed for better prospects to pop up!!