I have a huge decision to make about teaching jobs this year. Two schools in North Carolina have offered me jobs, and I just got a job offer this morning here in Michigan, also. There are pros and cons to every one of these jobs and I don't know what to do. I'm trying not to whine here, because for the last two years I have suffered disappointment after disappointment while trying to find a teaching job. My aunt is not available to talk to right now, and I don't know anyone else to talk to right now that isn't going to try and sway me one way or the other based on their own selfish reasons. So I'm blogging it out and trying to come up with a decision on my own. Each time I think I have my mind made up, one of the schools will call me and say something else that makes me think...ok, I need to think about this some more. But time is running out! One of the schools in North Carolina doesn't even know I have other offers and thinks I am going to be joining them in August. The other school in North Carolina knows I have another job offer and is pressuring me for a decision, offering me a larger classroom (an english teacher's dream), and talking a little bit of smack about the other school that wants me. The school in Saginaw, Swan Valley Adult and Alternative Education knows all about my situation, and called me this morning to say they know I have a big decision, and that they have arranged for me to teach 3 classes this semester (two of the three weren't even on their roster, they are geared toward what I can teach and offered as electives for the students) hoping that it is enough to get me to take the job because they really enjoyed my interview. I have decided to make a pros and cons list of each job to try and help my decision along.
- 1 East Lee Middle School, Sanford North Carolina
PROS:
- Principals and staff I've meet so far are nice
- Close to Cary/Raleigh/Durham (awesome cities)
- 7th grade Language Arts is what I really want to be teaching, and would be teaching at this school
CONS:
- Large ESL population and I don't have much training in that. I'm not sure if that's the best situation to get into my first year as a teacher
- Other School that wants me said East Lee was in a bad area. I didn't notice it when I took a tour, but I wasn't in the area. The folks at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store were very nice, though.
2 Overhills Middle School, Spring Lake North Carolina
PROS:
- They REALLY want me there, and my team leader is awesome from what I can tell.
- They are knocking down a wall just to make me a larger classroom because they know I am trying to decide between them and two other schools
- I would be teaching 7th grade Language Arts here, too
- The Middle School has its own auditorium with a stage and everything. If I directed a play there, we wouldn't have to share with another school and deal with any bitches.
CONS:
- I didn't like that they talked shit about another school
- The area is near Fayetteville which reminds me too much of Saginaw. I've been looking on apartmentratings.com and I see a lot of crime and things reported for the apartments I've been looking up. I don't need to leave my hometown to get a shitty area with crime and run-down housing. I have that all right here.
North Carolina in general, no matter which of the above schools I choose
PROS:
- Saginaw is a shithole
- Great weather in North Carolina
- My Grandma told one of my cousins that she didn't think I would move away and I hate when people say they don't think I can do something
- More money, full benefits, paid vacation (even though that's seriously not why I went into teaching)
- No more waiting tables
CONS:
- I would miss my friends and family terribly
- It's going to cost a lot of money to move
- North Carolina doesn't pay their teachers as well as Michigan does and I am worried about not having any extra money after bills when I get down there and not being able to afford to fly home
- I am almost done with my Master's here and if I transfer to a school down there I would have to start almost from the beginning and that is a lot of money and time being lost.
3 Alternative School in Saginaw Michigan
PROS:
- I love that district and I would have my foot in the door for when the 8th grade Language Arts teacher at the middle school retires within the next couple of years
- I could stay here and finish my Master's degree and then next year, make more money wherever I decide to go
- I get to teach Creative Writing, Drama, and Communication - AWESOME!!!!!
- I wouldn't have the discipline issues with this group of students that I may have with others
- I may be able to use the experience here, combined with my Master's to teach college classes at a two year college such as Delta
- My Grandma would be happy - not sure if this is a "pro" or not
CONS:
- No insurance, no salary, no paid vacation. 23 bucks an hour isn't too shabby, though.
- I will still have to work next summer, possibly waiting tables. I can't stand the thought of that.
- I would probably stay in this shithole neighborhood that I cannot stand.
- People such as my mother will still be able to bother me.
- There are a couple of whack jobs in that district
My aunt just called and now my train of thought is messed up, so I'm going to end this blog.
I'll keep everyone posted.
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