Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
The good news is that Friday I was contacted for an interview, and I also found out that I got assigned to Lehman. I suppose the assignment itself wasn't good news as I don't know enough about most of the schools in NYC one way or another to have a preference, but this mention in the curriculum description was fun surprise:
Fellows will experience informal science teaching and learning by participating in a required course at the American Museum of Natural History, which culminates in a class trip where Fellows will bring their students to the museum.
The good feelings ended there, however. That same day, new Fellows received some sticky news: the DOE has issued a hiring freeze on all new teachers for the upcoming school year. There are a few exceptions to the rule and NYCTF seems confident, as always, that close to the start of the school year the ban will be lifted and there will be room in the market for the Fellows. I'm as nervous as ever, but my resolve is solid. It's too late to back out now, right?
Even if it wasn't, I still think I'd be taking the risk. I spent the past day at home with my family in Memphis, and as my grandmother put it, "you're young, you're single (are you single? no girlfriends? not dating anyone at all? no love interest?) well like I said, you're single! you're free, you've got nothing tying you down, go live it up." And yes, she used the phrase "love interest." While I'm hesitant to categorize living in an expensive city on a meager stipend in a particularly stressful situation "living it up," I got what she meant. Thanks, Grandma.
4 comments:
As a science teacher assigned to the Bronx, I wouldn't worry too much about the hiring restrictions. They will be reviewed on a weekly basis, and can be lifted in part based on a number of factors such as subject and geographic area, both of which you have going for you.
A couple of other teachers in the told me the same thing about the restrictions - one even said it'll probably happen mid-July.
After hearing them say it, I felt a lot less worried.
that's good to know. I feel much better about it now; I think it was a little shocking initially. thanks for the input, definitely. it's good to hear from people who know what's going on in the area.
I don't blame you for being nervous. I wish you the best of luck and hope it works out well for you!
Please keep us posted.
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