on the long ride home.

Right now I'm in a hotel room just outside of Columbus, Ohio. I'm halfway through a two day drive to Arkansas, and I'm so excited that I get to see my friends tomorrow. I'm also excited that I get to enjoy my little vacation and not worry about the job hunt - leave it to me to secure a position on my way out of town.

It happened quickly, actually. I've been on a few interviews since training ended at the end of July, and although I had a few that had gone well I hadn't heard back from anybody. On Tuesday, I scheduled two interviews for the next day, one of which was at a school I'd emailed only hours before getting a phone call from a staff member. I didn't actually know much about the school when I sent in my resume; I knew they had a listing for a chemistry position on the open market, and I knew they were a small school, which is the kind of environment I've been looking for in my search. When the staff member called, she explained that they're a transfer school, which means all of their students have attended at least one high school before. They're all at least sixteen years old, and all come in behind on their credits. She told me right away that the principal was looking for someone who could think outside the box, and work to really engage the kids. I told her I was interested, and scheduled an interview.

"Intrigued" would probably be a more appropriate word, as I had no idea what to expect from the school. I knew what a transfer school was from my own research coming into training, but I'd never visited one and I didn't know how I felt about the prospect of teaching kids who'd either failed or dropped out of their previous schools. I braced myself for a worst-case scenario and at the same time thought: you never know, this might be the school of your dreams. It turns out the latter was closer to the truth. My first impression of the school was that it was bright and airy, and everyone I met was friendly and congenial with one another. The principal and several other staff welcomed me and instantly made me feel at home. We talked about how important is it to really care about the kids you teach, and make sure they know it. We talked about how the kids at this school in particular come in with a lot of hurt and a lot of anger, and complete disillusionment about what education should be and how adults should look out for their best interests. The principal was honest about some of the challenges the school faces with its population, but was emphatic in her belief that most of her students have found a place to belong at her school. And once I talked to a few students who were working in the office and asked them how they felt about their school, I believed her. After I'd talked to the panel for a bit, I was taken on a tour by the same staff member who'd called me the day before. The school takes up one hallway, and all of the science classrooms are outfitted with lab benches instead of desks - labs take place in a separate space. It's a take on the science classroom I'd never seen before, but I really like it. When I got back to the office, I was offered the job on the spot.

A month or so before I was admitted to the Fellows, I had a dream that I was surrounded by a circle of people, who were smiling at me and nodding. I think at the time I described it as giving me the sense that they had some good news for me, and were just waiting for the right time to tell me. I woke up feeling both comforted and excited for something that was coming my way. I felt the same way as I sat in the office after being offered the job. I was surrounded by staff members, all of whom seem to genuinely want me on board. The principal told me they interviewed a lot of people for the position but they hadn't felt anyone was right for it until they met with me. The nicest thing about the experience, I think, was calling to accept later that night and hearing that the principal is just as excited that I'm joining them as I am.

I'll probably be teaching several different science courses, possibly to include forensics. Currently there are ten teachers at the school, and I'll be co-teaching with at least one of them for some of my classes. I'll be developing my curricula from scratch, and I can order whatever I need for my labs. I'll have my own classroom and one of the nicest lab facilities I've ever seen. I'll also have an administration I think I can trust to be supportive and easy to talk to, which is going to be invaluable. I'm excited, and nervous, and I have a lot to learn.