not a teacher anymore

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Home : 2005 : February : 7

not a teacher anymore
By Chicago Teacher

I taught for 3 years, and this year I'm doing something else. Not by choice, necessarily, but because the town where I live (in the middle o' nowhere - Central Oregon) has no teaching jobs. NONE. (I'm talking about 200+ people
on the list of teachers looking for jobs and MAYBE 10 openings a year!)
I am working in a social services agency teaching life skills to teenagers. What's weird is... my teaching experience is with grades 1-3! But, between teaching in a very poor area of Chicago and developing curriculum there, they thought I could do this job. And I really like it and am doing a good job (I've received

a pay increase already, and the agency that places clients with me has offered me a job to "steal me away")!

The pay is about the same, but there is a LOT less take home stress (unless one of my clients gets thrown in jail - did I mention I teach life skills to recently paroled teens?), and a lot more flexibility - as in, I GET TO GO TO THE BATHROOM WHENEVER I WANT! My husband is also a teacher, and I'm already getting depressed at the idea that we won't have our summer vacation together, but I'll deal.

Anyway, I definitely miss teaching, and working with younger students, but I get to be creative and help kids who really need it! (And, if they misbehave for me... I can call the parole officers, who actually know how to discipline!) =)