angelans4 asked:
I have an offer from the school I was at last year (teaching English Honors-not sure what level and Family and Consumer Science) but it is an hour away. I also have an offer from a Middle School 10 minutes from my house but I would be classified as a Reading Specialist and would teach 6th-8th graders. I would not have a classroom, but would instead move about the school. First off, I am not sure what is protocol for a Reading Specialist (I assume I am qualified, they have offered the job) and I want my own classroom (note that is want!) and although I have a great offer the hour long drive is a bit much on me and the fam! If you were given this choice what would you do. Thanks in advance for any tips you can offer!
The reading specialist position is guaranteed for 1 year but gets my foot in the door. The high school there doesn’t have openings.
The other job has the potential for it becoming a lifelong position.
We would be able to move, but not until next year, when I actually have a salary coming in and we can save extra money rather than living on my hubbys income alone!
Emma
I have an offer from the school I was at last year (teaching English Honors-not sure what level and Family and Consumer Science) but it is an hour away. I also have an offer from a Middle School 10 minutes from my house but I would be classified as a Reading Specialist and would teach 6th-8th graders. I would not have a classroom, but would instead move about the school. First off, I am not sure what is protocol for a Reading Specialist (I assume I am qualified, they have offered the job) and I want my own classroom (note that is want!) and although I have a great offer the hour long drive is a bit much on me and the fam! If you were given this choice what would you do. Thanks in advance for any tips you can offer!
The reading specialist position is guaranteed for 1 year but gets my foot in the door. The high school there doesn’t have openings.
The other job has the potential for it becoming a lifelong position.
We would be able to move, but not until next year, when I actually have a salary coming in and we can save extra money rather than living on my hubbys income alone!
Emma
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I have always said that if I was going to be truly happy at my job then the drive wouldn’t matter. I would rather drive and hour and love my job for 8 hours a day than drive 10 minutes and be miserable 8 hours a day. Of course …I don’t have children. If I did that statement might not hold true anymore. I don’t know if I would be willing to give up an extra 2 hours a day. Good Luck this is a hard decision.
Think about why you love to teach….and also consider what age group you love to teach the most…I personally prefer 9th graders b/c of their curiosity that most students lose by the 11th grade or so but there certainly are more discipline problems. As well if you are a Reading Specialist you are certainly not teaching Honors students, you are more than likely assisting students who are below the traditional standard level. However, on the up side you will have much smaller classes probably less than 10 students at a time. As well the drive would be a large issue in my decision. If you don’t like the middle school job what is the likelihood that the school system you would be working for would have a job opening at the High School level or that they could at least transfer you within the Middle School? Make a pros and cons list and make sure you rank them by importence, talk to you potential collegaues at the new school (will you feel comfortable, etc.?), and talk to your family! Discuss pros/cons with them…Good Luck!
This is a hard decision. But in reading what you have written, I think you have already made the decision. Yes, you want your own classroom, but the 10 minute commute makes much more sense. I think that is what you are leaning toward. It makes more sense where your family is concerned. You are just not sure as to what the reading specialist job would entail. Check out these sites on reading specialists:
One of my coworkers who retired a couple of years ago had a half hour commute each way. It was tough for her, especially when the weather was bad or when something happened with one of her children. Plus she had to purchase more vehicles in the long run because of all the miles she racked up. Her years of experience made it impossible to get another job nearer to her residence. Her husband’s job made it impossible to move nearer to school. She was stuck for over 20 years making that drive!
I would consider how stable either of the jobs would be. Does one hold more promise to be long-term than another? That’s another consideration. I don’t know what your circumstances are, but if the job an hour away were to be permanent, could you move closer?
It’s really a choice between what you want, and what you feel would be best for your family. Good luck!
Take the reading specialist job!! Your family comes first, and if it turns out to be a good job after your first year, then stick with it. Especially with the way gas is going up. You are losing money.
And who cares about not having a room. Get a good cart, pile it up, and get your exercise.
The other thing to consider is ….did you really like your last job? Did you like the principal, the logistics, the kids, etc. That has to all come into play. I’ve been at my school for 22 years, and have been because I really love the school and kids. For that reason I always come back.
Weigh all the options, and don’t leave anything out. The scale will tip one way of the other, and then you just make the decision and never look back.
Life goes on…….and on…..and on………
Good luck, and thanks for educating the youth of America. We teachers gotta stick together. HAPPY SUMMER
Honestly you need to do what you feel is right for you. I make a 40 min. drive everyday to my school but I do it because I love it there. It sounds as though you are familiar and comfortable at that school. It is always a plus to be comfortable and know who you need to go to when you need something.
Another item for thought is that the reading specialist position in only one year. I taught at another school and I knew the woman who had that position. After that year they got rid of that position. I feel that if any budget stuff came up that might be one of the first positions to go.
I would really consider the teaching job at the school because to me that seems to be what you really want.
Are you nuts? Take the English teaching job. Who cares about the hour drive. I drive about 30 minutes to work. I like the ride. It gives me time along to unwind for a half hour before getting home to deal with my own chilldren.
Plus, you want to be an English teacher, and they’re giving you an honors class right off the bat? That’s a miracle in itself. Plus, how much prep can there be for a FCS class?
For the love of God, take the English position…
That is a tough decision. You should consider yourself lucky that you have several jobs to choose from!!! I can’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you that, at least for me, my family comes first, and my job second. An hour commute takes an awful lot of valuable time away from your family-time that you can’t get back. And there’s nothing to say that once you get this position 10 minutes from home, you couldn’t be there for several years, and like you said, get your foot in the door to hopefully transfer to your “dream job” down the road. I recently struggled with a similar situation, and ended up taking a job 30 minutes away just to have an income for the time being (we relocated just over a year ago for my husband’s job and to be closer to his family. I have been without a job for a while, and it has come to the point that we simply need a second income). My hope is that in a couple years a position will open up at the grade school across the street from the home we bought. It is in a VERY small town, and I will definitely take a pay cut. But, in the end, I will be available for my children, involved in their education (I will be teaching in the same schools they will be attending), it will allow me to network with others in the community (we are still somewhat “outsiders” in town) and I will be close enough to work to be able to walk over in the evenings and work (hence, increased performance). It doesn’t hurt that my new principal is old college roomates and close friends with the principal of the grade school across from my home!!!Everything comes in time, but in my life, my children are only little once, and I wouldn’t trade my time with them for anything!!!
I would go with the job close to home then work hard and collect documentation that having a reading specialist is beneficial to the school in order to support continued employment in that position
does the district have continuing contract…where you would have a position in future school terms but not necessarily the specialist
the best thing to do is get in closer to home and make yourself invaluable
I know where I live the reading specialist position pays more than a teaching position. You may be required to take more professional development classes as well. I think I may be tempted to take the reading specialist position, but may regret it if I really felt I wanted the classroom teaching position. Go with what you feel is right for you. Your family will stand behind you.
I would take the foot in the door job for the year with the hope of getting something closer to what I wanted after that. I was in a similar situation, but it too me several years to get to exactly what I wanted. Now that I am here, I would not trade the path I took for anything. For one thing, it gives you another ‘experience’ that you can put on your resume’.