This year is supposed to change my life

Well I have a new job. I'm a teacher. Stop laughing!

Two weeks ago Ryan sent me a posting over email advertising for a teacher who could teach a Grade 10 Graphics class. I wasn't going to apply but Ryan kept bugging me to do it. I did and then promptly forgot all about it. My references were old and I had no actual experience I didn't expect anything.

Last Tuesday while at work I got a phone call from the Principal of Hillcrest. He asked me if I would be able to come in for an interview the next day. I was in a state of shock and didn't say anything. Then I realized how can I go for an interview when I have to work at the store at 9am! That was when he spoke up and offered to interview me at 8am. Perfect!

Everyone was ecstatic for me. I however, was much more reserved. I've been on so many teaching interviews that I really didn't expect anything to come of it. I was worried about it because I felt out of practice but Ryan reassured me and took me out for coffee to quiz me on possible questions and responses. Rory joined us and he gave me quite a few tips which I used in the interview. Ryan suggested I show them one of my CD-Roms that I created.

So I showed up bright and early at Hillcrest. I was SO tired. But I was in luck because the interview was SO laid back. I was expecting it to be much worse. I was about to leave the interview when I remembered I hadn't showed the CD-Rom. So I asked the Principal if I could use his computer. I had to adjust the monitor resolution so that the whole presentation showed up. After I turned off the CD-Rom the Principal realized that he could now see all the people in the picture on his desktop. Before on the old resolution it cut off the people on the ends. So he asked me to leave it at that setting. I thought that it was a great opportunity to show what I knew.

I left the interview just feeling relieved it was over and didn't feel like it mattered if I got the job or not. I was told I could have 1 period at one school and 1 period at another school. There was also the possibility that I wouldn't be needed for anything.

The next day in the morning I got a call from the Principal at Churchill and he offered me 1 period of Computer graphics. I accepted since it was just the first period of the day which meant I could come back to the store when I was done teaching. However a couple of hours later the head of the English department phoned and offered me a period of English. I accepted that and then started to panic as to how I was going to explain the situation to my bosses.

It turns out they understood. It was getting pretty slow at the store and they were starting to worry they would have to cut hours. So me needing to leave for the time being works out well for them too. So I have the option of going back there in April when my half period of English is done. (I'm teaching half the course and another teacher is teaching the other half)

At this point I'm not sure I want to go back but I just might be since I have no guarantees of another teaching job after June. They are closing FWCI in June so there will be a lot of teachers bumping other teachers to have jobs. It won't be pretty. But at least this will give me recent experience.

It's SO weird being back at Churchill. I walk the halls and I still have the ability to see it as I did when I was there as a student. Some things have changed but mostly it's the same. It's even the same Principal! A couple of my old teachers are still there and I think I gave my old Vocal teacher a scare! When I told her I was teaching there she said "My how time passes!"

But the one thing I have learned that I wish I knew then was how dumb highschool boys are. They are so nothing to be worried about. I wish I knew how ridiculous and dumb they were then! Some of them seemed to be respectable but I can see now that they weren't. I see all the girls fawning over them and I just shake my head and wish I could give them the insight I have. They would be surprised I think. But they are too wrapped up in flirting to notice that they are totally not worth the effort. At least not yet. Someday they might grow up.

The girls are a lot like I remember my peers being. I can recognize students that have personality traits and characteristics similar to girls I went to highschool with. It's weird how those things reincarnate themselves. I'm glad I'm really far beyond all that now. I would NEVER want to go back there.