Everything Right
It is also the first time in over a year that I have been able to teach Social Studies as a specialty, and I dearly missed it.
I've had a chance to teach summer school, and by chance I mean it was necessary for me to be able to pay rent. It is also the first time in over a year that I have been able to teach Social Studies as a specialty, and I dearly missed it.
The past year I have been filling in a temporary or emergency basis as a Special Education teacher in 8:1:1 classrooms (one teacher and one aide for eight students.) The students on my roster were all identified as being emotionally disturbed. This means, roughly speaking, that they cannot regulate their emotional states without significant help or modifications. Those emotions were not joy. None of this is the fault of the students! There are lots of civil rights laws that ensure that kids who deal with these kinds of challenges get the education they are entitled to despite the environment they create around them.
That job is extremely difficult. It's why there are so many of those positions available. When I happen to tell people that I am a teacher and what age I teach, there is a near universal sigh of awareness of their own anxiety about dealing with the age group, and this is only through me saying that I am doing it. Folks you do not know the half of it.
Anyway so that's where nearly all of my energy has gone. Now I am actively looking for a permanent position as a Social Studies teacher and it is not easy. I am also now actively presenting myself as gender non-c0nforming (heels and skirts and makeup) and well maybe that isn't helping me in the interview process either, but I received no discrimination from any staff or admin at my position - in fact they all expressed support and were totally professional. It took 20 minutes for my students to get over it, who again were my students because they get over absolutely nothing and often choose violence. I did my best to be calm and treat them with respect even when they were in goblin mode. You'd be surprised how well that works with kids and adults. If my appearance in that environment didn't matter I can't imagine it making that much of a difference elsewhere.
Well, maybe there are a few places where its a problem.
“In Lewisville, Texas… just a month ago, they had a high school teacher, who is a man, who would go to school dressed as a woman in a dress, high heels and makeup,” said Abbott at the conference. “The person… is trying to normalize that this behavior is ok! It’s not ok!”
So, you know, there's that.
My placement wanted me back, but I was temporary, so the position was spoken for. This has been a habit for the past 18 months. My interviews are going well, my answers seem to elicit genuine approval and appreciation for my skill and expertise. When there are 30-40 applicants per opening, everyone can have the right skills and right answers and still not get the placement. You can do everything right and lose.
Anyway, the summer continues.