The past week

Well I wrote about the interviews. The young man what was gentle and soft-spoken DID get the phone call offering him the job, and I did send out an email to become his mentor. That was Friday the 13th.
That weekend was the dance recital. If I can figure out how, I promise to show my 'baby bumblebee' and my 'tree-hugging hippy.'
Monday began one of those weeks from hell. My social studies 8 colleagues and I had to grade the state exam. We worked Monday reading constructed response answers. We worked Tuesday reading scaffolding questions. I started reading essays Tuesday, as did my colleague C. Wednesday, we were joined by our 7th grade colleagues. More people and less got done. C and I determined that out of 21 homerooms, either she or I or both graded 17 of them. (All essays have to be graded at least twice.)
Wednesday afternoon and Thursday we began 'bubbling.' Due to the so called wisdom of NYSED, the points correct for every constructed response answer (14 of them) and every scaffolding answer (13 of them) and the essay grade has to be bubbled on the back of the multiple choice answers. That took until 3:30 Thursday.
Friday I had to give my 7th grade exam, and grade that. Always fun, fun, fun.
Tell me again how little teachers work.

The Old Boy Network is a alive and well

This has been an interesting day. I spent the day with my principal and three colleagues interviewing six candidates for a social studies position in my district. It was amazing.

Three candidates have one or more relatives who work for the district. One candidate was a coach for the district, another was the director of our Civil Air Patrol group. The last was a soft spoken, gentle young man. When asked why he wanted to teach he related the story of a teacher who had, according to him, helped him through the worst year of his life, when his father died. He said he would be willing to coach, but he really wanted to start an outdoor club to go hiking and fishing. He talked about making kids better people, and then better students.
The lacrosse coach sold himself as the best thing since sliced bread. He single handedly would bring up our test scores.

There were 4 phone calls by people who were advocating for their child, their friend, their associate, their fellow coach.

The four teachers picked their candidate, the soft spoken young man. The principal picked the lacrosse coach.

One of the other teachers dug in her heels. Absolutely refused to contemplate the arrogant coach. She said, in an excellent self observation, that her candidate would balance her, and that there were kids who needed to know that it is okay for men to be soft spoken and gentle.

The amazing thing was....the principal caved. Sometime soon he will call the gentle soul and offer him a position.

Calgon take me away

I AM TOO TIRED TO BLOG