To teach

I've been working at Kathleen's school this week. I'll be there for three days this week, working with sixth graders in physical science. They are taking a benchmark test tomorrow. I personally now know all I'll ever care to know about igneous rocks.

Despite my personal lack of enthusiasm for igneous rocks, I do enjoy teaching at the middle school level. The teacher has been out for more than a week because her husband is getting cancer treatment in Texas. So you can imagine that the classroom is in some upheaval. She's a good teacher, though. The kids miss her and keep asking when she'll be back.

This kind of substitute job is different from the usual job where the teacher is only out for a day for a doctor's appointment or a meeting or something like that. In this situation, I've got a lot more responsibility to keep the learning flowing. So I've been getting a real taste of classroom experience.

I have to say that I really love it. I mean I REALLY love it. I love the connection with the kids. I love that they like me. I enjoy figuring out their personalities -- which ones are the "good" kids and which ones are the trouble makers.

Later on this month, I'm going to try to pass the GACE (Georgia Assessments for Certification of Educators). If I pass that, then in the fall, I should be eligible to get my own classroom in a training program unique to my county.

It's the getting to a place of employment that's the trick. As a substitute teacher I'm just not making enough money to help meet our bills. If I got a call every day of the week, which was happening toward the end of last year, then we'd be okay. But apparently there's a glut of new subs in the school system. People who have been laid off from other jobs are becoming subs, and there aren't enough jobs to go around.

On Thursday, I'm driving into Atlanta to take two tests for two government type positions. Neither position pays great, but it's steady. Steady wins the race! One is for a general clerk and the other is a secretarial job. Neither one is for a specific job. It's ongoing filling of places in and around my county. Hopefully somewhere close. Next Wednesday, I'm going to Atlanta to test for a third job for an phone operator. I would sincerely appreciate prayer for employment.