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What would you do?
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zoebartlett
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Haven -
The way you''ve described the facts, the deck is really stacked in favor of quitting. But let me ask a few questions. I remember reading a little bit about your dream of the Haven, and my first reaction was that it''s going to be very hard to find financing for something like that in this economy. Three years ago, I''d have been more optimistic, but right now it''s hard to get investors for anything. So my question is: If you don''t find the financing for your dream job, what would you want to do for the rest of your life? If the answer is ''go back into teaching'' then you should probably keep your toe in educational waters at least on a part-time basis.
On a somewhat related note, I hate to hear how wonderful teachers are forced to quit because of administrative mismanagement and misguided thinking. All of you are such a tremendous resource to waste. It sounds like what we really need is a lot of disillusioned teachers to group together to create an alternate way of administering schools and to craft education policies that allow good teachers to be happy and fulfilled doing what they felt called to do in an effective manner. I know education goes through trends and there are many theories about how best to teach, but it sounds like we need all of you former teachers to band together and come up with a different model for educating our kids.
The way you''ve described the facts, the deck is really stacked in favor of quitting. But let me ask a few questions. I remember reading a little bit about your dream of the Haven, and my first reaction was that it''s going to be very hard to find financing for something like that in this economy. Three years ago, I''d have been more optimistic, but right now it''s hard to get investors for anything. So my question is: If you don''t find the financing for your dream job, what would you want to do for the rest of your life? If the answer is ''go back into teaching'' then you should probably keep your toe in educational waters at least on a part-time basis.
On a somewhat related note, I hate to hear how wonderful teachers are forced to quit because of administrative mismanagement and misguided thinking. All of you are such a tremendous resource to waste. It sounds like what we really need is a lot of disillusioned teachers to group together to create an alternate way of administering schools and to craft education policies that allow good teachers to be happy and fulfilled doing what they felt called to do in an effective manner. I know education goes through trends and there are many theories about how best to teach, but it sounds like we need all of you former teachers to band together and come up with a different model for educating our kids.
Haven
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Thank you so much everyone for your input, especially those of you who shared that you''ve been in similar positions and chosen to quit.
I quit one position before because of a fundamental disagreement--I worked in recreation and learned that our pool was using fake lifeguards to stand in when they didn''t have real lifeguards on duty. I learned this when they asked me to pretend to be a lifeguard for a school field trip.
I went through the ranks and stated my concerns that this was a horribly risky thing to do, and everyone seemed to think I was crazy and said they wouldn''t consider hiring more lifeguards because it was too expensive.
So, I quit. And I felt really good about it.
Rainwood--You bring up some really good points. I''ll try to address them here.
Financing. Yes, it is not going to be easy to get financing right now, you are absolutely right. We figure that we (my mother and DH and I) have enough to start the Haven on our own without financing by purchasing the land and building the one main building that we need to run the workshops. (We have money saved up, and some money tied in rental properties that we hope to sell when the time is right.) Beyond that, you betcha we''ll need some funds. However, we figure we can run the Haven for a few years without building any more, and without making any money from it, based on the money we''ve saved up and have tied up in real state right now.
What would I want to do with the rest of my life if The Haven doesn''t pan out? I don''t know, but I''ve always known I''m not going to be a career teacher. I might consider consulting, or working for educational publishers, but I don''t think I''d want to go back to high school. In other words, I''m not worried about breaking my ties with public HS education because I don''t think I''ll be itching to go back in the future.
However, I''m not opposed to teaching part-time right now. There''s on PT position open in our area, I just applied for it, so we''ll see.
I have kept up my connections with the community college and the local university I adjunct for. I would consider going back to community college at some point, as that is a much more ideal teaching situation, in my opinion. In fact, I loved it but chose to leave it for high school because that was what I initially planned on teaching.
Disillusioned teachers. Yes, I hear you. I don''t know if I can even qualify as a real teacher yet, as I''ve only taught full-time for five years so I''ve hardly been in it long enough to have much to say. All I know is that I just don''t agree with the way we are teaching our students, and I''m not comfortable doing something that I believe is going to be a detriment to their progress as readers.
As for banding together with other teachers to form a new model, I''d be open to that. I do know that when it comes time to educate my own future children, they will not be attending public school, or probably any school, for that matter.
Thank you so much for your post, I really appreciate it that you''re asking important questions that I need to consider.
I quit one position before because of a fundamental disagreement--I worked in recreation and learned that our pool was using fake lifeguards to stand in when they didn''t have real lifeguards on duty. I learned this when they asked me to pretend to be a lifeguard for a school field trip.
I went through the ranks and stated my concerns that this was a horribly risky thing to do, and everyone seemed to think I was crazy and said they wouldn''t consider hiring more lifeguards because it was too expensive.
So, I quit. And I felt really good about it.
Rainwood--You bring up some really good points. I''ll try to address them here.
Financing. Yes, it is not going to be easy to get financing right now, you are absolutely right. We figure that we (my mother and DH and I) have enough to start the Haven on our own without financing by purchasing the land and building the one main building that we need to run the workshops. (We have money saved up, and some money tied in rental properties that we hope to sell when the time is right.) Beyond that, you betcha we''ll need some funds. However, we figure we can run the Haven for a few years without building any more, and without making any money from it, based on the money we''ve saved up and have tied up in real state right now.
What would I want to do with the rest of my life if The Haven doesn''t pan out? I don''t know, but I''ve always known I''m not going to be a career teacher. I might consider consulting, or working for educational publishers, but I don''t think I''d want to go back to high school. In other words, I''m not worried about breaking my ties with public HS education because I don''t think I''ll be itching to go back in the future.
However, I''m not opposed to teaching part-time right now. There''s on PT position open in our area, I just applied for it, so we''ll see.
I have kept up my connections with the community college and the local university I adjunct for. I would consider going back to community college at some point, as that is a much more ideal teaching situation, in my opinion. In fact, I loved it but chose to leave it for high school because that was what I initially planned on teaching.
Disillusioned teachers. Yes, I hear you. I don''t know if I can even qualify as a real teacher yet, as I''ve only taught full-time for five years so I''ve hardly been in it long enough to have much to say. All I know is that I just don''t agree with the way we are teaching our students, and I''m not comfortable doing something that I believe is going to be a detriment to their progress as readers.
As for banding together with other teachers to form a new model, I''d be open to that. I do know that when it comes time to educate my own future children, they will not be attending public school, or probably any school, for that matter.
Thank you so much for your post, I really appreciate it that you''re asking important questions that I need to consider.
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I''m waaaaay late in responding to your thread, Haven, and I confess that i haven''t read through everyone''s responses, but sometimes it colors my opinion if I do so....sooooo
I think "one" should quit and get on with their life as they see fit and do the things to achieve the dream they''ve spent so much time pursuing. They happen to be pretty young in years, not age, and though finances might not be ideal at present, it is pretty apparent that they will be achieved in the near future.
Life is SHORT. Too short. Too short to look back 10 years from now and regret not jumping in with a sink or swim attitude and trying. You can do this. Pursue your happiness.
I think "one" should quit and get on with their life as they see fit and do the things to achieve the dream they''ve spent so much time pursuing. They happen to be pretty young in years, not age, and though finances might not be ideal at present, it is pretty apparent that they will be achieved in the near future.
Life is SHORT. Too short. Too short to look back 10 years from now and regret not jumping in with a sink or swim attitude and trying. You can do this. Pursue your happiness.
Haven
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Haven
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I think I''m going to quit next week.
Do I call my boss and ask for a meeting? Or do I call him and then send a formal letter? Nobody is in the building right now as we are on summer break. I feel like doing it in person is the right thing to do, do you agree?
I''m on great terms with my immediate boss, he has stood up for me through everything and knows that the things going on are wrong. We''ve worked together for the past two years, and I was on the team that hired him.
Would you prefer a call, or a meeting?
Do I call my boss and ask for a meeting? Or do I call him and then send a formal letter? Nobody is in the building right now as we are on summer break. I feel like doing it in person is the right thing to do, do you agree?
I''m on great terms with my immediate boss, he has stood up for me through everything and knows that the things going on are wrong. We''ve worked together for the past two years, and I was on the team that hired him.
Would you prefer a call, or a meeting?
steph72276
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Before I read your last post, I was going to say I would quit and find something part time that makes you happy while you focus your energy on your true goal. I think you should do it face to face to let them know the reason you are quitting so that maybe they can address some of the issues. Good luck!
Haven
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Thank you, Steph, I think you're right. I'm going to schedule a meeting with my dept. chair for this week.
SO, I have an interesting story. I was driving home on the highway from dropping a friend off in the city last night, and as per usual, I was fixating on this decision and talking to myself. Yes, I talk to myself while driving, go ahead and laugh.
So, I was all exasperated and exclaimed "Can somebody just give me a sign?! Should I stick it out one more year, or should I say 'life's too short' and move on?! Seriously, I need some guidance!"
About ten seconds after I said this, an SUV hauling a speed boat cut in front of me. The boat's name:
Lifes to short!
Yes, it was missing an apostrophe, and "to" was misspelled. But there it was, in black and white, right there in front of me. Life's too short. I followed the boat all the way to my exit, which was about twenty miles total, and I just stared at those words. I was actually in a bit of shock.
Now, I'm not the type to get all excited over coincidences, and I know that's what this was, a coincidence. But it was a mighty convenient coincidence, don't you think?
Anyone else ever have something like this happen? An answer that just fell out of the sky?
I tried to take a picture (without flash, of course) but it didn't turn out:
SO, I have an interesting story. I was driving home on the highway from dropping a friend off in the city last night, and as per usual, I was fixating on this decision and talking to myself. Yes, I talk to myself while driving, go ahead and laugh.
So, I was all exasperated and exclaimed "Can somebody just give me a sign?! Should I stick it out one more year, or should I say 'life's too short' and move on?! Seriously, I need some guidance!"
About ten seconds after I said this, an SUV hauling a speed boat cut in front of me. The boat's name:
Lifes to short!
Yes, it was missing an apostrophe, and "to" was misspelled. But there it was, in black and white, right there in front of me. Life's too short. I followed the boat all the way to my exit, which was about twenty miles total, and I just stared at those words. I was actually in a bit of shock.
Now, I'm not the type to get all excited over coincidences, and I know that's what this was, a coincidence. But it was a mighty convenient coincidence, don't you think?
Anyone else ever have something like this happen? An answer that just fell out of the sky?
I tried to take a picture (without flash, of course) but it didn't turn out:
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sparklyheart
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Someone was talking to you with that boat
I don''t know much about you except what was posted about your job in this thread and if you are unhappy and teaching in ways that are against what you believe then you should definitely get out!! There are SOO many other ways to help kids in the same situation whether it''s through other schools, tutoring, consulting, or any number of ways! It is sad that great teachers leave because of bad management but it''s happening everywhere. If you stay there and accept the way they are treating you then nothing will change. Hopefully by you leaving, either it will be an eye opener and something will change or they will end up bringing in multiple people until they finally get their eye opener.
As for quitting, I would set up a meeting and take a formal letter so you don''t have to return later if they ask for it in writing.
Good luck with your future!! The door is WIDE OPEN now!!
I don''t know much about you except what was posted about your job in this thread and if you are unhappy and teaching in ways that are against what you believe then you should definitely get out!! There are SOO many other ways to help kids in the same situation whether it''s through other schools, tutoring, consulting, or any number of ways! It is sad that great teachers leave because of bad management but it''s happening everywhere. If you stay there and accept the way they are treating you then nothing will change. Hopefully by you leaving, either it will be an eye opener and something will change or they will end up bringing in multiple people until they finally get their eye opener.
As for quitting, I would set up a meeting and take a formal letter so you don''t have to return later if they ask for it in writing.
Good luck with your future!! The door is WIDE OPEN now!!
Haven
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Rock_of_Love
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That is such a great story! And, you CAN''T ignore the sign!! I''m such a beliver in trying to pay attention to the signs the universe is sending you. It reminds me of this joke/proverb I heard once. I couldn''t remember it exactly, so I googled it and could only find a religious version, but the message is the same...pay attention to what the universe is trying to tell you!!
Best of luck this week!!
. . . . .
A religious man is on top of a roof during a great flood.
A man comes by in a boat and says "Get in, get in!" The man replies, "No I have faith in God, he will grant me a miracle."
Later the water is up to his waist and another boat comes by and the guy tells him to get in again. He responds that he has faith in God and God will give him a miracle.
With the water at about chest high, another boat comes to rescue him, but he turns down the offer again because "God will grant him a miracle."
With the water at chin high, a helicopter throws down a ladder and they tell him to get in, mumbling with the water in his mouth, he again turns down the request for help for the faith of God.
He arrives at the gates of heaven with broken faith and says to St Peter, "I have been waiting for a miracle and I have been let down." St. Peter chuckles and responds, "I don''t know what you''re complaining about, we sent you three boats and a helicopter."
Best of luck this week!!
. . . . .
A religious man is on top of a roof during a great flood.
A man comes by in a boat and says "Get in, get in!" The man replies, "No I have faith in God, he will grant me a miracle."
Later the water is up to his waist and another boat comes by and the guy tells him to get in again. He responds that he has faith in God and God will give him a miracle.
With the water at about chest high, another boat comes to rescue him, but he turns down the offer again because "God will grant him a miracle."
With the water at chin high, a helicopter throws down a ladder and they tell him to get in, mumbling with the water in his mouth, he again turns down the request for help for the faith of God.
He arrives at the gates of heaven with broken faith and says to St Peter, "I have been waiting for a miracle and I have been let down." St. Peter chuckles and responds, "I don''t know what you''re complaining about, we sent you three boats and a helicopter."
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Haven
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Date: 7/27/2009 1:58:49 AM
Author: House Cat
''Lifes to short''
Ahh Haven, I''m glad that you didn''t take it as a sign that the world needs more english teachers!!!
I''m happy to hear you''re moving on. I have a good feeling that you won''t regret it.
That''s a bit like what my mom said! She said that had I interpreted it as a sign that we need more English teachers, then there''s my answer. The fact that I interpreted it as a sign that "life''s too short," then there''s my answer. I think she''s right.
Rock_of_Love--That''s a great story! I love it.
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