Ha, ha made ya look, ch. 5

 By this point it was the summer of 2009, not only did I need a teaching job after having spent all that money on higher education (hello student loans!) but I also needed something called health insurance. Yeah, see I was in kind of that limbo/catch 22 phase. You know, I was older than that fresh out of college age kid who could maybe get some extension on your parents' coverage and I could not get any independent coverage because I had too many pre-existing conditions. What was a girl to do? Work. A girl had to work darn it. Um, hello, I was trying couldn't anyone see me, I was right there. Take me! Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? So I began to work at my father's law office - he is a real estate attorney. I worked part-time so I could meet the needs for health coverage and also have the flexibility to go sit in front of schools waiting for principals to show up on other mornings that I needed to. I did just that - ALL summer. I went on interview after interview. Still. Nothing. If you wanted me at the end of my rope I was there. I should know, my upper body strength was impeccable - not to mention 45 pounds lighter!

As the school year began, I assumed at least I would also begin to substitute (thank goodness I had a letter from a county here saying I had been cleared an approved for that).  The strangest thing happened though, no one called me to substitute. NO ONE. After winter break time, I really lost patience. I got a hold of an old family friend of ours who happened to work with that particular county. Apparently no one had ever changed my status to say that I was a certified teacher! Are you kidding me? Seriously? Really? I mean really?

The instant that was remedied I spread word at the school where I student taught. My mentoring teacher from the previous year was back in first grade this school year, so I immediately began subbing for her in first and any other first grade teacher whenever they needed, and likewise I knew all my old buddies from second grade last year so I began to substitute for them as well. I was there almost every day. Don't get me wrong, I still can't believe I lost out on an entire half of a year because they never changed my status. In April, at the same school, a third grade teacher was going on maternity leave and I was given her class. I was going to be long-term substituting until the last day of school. Now, I would finish another school year in the same school where I had student taught the previous year. I was thrilled. Plus, the third graders were the second graders I had student taught the year before. I got to be with them again. I was so excited and so were they. Any teacher there built me up to the administration, and of course I was given my interview at the end of the year. Three of us who were already there were interviewed, two were given a job. I was the one left standing. I was the only one with a Master's Degree. I am still told it is because of the Master's Degree. That's what education has come to. People who have higher education cost more money so we can take two certified teachers for the price of the Mastered teacher - the price of the more experienced teacher, and the price of the teacher who has been here the longest and built a relationship with our students.