I've wanted to get closer to my dad geographically since my mom died. I've also been considering finding a job that would put me on a more compatible schedule with basically every other adult without kids at home, including DH. Since most people want music lessons after school, that means I can't do community band or choir, or, often, see DH for more than maybe an hour or two before I go to bed. My home town is opening a new high school. One of my friends forwarded me a job listing-they need a piano lab/general music teacher (IE, something other than band, choir and orchestra for kids who need a fine arts credif, so basically teaching beginners/hobbyists). It's a new program-they didn't have space for it until they split the school. Three of my friends will be teaching there as well, moving over from the other high school, and the one who teaches drama says the guy who heads up fine arts is awesome to work with and it's a great department. It's a HARD district to get a job in-there are three local universities that all produce teachers, so most positions are filled from folks who student taught. But this is a new program. And it's one I'm very well qualified for as far as actual experience (although the fact that I haven't taught in a public school for about 20 years and my license says TN vs VA might make me less so). But...it would require moving. I'm already committed to teach here this summer. My students expect me to be here in the fall. L needs me to moderate Athena's classes, and I agreed to co-teach one with L, so I'd either need the department to arrange my schedule so I could do that, or I'd be taking L's part time job away. It's a difficult area to find a house in at all, and if you can find one, they're expensive. There are so many college kids who need housing that almost everything is rentals and expensive rentals, because each bedroom gets rented as a unit. And while I'm sure my dad would welcome us, moving two adults and four cats and our stuff in would be a stretch. C has a couple more years of high school, and there's no way he'd be allowed to move with me. M is going to college in MO, so I would be farther from them, too. The school year also would make it hard to be there for some of L's senior in college stuff...and since L graduated in 2021, senior year of high school basically was an empty set. I really want to be there for at least some of it, and it's FARTHER from L's school than we are now. Everything logical in my brain says "you can't do this next year, maybe the year after". But there's also a part of me which is terrified that if I miss this chance and something goes wrong, I'll never forgive myself. Oh, and I also feel kind of too old to apply for jobs, since a good number of the people the application asks for aren't alive anymore....like, say, my cooperating teacher for my ESL student teaching in 1995, who retired the next year, or the last principal I worked for, who was 76 when i left to have L. The university music school I used to teach music Ed classes at has had three college deans since I left. I don't remember my high school or undergrad GPA, or how many credits I took as an undergrad. I might have a still sealed transcript somewhere, maybe. No clue where. If they wanted a CV and cover letter, I'd feel much more confident, but the online form seems designed for people just graduating college. And that's not me.

Yes. It's a big version of the one that was buried with my son. DH got him for me when I was in the hospital. The only time I don't sleep with him is if we flew to get somewhere due to suitcase space, but he goes with me on driving trips.

After years of therapy, I basically sound like I come from a place I've never lived (most people assume either Boston or New Jersey). I don't sound like I'm from the South at all-despite living in VA for my entire childhood and in NM, TX, and TN for my entire adulthood.

I wish I had better experiences-we had such issues with getting accommodations for M that they ended up just applying test optional everywhere. It worked out, since there were enough schools that still were to have some good options, but it knocked all the in-state public schools off the list. It hasn't been a problem at all for colleges to accept the SAME documentation that College board said was insufficient. But maybe that's because what M really needs for college is a housing assignment close to most classes and priority registration (with a goal of getting a mix of in person and online classes to minimize walking and physical stress).

The one that this was inspired by is at the Smithsonian 🙂

I would agree. I had one start outsourced classes, another early college classes due to needing other instructors and peers,and two went to PS and then to a University model school. My favorite trick for this age and stage is to take school somewhere public. For many years, we regularly went to the local indoor mall during the time in the morning that it was open for mall walking,bit only the breakfast places were open. We'd get breakfast and spend several hours doing school, when it was quiet and mostly empty. The older adults would sometimes stop and comment and ask. For S, we met at McDonaldsafter an outsourced class, and, again the only ones there were the senior adults who came every week. For M and C now, Panera or Starbucks. We get SO much done, and they don't push back at me with an audience. It is well worth the price of a sausage biscuit or a latte.

Do you have Kroger? We have two different "not covered by insurance" meds in my family, and Kroger pharmacists have been able to find a lower price than ANY other pharmacy. Abbvie has a program where you can purchase meds through them at a big discount-for one of mine, it is less than my copay.

My direct branch, no. Not in the US, anyway. However, in the US, my maiden name is more common in Black people than White people due to one particular person who had a plantation in Louisiana and registered all his slaves with his last name. The name was a focus of a dissertation in the 1980's because everyone with that name traces back to a foundlings home in France, meaning the original "family" isn't related at all, but because it was a fairly small group, it was actually possible to trace pretty closely. In the US, there are two subgroups-mine, which was midwestern farmers who came by way of Eastern Europe around WWI, and the Black descendants of slaves. I met one of my "cousins" in college-the first time either of us had ever run into anyone with our name who wasn't from our family (as in the sense of "second cousin once removed..."), and we both kind of enjoyed sharing family history-and confusing people who couldn't figure out how we were "cousins". (We adopted that term in part because it confused people-and because his grandmother seemed really happy to find another "cousin", even if she was a skinny white girl from Virginia who's grandparents had been Iowa farmers. )

I have my end of semester piano party next weekend. (Potluck at a park, all the families come, everyone brings food, I provide a couple of crafts and activities for kids to do, everyone socializes, little ones play on the playground, we give out awards for kids who did keyboard festival, celebrate our graduating seniors, the end). I bought a couple of kits of the alphabet beads and those flat clay circle beads, which came with elastic clear cord, is there anything else I need besides a couple of pairs of scissors, or can I just turn my kids loose on them? My students are 4 through adult, and I've got a decent number of tween/teen (and their moms) who are Swifties, so I figured it would be something they'd enjoy. I also have picture frames to decorate (markers and paint pens) and piano music clips (IE, wood shapes to glue on clothespins, to use to hold books open) to make, plus some "make an animal" stickers I picked up at 75% off after Easter.

One thing to consider-Organic chemistry (and biochemistry beyond the basic level) requires a different skill set than physical or analytical chemistry. While physical and analytical chem is heavily based on math skills and innate mathematical reasoning, and is very algebraic, Organic chemistry is much more visual, and if you're not good at 3D visualization, will be a struggle. For many students, those 3D visualization skills don't develop before college-age (and it's recommended now that Organic chemistry be sequenced LATE in the college program for that reason, because the difference between even age 19-19 and age 20-21 is apparently statistically significant.). If a kid is talented in art and 3D drawing, they'll likely find O-chem to be easy. But if they aren't. it can be a real struggle.

Added a few more displays. Need to do some painting and lots of signage, and more interior walls, but physics, space, and tech are all moving forward.

FWIW, I teach at parks and rec. The city provides the space, and city residents get a lower rate (out of city residents pay an additional charge, which goes directly to the city, not to me). Parents pay by the semester, although they can do a 3 installment plan through the office. It's a recreational program by design, and basically considered a supplement to the public schools, which has a pretty great music program in it's own right. They handle the money and some of the advertising (there is a catalog that goes out to every household twice a year, they have their own social media and website, and I'm who the school district refers anyone who wants piano to. I also teach music for the preschool program. So, I can't easily do punchcards or charge for single fill in lessons. It's been a mutually beneficial situation for the last 6 years-it's given me a transition away from homeschooling that I can build up gradually as I get more time. It's given them a very highly qualified teacher and, as word has gotten out, I pull a LOT of people in from outside the city limits-and it's become a big program. This semester I have 34 piano students and 19 homeschool group music students, plus the 6 preschool classes.

A majority of my students are under 10, have special needs, or both. Zoom lessons require a parent actively participating on the other side, and a LOT of set up on both sides so I we can see and hear each other. And, the reason they come to me is that I can give their kids what they need-which requires me to be able to go on and off the piano, jump, dance, sing, pull additional resources, use props, etc. And because I do have a lot of young families and families with special needs kids, well, things come up. Here's what I'm thinking. Does this sound reasonable? Your lesson day/time is reserved for you, and incorporates a significant amount of teacher preparation before class. In order to allow flexibility for student illness and other concerns, the following makeup policy is in place for ALL Singleton music classes. 1) Each private or small group student may do two makeup lessons per semester. Lessons missed due to illness or emergency must be requested as soon as possible and may not be approved if not requested before your scheduled lesson time. Non-emergency rescheduling must be requested at least 72 hours before the scheduled lesson. Once a lesson is approved, you may sign up online for your desired time. No make up will be approved for a missed make up lessson, regardless of cause. Additional makeups may be approved on a case by case basis in situations such as severe illness. If your schedule no longer allows your regular lesson time, please contact the instructor to reschedule for the remainder of the semester. 2) All makeups must be completed by the end of the semester. No credits will be carried over for missed sessions to the following semester without written approval from instructor and the center director. The semester end date will be extended if the center is closed or if the instructor has to cancel class for any reason. 3) No student is to attend when ill. The instructor has chronic medical issues and minor conditions such as colds can become very serious. Students with respiratory symptoms, regardless of cause, must wear a mask while in the lesson room (masks will be provided), and may not participate in woodwind components of music exploration classes. Students who attend who are symptomatic and do not mask when requested will be removed from the lesson room and be unable to attend, and no make up is permitted. If this occurs more than once, the student will be removed from the roll and a credit issued for remaining classes on your Singleton account. The student will not be able to register for music lessons or classes in subsequent semesters.