Ali in OR Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 I'm figuring out the next chapter of my life. Took courses to renew my old teacher license (paperwork submitted). Got my sub license. Applied, interviewed, got hired by the local district. I'm taking both classified jobs and certified jobs and was a classified "educational assistant" at an elementary school today. I'll make twice as much in certified jobs but the classified jobs feel pretty easy and being paid by the hour is actually easier for me right now. My disabled dd gets out of school before the high schools are out (I'm a former high school math teacher) and you have to take either 4-hour jobs or 8-hour jobs for certified. Maybe some 4-hour morning jobs will come up! Anyway, I survived. Didn't have much to do but got paid for it. I enjoyed the kids, thought the teachers were amazing, and still think homeschooling is better! I'm looking forward to making a little money--just in time for Christmas. And I need recoup about $2k in tuition/fees/testing for my licenses! Oh, and the dog survived too. Thought she might chew up the house being left alone for 5 hours, but she was napping in her crate when I got home. House intact. 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicJen Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Congrats!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Congrats. I only had to submit my old teaching degree papers and pay a $100 fee and I am now "annually authorized" to teach any grade, any subject including all special education. I work both as a teachers assistants and a teacher (pays $15/more a day) but I work HARD. I work with the most severely impaired students in the county in our regional school program. These are kids with severe physical/mental/autistic impairments. I am Tube feeding, suctioning, lifting, dealing with behaviors, etc in students 3-26 years old. I love it though. Wish I got paid more but I do love it. My girls leave before I do and I am home before they are which makes it workable for me. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Congratulations, Ali!!!!! You go, girl. Thanks for sharing. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Now put your feet up and have a drink - I'm sure you earned it!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 The dog thing is really funny and true. These homeschool dogs get SO MUCH daily attention. We were worried how our lab would do with everyone gone all day, but dh has been home enough to keep him happy. Plus, I've discovered that dh and dL (dear Labrador) have developed a new elaborate chasing game. They both need more input without the rest of us home all day 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Congrats! I just started back to teaching too, part time, but just agreed to cover a maternity leave, so full time for awhile. I have to work on actually making dinner on days I work so we don’t loose money on ordering pizza, oops. Good luck! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted October 6, 2017 Author Share Posted October 6, 2017 I work both as a teachers assistants and a teacher (pays $15/more a day) but I work HARD. I work with the most severely impaired students in the county in our regional school program. These are kids with severe physical/mental/autistic impairments. I am Tube feeding, suctioning, lifting, dealing with behaviors, etc in students 3-26 years old. This is what I thought I was doing today but that job got cancelled, and I was so sad that I got on the online system to see if there was anything else and found the elementary position. My oldest just graduated from the high school life skills program and I love the staff there. And since some of it is my daily life, it feels easier to walk into that than into an elementary school! The dog thing is really funny and true. These homeschool dogs get SO MUCH daily attention. We were worried how our lab would do with everyone gone all day, but dh has been home enough to keep him happy. Plus, I've discovered that dh and dL (dear Labrador) have developed a new elaborate chasing game. They both need more input without the rest of us home all day 😂 Yes, labrador here too! I made two frozen treats for her last night to keep her a little occupied (peanut butter in a nylabone thing and a kong filled with a little kibble, some canned dog food, some cream cheese, and a little peanut butter--freeze over night). And dh took her on a good walk this morning. Congrats! I just started back to teaching too, part time, but just agreed to cover a maternity leave, so full time for awhile. I have to work on actually making dinner on days I work so we don’t loose money on ordering pizza, oops. Good luck! Yes, I remember your threads. Did you solve the wardrobe problem? I found that jeans were fine for my job today. I will try to dress a little nicer for the certified jobs. Need shoes, another pair of pants, and some nicer shirts or sweaters or something. Oh, and we have a take 'n bake pizza for tonight. Dinner is the least of my worries! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 (edited) Yes, I remember your threads. Did you solve the wardrobe problem? I found that jeans were fine for my job today. I will try to dress a little nicer for the certified jobs. Need shoes, another pair of pants, and some nicer shirts or sweaters or something. Oh, and we have a take 'n bake pizza for tonight. Dinner is the least of my worries! I work as a relief teacher (sub) as well. For my working wardrobe I find that having 4 cardigans, 5 nice print tops, & 4 bottoms (dress pants or skirts) is just right for me. I chose colors that allow me to have any combination of cardigan / top / bottom match, so getting dressed for those early morning calls is simple. With 80 possible combinations I don't get board. Early & late in the school year I replace my long-sleeve tops with short-sleeve tops & replace a couple of the bottoms with capris. My cardigans are merino, so work year round as an extra layer when needed & don't take up room in my bag when it gets warm later in the day. For shoes I wear sketchers during the warmer seasons & short ankle boots in the winter as most days I will have playground duty. Dinners are hit or miss on my busy weeks, but with only dh & I home most days we survive. I find if I can manage to cook a decent meal 2-3 times a week, we will have enough left-overs for the remaining days. I do try to have easy to grab lunch options in the fridge & pantry to help me to avoid grabbing some fast food. When our kitchen renovation is finally finished later this month I plan to make a week's worth of mason jar salads each Sunday to have healthier lunches & easy dinners for those busy weeks when I just have no energy when I get home. Glad you enjoyed your first day back teaching :-) Edited October 7, 2017 by Deb in NZ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 (edited) On the clothes, now that I’ve started, I see I’ll be fine. No jeans allowed per our agency which is ok cause I don’t find them comfy, but I can wear the jersey pants I prefer like Lands end starfish pants with a nicer top. I’ve got a mix of short and long sleeve tops with cardigans and long vests too. Add a necklace or scarf and it’s nice enough. Not as dressy as I’d need to be in a district. My kids I work with are in headstarts or home daycares and I’m dressed nicer than their staff, but not enough to seem odd. I sit on the floor and help with meals and messy play still with 3/4 yr olds😀 I’m gonna make an easy meal list for the next few weeks plus I need lunch stuff at home for my teen at home during the day and school lunch fixings for my teen who goes to school. Just gonna require planning, lol The logistics of getting all my own kids where they need to be all week during the day is crazy but my parents are amazing!!! Edited October 7, 2017 by Hilltopmom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 I am lucky in that I can wear jeans and capris along with school t shirts if I want to work. Given though that I am on the floor, doing heavy lifting, changing all manner of lesses, spoon and tube feeding students, and OCC. Chasing them down the halls/outside. Tennis shoes are almost always worn as well. OCC. I will dress up a bit depending on the room I am in but I generally not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 The district I live in requires nothing to be a sub. The next one over wants us to pay a fee for training and another fee for finger prints. The one I live in pays $95/day to sub and the next one over only pays $85/day. It would take two days work at the other one to recoup the fees. Obviously, I want to work in this one. But the next one over called me and wants me to do the training and finger printing and all. Bothers me that they did not even interview me. I am worried I would pay for the finger printing and training and then they would not even place me in jobs (give me chances). I did the subbing before and they just call and you accept or decline jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted October 7, 2017 Author Share Posted October 7, 2017 The district I live in requires nothing to be a sub. The next one over wants us to pay a fee for training and another fee for finger prints. The one I live in pays $95/day to sub and the next one over only pays $85/day. It would take two days work at the other one to recoup the fees. Obviously, I want to work in this one. But the next one over called me and wants me to do the training and finger printing and all. Bothers me that they did not even interview me. I am worried I would pay for the finger printing and training and then they would not even place me in jobs (give me chances). I did the subbing before and they just call and you accept or decline jobs. Because I've taught before, getting just a sub license wasn't too hard. $100, fingerprinting plus the fee for that, a students' civil rights test plus the fee to take that (I think another $100). At the same time, I wanted to renew my credential because maybe the ideal part-time work for me would be to teach a couple of classes (timing-wise can't happen this year). To renew my credential that expired 20 years ago, I had to amass 225 professional development units which translated to 3 community college courses at about $500 each. Another $100 fee too. All that has been submitted and just waiting for the government agency wheels to turn. We have a pretty awesome online job system here, once you've been hired and are in the system. I can look online and see jobs that are available, where they are, how many hours, etc. Once you know a few teachers, they can also direct the jobs right to you so no one else ever sees them. So it turned out to be pretty easy to find a job Friday morning when my first one got cancelled. That led to two more later this month at the same place and then I have a couple this next week that a math teacher friend arranged for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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