Lessons Learned...One Strategy For Helping Find A Teaching Position

Lessons Learned…

About Setting Yourself Up To Find A Teaching Job When Teaching Jobs Are Tough To Find

I graduated with a Teaching Degree in December of 1981. The” December” part alone meant, at best, a long term sub position, any grade and any subject K-8, in terms of employment in a school.  The “1981” part compounded the problem, for the early eighties were a time when available teaching jobs in the States were scarce.  Anticipating this early on, I realized my best bet was to gain extensive and diverse experience through volunteering regularly and faithfully in a wide variety of settings with the hopes of securing a letter or two or more of recommendation to strengthen my resume and my understanding.  I had time and passion for people. The organizations and individuals that allowed me to serve them had great patience and generosity of spirit. The list included: Being a summer camp counselor at a MDA residential camp, assisting a music therapist in an adult psychiatric unit, working closely with a blind/deaf university student during a two year window, rocking babies in the hospital so that parents could take much needed breaks, and writing kids’ music to enhance curricular plans in classrooms of teacher friends. As is always the case with serving others, the one who serves receives abundant blessings. My heart was warm and full of rich relational gifts and tender experiential compassion. They all offered kind letters of recommendation.  December of 1981 arrived stirring heart- waves of bittersweetness in the good-byes. Within three months, two strong, excellent job offers appeared each requiring a re-location of no more than four hours from home.       

Lessons Learned...

Lessons Learned About Serving

“How many scarves do you need so that each guest at the Rescue Mission’s Christmas Party will receive one?”

“We will need 500 scarves.”

“We can do that. We’d be honored to help in this way.”

So began our scarf project. Piles of fleece were donated by parents and grandparents and friends of our school. After cutting scarves to the proper size and cutting the ends so that knots could be tied, we delivered these “ready to tie” scarves to each classroom of our elementary school to be worked on during indoor recesses, which occurred frequently due to severe wind chills. Even the littlest students worked happily at tying with their beloved older student reading buddies. Together, as a school, we diligently and excitedly tied scarves and watched the pile of completed scarves grow and grow. Scarves in every color and pattern were everywhere around school and smiles were widening each day as we stepped closer and closer to achieving our goal of 500. December 18 was the day the Rescue Mission needed the scarves as they were setting up for their very fancy, very beautiful  Christmas Dinner and  Party for our area’s homeless. On a very chilly December 17,  with fingers tying frantically, we finished, we cheered, and we loaded the vans with these gorgeous, colorful, and toasty warm scarves.  The scarves were received at the Rescue Mission with smiles, hugs, and tears of joy. We never realized that 500 scarves could make our hearts feel so warm.    

Five Spare Minutes: Z

Z

(Creativity Activity)

Design a Zoo

Fill many large sheets of poster board with pictures of animals and birds from many habitats, and then place all poster boards on very large bulletin board which will represent the Zoo. Connect the poster boards with paths, and add ponds, bushes, flowers, trees, park benches, picnic tables, snack booths, and finally, people visiting the zoo.

   

   

Z Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Zipper, zero, zone, and zoo,

Zip codes help the mail go through;

Zigzag, zoom, and also zest,

Warm zucchini bread is best!

"Z" words they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: Y

Y

(Recall Game)

Yesterday

Have each student put on an imaginary thinking cap, close his or her eyes, and remember what went on yesterday. Each student responds to a question with as much of a detailed answer as his or her memory can recall.

Yesterday I saw a …

Yesterday I heard a …

Yesterday I went to a …

Yesterday I ate a …

   

   

Y Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Yard and yawn and yes and you,

Yellow jackets like sweets, too;

Yummy, youngest, yours to go,

Yahoo! There’s a striped yoyo.

"Y" words they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: X

X

(Busy Bodies)

EXercise

Can you clap? 1,2,3

Jumping Jacks.1,2,3

Tap your knee. 1,2,3

Giggle with glee. He he he!

Knees up high. 1,2,3

Hands in the sky. 1,2,3

Run in place. 1,2,3

Pick up the pace. 1,2,3. 1,2,3. 1,2,3. 1,2,3!!!

   

   

X Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

X-ray pictures, excited,

Excuse me, please, I bumped your head;

Experts explain carefully,

Experiments are great to see.

"X’s"in words are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: W

W

(Wonder what it’s like to be a detective? Activity)

 Who? What? When? Where? Why?

“I am thinking of something,” the teacher prompts.

“What does it do?” asks a student.

“When did you see one?” asks another student.

“Where does it live?” asks another.

“Who would use this or like this or want this?” asks another.

“Why were you thinking of this?” asks another.

This activity will encourage the students’ interest in and ability to ask detective style questions. All questions encouraged.

   

   

W Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Weasel, weather, whippoorwill,

Wishbone on my windowsill;

Winter, whisper, wallaby,

Walruses are fun to see.

"W" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: V

V

(Language Arts Activity)

A Very, very, very, very Big Ongoing Story

The teacher starts telling a story. Each student must add a detail or two in turn, as this story continues and grows from day to day. Write this very big story down as it grows in a very big book so that students can read their own very work in progress story and feel very proudJ    

   

V Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Vacuum cleaner, valentine,

Vanilla ice cream’s mighty fine!

Vegetable and vitamin,

A victory will mean you win!

"V" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!