Many, many years ago I used to think that once a book was begun it did not get put away until finished -- even when the book was horrible. Those days are long gone. I have really embraced the feeling. Life is too short to read a bad book (or one that is not grabbing my attention). Naturally this could be thrown out the window if we're talking about school books. An assigned book must be read. Why? Because if nothing else, the reader can participate in the discussion. It's there that all the learning gets done.

My most recent dropped book is Snow by Orhan Pamuk (winner of the Noble prize for literature several years ago). As the title suggests, snow plays a role in the narrative. Sadly, I found the snow to be oppressive. Further, the book is about Turkey a country about which I know nothing. While the internet is a great source for information, frankly I don't feel like doing research to read a book. I'm just not that into it.

Time to find a new book.

Last year I read A Fine Balance. It sat on my bookshelf for years. Finally, I blew the dust off and was simply delighted. Books are like that. Sometimes they do nothing until you are ready to accept them. Atonement was a book like that as was Cider House Rules. So, I'll put Snow back on the shelf and try something new in the meantime.

The Demo Lesson

It is really exhausting to go into a class of 8th grade students to teach a demo lesson. I did one today. It went well, but the interview that followed was odd. The principal made me feel as though the lesson was not too good. I thought it went well considering my expectations for the class were higher than the skills of the class. (The school's website sings a song far different than the reality.)

Anyway, as I was waiting to do the demo lesson, the literacy person came into the office. She chatted with one of the secretaries and they were obviously talking about me and my lack of backbone to work in the school. Talk about feeling weird. I waited and waited. My demo lesson was to be at noon. No one came to get me until maybe 5 or 10 minutes later than that (yet the lesson had to be in a certain time slot). Still, I did well. I think I even saw the literacy specialist give a nod of approval when I was finished.

Now I wait. I need a job and am fully capable of working in any school (pretty much), but I also feel as though my opportunities are shrinking.

Think I'll go take a nap.

Teacher Certification

I have been interested in getting additional certification to teach in the state of New York. There is an express certification for already certified teachers to extend their certification in Special Education. I looked into it, and after spending 100 dollars have learned that it is almost valueless. Well, not fully, but it is if you do not currently hold a position in a public school. What you need for this additional certification is to take three classes in special education, take the Special Education content area test (another 88 dollars), and -- this is the kicker -- have a letter or document signed by the superintendent of your district that you will be teaching special education.

The problem: what school will hire a teacher if they don't have the certification? New York State is so backed up, even with the proper paperwork, it takes a long time to get the certification necessary.

Additional problems in the area of certification are as follows:

no one is available within the certification office to give help.

you have to take a designated number of courses in a particular area of study (ie English) and pass the content area test. However, even if you could pass the content area test without the courses, you do not get credit for them. This seems off to me. Theoretically, the purpose of taking those courses is to enable one to to pass the content test. Why not allow someone to teach an area where they obviously know the material?

it's really all about money. There seems to be little interest in making better teachers with these restrictions, just making it more difficult to get the ducks lined up.

When I first took my teacher tests (then called NTE - national teaching exam), I took them with a girl (at least one) who did not pass the tests the first two times she took them. I was horrified to learn that I would be in competition with this girl once she did in fact pass the NTE. So, while I still must present my transcripts when getting interviewed, I don't have to worry about the scores on the teaching tests. This just seems unfair. I was a different person 25 years ago. Further, the college where I received my undergraduate diploma was not a good fit for me. I had difficulty at BU; the same type courses I took at Fairfield University and the University of Connecticut earned me better grades.

I got through school and through my various experiences have become a better teacher. The difficulties I faced as a student have helped me to understand my students better. I am a very bright person now; it was not necessarily the case when I was 22. We learn with each passing day. Still, I lose job opportunities to young girls who just graduated from college.

Having certification in various areas seems just to be filler for a resume. The states have created a nightmare and need to further review and identify what makes a person eligible to teach a course. It's more than just a test. It's about character.