Careful What You Wish For

I finally have a job and have been officially hired.

I am tired!

Teaching has changed drastically since I first began in 1985.  Then, there was trust that teachers knew what they were doing.  Students sometimes failed because they spent the day doing nothing.  They also spent the evening doing nothing.  These days, I have to keep a mountain of paperwork to prove that a student did not do work.

Also, where I work, I have to decorate my room like everyone else.  How boring!  Though, since the kids are stuck in the same classroom all day, they don't know any better.

But the work load!!  I teach English but have to do a prep for Junior Great Books, Expeditionary Learning, Social Studies, and independent reading using the 100 book challenge.  Further, I need to administer a testing diagnostic to my students once a month (then grade those exams).  I also need to assess reading levels of students on a monthly basis.  Since I haven't yet received the training (and my students' behavior is not conducive to administering such assessments), I am already behind.  I have to write the entire lesson plan (or so it seems) on the board for visitors to see what I'm doing.  I have to put student work up with an explanation of what the assignment was, the rubric used to grade it, and notes on the student work that addresses what was done well and what needs improvement.

I am exhausted.  I have to walk my students to and from the lunch room (four floors).  the partner teacher I work with has a room on the floor above mine.  My other co-workers get to have a partner teacher who is right next door.  I have to walk my students out of the building at dismissal.  Four floors back up.  I don't have a place to make copies.  The copy machine is on the floor, but to use it I need to wheel it down the hall, plug it in, and hope it works.  One day it literally took 40 minutes to make a copy of one piece of paper!

I've not been paid.  I will be observed this week and have no idea what to expect.  I teach the worst students in the school and know my observation is based on their behavior.

So, this is what I wished for.  Now what??

What is illegal hiring practice?

Wow!  This job is so tough!  It's even worse (or there's no light at the end of the tunnel) when you're doing it for free.

So, when a person gets hired, shouldn't that person have to sign papers?  You know, 1099 or something...the W2?  I've signed nothing and was reprimanded for requesting what the hold up was.

Hmmm....now I know what I am up against.  Since I tried to peak behind the curtain, I just about got pushed out the window.

Here's the story.  I was hired outside the pool of candidates within the NYCDOE.  My principal needs permission to hire me.  Frankly, I had no idea that I wasn't actually hired until today.  What I mean is, I do not have a job.  I have not been hired.  I can't be until I get clearance.  But what the hell am I doing at the school every day?  Further, is it even legal for me to be there???