When your career stalls right out of the gate

    I decided I wanted to teach a little later in my life than others and it was a journey getting there.  I come from a family of educators and I was determined I was not going that route.  However my life plans resembled a twisty plate of spaghetti in my early 20's and I did the whole marriage, kids, school career thing a little backwards.  I was subbing in a high school and I was actually a favored sub because I got the students to do their work and I kept thinking I cant wait till I have my own classroom.  Anyway I was in between the part of your degree where you finish the requirements for your AA and beginning the specialization for my degree in secondary social science in Education, but I had an actual issue with the way the degree requirements.  I did not feel that only 6 credit hours of history where enough to make me an expert and feel this was one of the reasons history classes wound up being so painful for so many students.  History is more that just dates, and it requires real in depth analysis.  I made the decision to complete my degree in History and seek the alternative certification.  I also decided I would get my certification in English as well because there is a higher demand for English positions and I am a life long reader and I feel that English is a vital subject students desperately need to master.  Because my degree is not in it I tend to focus on a lot of Professional Development in that area, and I want to be able to teach it well if I am asked to.  My first teaching assignment I was asked to teach Career and Decision making and then was asked to teach English.  My students did well on the tests, and I felt validated in my ability to teach English.  I was happy and quite frankly had the school not been year round, I probably would have never left.  I loved the staff, the students, and the message that the school provided for my students.  But I had children at home who were keeping themselves occupied or my family was entertaining them.  My family who were educators as well.  So I made the decision to leave my school and teach 6th grade English at a middle school in the district.  It worked better as far as the time off and aligning to my kids schedules, yet I found myself floundering.  I was constantly asking my team lead for advice, and I had little to no support from my department head or administration, which left me frustrated and scared the whole year.  Right around the time the schools shut down thanks to Covid, my husband and I began to discuss the actuality of moving (something we had been talking about for years).  I finished out my year and we packed up and moved out to Colorado.  I assumed that since I had a professional degree and Florida and Colorado were reciprocal states that I could immediately begin applying for positions that were posted.  But like that saying about those who assume, I certainly made an ass out of myself.  We were behind on our schedule about 2 weeks thanks to my husband testing positive for Covid and us having to quarantine before we were able to leave.  So when I realized that I actually had to have my license transferred BEFORE I could apply to any positions well, it was the end of September and there were few jobs available.  I got set up to sub except yet again thanks to Covid the secondary schools when online and only elementary was actually going in person.  This was how it was until February when I was able to land a position teaching 8th grade Social Studies until the end of the school year with the possibility of being hired for the following year.  I had an observation and it went fairly well, there was DEFINITE room for improvement but considering there was a whole standard that I was not eligible for, overall I was progressing.  Then came the news, that due to population feedback the school was loosing my position and I was going to have to find a job elsewhere, in Social Studies at least.  However, there was a English Language Arts position, and I applied to it and I received an interview.  Great! I prepped all weekend, I reread Donalyn Miller's Book Whisperer and listened to expert ELA teachers on their podcasts.  I was feeling ready, until I got in my room where everything had been taken down and another teacher started trying to room stuff into the room.  Then I joined the online meeting and choked.  I knew I bombed the interview in the middle of it, when my mind drew a blank.  It was no surprise that I received a call later today letting me know that I did not get the position.  I dont blame them, but I am so very frustrated because all I want is to get settled and find somewhere I belong.  I know I can teach these subjects and I know in time I will be a good teacher and I am willing to put in the work, but I cannot help feeling like my career is stalled.  My dream job would be teaching both English and Social Studies at the secondary level.  Right now it doesnt matter to me what I am teaching I just want to teach and find a home.  Hopefully I get something soon in the summer so I can work on getting settled before the beginning of the school year but here's to a summer of shuffling....