I'm Back For Good - I Hope!

Once again it's been awhile since I have been blogging.

My search for a new full-time job may be almost over. I had an interview with Pine Tree ISD to be their new 9th Grade Algebra teacher. Considering I barely pulled off C averages in Algebra in High School, I have come a long way. I thought the interview went well & I was told not to take another job until the Principal calls me back, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

I took the test to become certified to teach 4-8th Grade Math a week ago Saturday. I am waiting on my score to come back. I plan on taking the test to get certified to teach 8-12th Grade Math before the end of the year (August at the earliest!). It is my lack of knowledge in the fields of upper-level Trigonometry and Calculus that I'm worried about on the 8th-12th Math test. I am going to have to study hard and take some teacher help classes at the local Education Service Center to get ready for that bad boy.

My Texas Rangers fell out of first place since I last blogged. Maybe it's the stress about their owner, Tom Hicks, who is trying to sell his majority interest in the club. I am still routing for my team and hope they can pull it back together soon and pull off a playoff spot.

In the meantime, I am still working part-time at Mardel and trying not to get to addicted to Facebook's Mafia Wars.

I am glad to be back...I missed my few blogger friends I follow and who occasionally follow me as well.

Positive News That Made My Day!

Today I received some positive news from work. Since coming back from the Christmas Break, I have been wearing a tie to work every day. I have also been working really hard to avoid letting myself getting distracted by student comments in class. I took some of our textbooks home over the break as well and studied up a little more on areas I feel weak in.

Apparently my attempts to improve myself have worked. Some of my students were talking in the halls during a break and they were overheard by my supervisor, the Program Director. The students were saying, "Something must have happened to Mr. E. over the break. He's wearing a tie and teaching so much better than he was before. He's not even talking to much." This impressed my boss and she came to tell me that even she has noticed a change in me since coming back from the break.

She told me that I was doing a good job before the break, but she can see a definite change of attitude and it is showing in an even better work performance. Cool!

Just to let you know exactly what I do for a living...I work for Kilgore College at the Longview, TX campus. I am the Lead Teacher/Coordinator of the Adult Basic Education (ABE) Program. I teach the upper level GED Preparation Classes (Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts and Essay Writing). I am also responsible for the entire ABE Program in the absence of the above mentioned Program Director. Our program also helps adult students, who may have been out of education for a while, prepare to take college entrance exams and refresh their basic learning skills. Our program also teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to people wanting to learn to speak English, and Citizenship classes to people who are in the process of becoming U.S. Citizens.

I have been doing this since August of last year and I really love this job (even though I took a fairly substantial pay cut by leaving the public schools). I actually get to have intelligent conversations about topics in class, rather than get the "DUH!" look from the 8th & 6th Graders I taught in public schools.