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Following my own plans eliminates my frustration...

As you all know, I finally took Praxis I and passed it, Alhamdullah! I took this test because it is required for admissions into a Master of Arts in Teaching specializing in Early Childhood program for which I am applying. I was sooooo excited about passing this test simply to go back to school. My goal is to enter the field of Early Childhood Education, and since I’ve never taught this age group, I wanted to complete the program before I entered the classroom. This was MY plan. Others had other plans. The word got around that I had passed the test, and since I work for the Head Start program and they needed teachers, I was offered an interview with the interviewing panel by the principal of an Elementary School. A red flag went up simply because this was not my plan and I was concerned because I have no teaching license. I explained my concern to her and others at my place of employment, but they ASSURED me that it was not a problem. “As long as you’ve taken Praxis I, you can be granted a provisional license and be ok.” That’s what I was constantly told by more than one person. So, of course, I listen to them because they have to know the credentials people need in order to be teachers? Right? Maybe they knew something I didn’t, and because I thought this, I wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity to teach when needed and continue my path of entering the Masters program. There are many teachers who do this, so I felt ok with it.

I had the interview, which went very well, and was offered the position. I happily accepted and explained to the principal that I wanted to give my job two weeks notice since she wanted me to start the following Monday. I didn’t want to leave my job on a bad note, so to give two weeks notice was considerate, which I did. So, I informed the principal that I would be there on January 22nd, which was two weeks later. I finished my two weeks, had a going away party, and packed up ready and EXTRA excited to start my day when I walk in and see the principal who greets me with a huge smile and a disturbing question: “GREAT, so they called you?” Ummmmm….what? She meant the Human Resources department of DC Public Schools. It seems that I couldn’t start until they contacted me. I thought I was only going to be out for a little while, so I decided to wait a while for the call.

So, FOUR WEEKS LATER, I find myself still sitting at home waiting for the phone call or the letter. I’ve been in contact over the four weeks with the principal and the Educational Supervisor who both kept repeating the same questions and statements: “Have you heard anything yet?” “This is ridiculous.” “Those people are so slow.” “I’m going to contact them again….yada, yada, yada.” THEN, last Thursday, the principal calls me again and THIS time asks me a different question: “Have you been to the certification office?” This question pissed me the hell off for two reasons: 1) How the hell was I supposed to know I needed to go to the certification office?, and 2) Why didn’t you tell me this FOUR weeks ago? Better yet, why wasn’t I told this after my interview??? She also informed me FOUR WEEKS LATER that I wasn’t removed from the system; therefore, I could return to my old job until everything worked out. YOU KNOW I WAS PISSED! So, I’m like, I can’t deal with the idiots anymore. I contacted the Executive Director of Head Start who happily told me that I could come back to work immediately and stay until everything was straight. This was a breath of fresh air, but it was also a bit upsetting because if I had known all this, I wouldn’t have left until everything was straight in the first place. I told her that I would start the following week, since I wanted to use the next day, which was Friday, to go to the certification office. So, I get there and a VERY pleasant woman informed me that I wouldn’t be granted a provisional license until I passed Praxis II and enrolled into a teaching certification program, which is the Masters program for which I took Praxis I. I wasn’t eligible for the other provisional for two reasons: 1) my degree isn’t in Early Childhood Education and 2) I’ve taught in DC for more than a year.

So, I’ve been off for FOUR weeks because I didn’t follow my own plan and rather put my trust into people who should have known the deal. I mean, how do I get offered a position for which I am obviously not qualified for with no provisional???? Where does this leave me? Well, I will return to my old job tomorrow morning, which I have mixed emotions about. I’ll be happy about being able to be with my co-workers again and getting that check and the benefits, but I’ll be sad about my job because I don’t really like it because it’s boring and not a challenge at all, but I’m trying not to complain because at least I have a job. I just hate that they gave me a going away party and all that and here I am coming back…do I give the gifts back?
So, I plan on taking Praxis II in June, or maybe earlier, and I plan to begin the Masters program this Fall, so Insh’Allah, those two goals will work out for me. These past four weeks, plus the interview and everything just seems like it was all a waste of time. There is no guarantee that the position I interviewed for will be available next year, so I may have done all that for nothing…I don’t know.

Things like this seem to happen to me…whenever I get truly excited about something, it’s never a smooth ride….ever…

What have I learned from this experience? 1) Always go with your gut instincts and follow your plan, and 2) never leave a job on a bad note, cause you never know when you may have to return! Can you all imagine how it would be if I gave my job the finger and just rolled out?? OMG…it would definitely be harder for me to go back, that is if they allowed me back…lol.

posted by Madeehah @ 8:55 PM