Whew work

Whew – things have been busy but busy means less time to get bogged down with thoughts and ideas and things that are just idle fantasy and never to be realized (I wish no time - but alas my brain and emotions do not seem to like to be quiet and still always rumbling over topics).

My co-worker left today – she's gone until the first of the month. This means I am pulling all of the training, incoming help needs of the staff, all of the tutoring issues that come up, and all other assorted fires that may appear in addition to my own work.

This means I may become a master at hiding – just kidding – actually a lot of the tech department has a rep for hiding and other diversion tactics and I do not want to be known for never being able to be found – just means I will be ultra busy.

My own work is hopping – I am the director of the NAF academies so planning events and meetings for that plus I was selected to be on focus group so more work there.

I have been asked to help write the curriculum and match standards for two new programs coming into our school – Masonry and Diesel Engine repair – yes yet two more topics to become experts on and match the state standards to program outcomes – pages and pages of that.

The staff is doing this tech challenge where they schedule a period, one a month, to work on some tech-oriented project. So I train a few teachers at least a day on any and every topic from web design and flash to Excel formulas to powerpoint to digital images to – my head is spinning.

My one college course started this week and the second one starts next week. I am teaching in class one night a week and online for the one class and I teach completely online for the other. I am always on the computer.

Then today got an email from my boss – this one is most concerning regarding my future and work and all. My co-worker and I know our boss is retiring soon – and since she really runs the school – that will mean change. She has been working to try and make sure we are taken care of and realistically we do so much that at least for a bit after she leaves we will be needed – but realistically my job is very tenuous. I am hired on a year to year basis and all they have to do is not renew my contract in July and I have no job…..

My job has no tenure protection. Well anyway so working with my boss to try and work on my future. The one thing she wanted me to get – a supervisor certificate, I can not. First I would need to take 16 Graduate college credits – which if I do means traveling a lot as the colleges are all two hours up North. Second I can not because you need to be teaching for three years – full time – in a certified area – that is the kicker. I have not taught full time – I always teach adults or part time.

So I have been working to get my certification in Internet and Computers and it looks like the paperwork went through and my certificate will be issued – BUT with catches. I do not have advanced standing which means I have to during the first year I teach, I have to take these education classes two nights a week –which means more time and money if I do this.

Wrapped into this is our high school is becoming part of this virtual high school. I went through the class and next September will teach a web design class, online, with up to 25 HS students. So this class takes two periods and then my boss tells me to add a period where I will oversee students at our school taking an online class (so I would monitor the lab and help not with content but the online class part).

This would mean three periods a day I would be teaching so this means half time – which is a bit of a rut because instead of teaching full time one year taking these night classes and then I have my official teacher certification in that area – I will have to do two years. So that is more time and delays things further and…………. And how am I supposed to teach three periods a day and still do all the work from my other job.

Of course if I do not do this then I may have no job, so I paint the word sucker and I do not say no on my forehead and keep plugging away. I do like the different things I do – just I hate what everyone does, not having job security and having to do a lot of work even if it is interesting. …. I get kinda scared and depressed about that topic. No wonder I can not find anyone, if I ever did, my work habits would scare them off

I also am teaching students two periods a day for this Mind to Bind project. It is that year long project where we look at different careers that publish some form of writing. We just started comic strips and comic books – that is fun but again a lot of work and I am teaching more of the classes as the other two teachers help.

I also have to start thinking about my presentation for Mind to Bind. I was invited to present on the project at a major conference in Chicago in May. That is cool but means getting a presentation together.

Also looks like I am traveling to Newark in March for a conference and not sure on what conferences for the summer. Maybe one or two (Detroit and Orlando are the possible places). And then there is Dragon Con in Atlanta in September – anyone interested in coming to that?

I do have some fun things planned plus will attempt to con people into doing things or at least get out myself to try and keep the stress down, the thoughts happy and on good topics not depressing ones and to not go into bad overload. I do get out whether I find someone who wants to do something (the rare case) or not (the more often case).

Soooooo anyone for or hanging out to catch a concert or do something, anything or hey what about Arizona, Vegas or one of the other conference destinations – I am silly enough I find anything fun, not just travel and music (some of my favs) Just say hey let's do this and I am there – hell I'll come to you, I figure out a way to have fun if someone interested – gotta keep my spirits up and much easier (and less work on my part) if I am not doing that alone – lol :-P