By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
I got some laughs in another thread when I wrote "The engine note sounds like a strangled mongoose gargling with milk".
What was your major in college?
(edit - Juice types almost as fast as you do
I'm glad to be back in my 10 year old Outback
Alan 98 OBW Ltd (145,000 miles)
Miata is fixed, they just called, so I'll pick it up this afternoon.
Anyone seen Forester in dealerships in the DC area yet? Fitz still says "Coming Soon".
In the meantime though, accepting that you are burnt out and talking about it with family and colleagues is very important. Too often it's treated like a dirty little secret to be ashamed of. Hiding it away doesn't help. It's obviously good that you are talking about it here, but we are an easy audience. Do the boards you work for have employee support programmes? Having recently been down that road myself, it is remarkable how much of the stress comes from inappropriate guilt, sense of failure or inadequacy when you realize you're becoming overwhelmed. Good news is that those aspects of it can also improve dramatically in many cases when you realize it's a normal response to a stessful situation.
Someone asked about my college major ...My undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education - mostly earned through a piano scholarship. I also hold a license to teach music from K-8 (but have never taught that in public schools). I have a Master's in Education, a license in School Administration K-12, one for Emotional Disabilities, one for Severe Disabilities and one for Mild Interventions (each a separate teaching license). I have 115 graduate hours in education.
Teaching in private school around here pays MUCH less than teaching in public school. Teaching at college/university is good for supplemental income and I enjoyed teaching the class last semester, but without a doctorate I am not going to land a full-time job teaching college - and the pay wouldn't be close to what I have now.
Moving to another school corporation comes with its own difficulties as we all have teacher unions here. When I moved here I applied at a number of corporations. One would only pay for 10 years of experience on the pay scale, one would only pay for the extra education over a bachelor's degree if the hours were taken while employed by that corporation, one would only pay for five years of experience, and some told me that it would be difficult for me to be hired because it is so much "cheaper" to hire a new teacher just out of school - and we have several universities right here in town and nearby churning out teachers.
The only job I was offered was in special education and I hadn't had one course in special education in my entire career. I went back to college and earned the 3 licenses necessary between the summer of 01 and spring of 07 - while also pursuing other education in reading strategies that was not required but I knew was effective and would make me a better teacher for students who were struggling with reading.
Factor in one more "oddity" - I work in the school corporation that most people here WANT to work in .. but I'm not an employee of that school corporation. Instead I am an employee of a neighboring corporation that provides special education services to both corporations - so I work in a building that belongs to one corporation, but am an employee of another corporation - sort of a "contract" employee ... If I were to attempt to take a different job in the corporation where I work and know the environment - the "culture" - then I would have to take at least a $10,000 pay cut, and start on the seniority list at the bottom. I would be among the first to be on the RIF list if necessary, and we've had quite a few years with those. The best chance I have of moving to another position as a teacher is with the corporation that employs me. HOWEVER, it is not guaranteed that I would be given an open position even due to the seniority (only 8 years at this point), because of a clause in our contract having to do with those who provide special education services. And - who knows my work? .. The people I work with .. not the corporation who employs me ...
see? .. it's a mess .. sometimes the whole thing reminds me of a delicate chain that is hopelessly tangled, and every part you choose to pull just makes the tangle worse ...
I'm feeling like I"m really not making a difference for the students that I'm supposed to help ... and while I don't really think that's "my fault", it is very demoralizing ...
oh well .. thanks for listening .. I probably shouldn't get on here and post immediately after coming home on an especially bad day (in a year of bad days) ...
Many companies have training departments and I'm sure that your skills and experiences could translate. Or are you proficient with any specialized software applications used in the education field? You could always look into that sort of thing - either in support or in training.
Good luck. I know the feeling of burn out.
and as far as the question about administration ... it's also a problem with the 2 corporations, etc.
a few things ... there are few assistant principal openings here because most of the elementary schools are fairly small ... up to 400-450 kids .. mostly just have a principal ...
also ... remember I'm an employee of a different school corp than where I work ... the way you work into administration in many cases is by working on committees, etc. where you can show what you can do to the higher administration ... I'm locked out of those committees ... and because special education is a "shortage area" it's sometimes considered that the positions are just filled by a "warm body" ...
I do think about working here enough years to draw a decent retirement and then going back to Texas to work another few years at the "end" of my career. I think I could get an assistant principalship there without a lot of difficulty as many districts there have very large elementary schools (800-1000 students) ... and the special education experience would be a definite plus ... That way I'd also have a full retirement from Texas also ... if I can just get through right now .. and last long enough to get there!
And I do appreciate the 'ear' ... I know it's an 'easy' audience, but it does help ... and yes, I do have some assistance through my benefits to counseling ...trying to figure out when I'd go between the teaching, the tutoring, etc ...
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host
The lyrics from the song "Tainted Love" springs to mind: I've got this burning, yearning felling inside me :P
-Frank
ateixeira, "2009 Subaru Forester" #441, 13 Mar 2008 11:27 am
I noticed the better door panels as well, in fact I specifically mentioned that both my elbows rested on nidely padded surfaces.
So I've pretty much decided what my wife is getting for her next car. Now I just have to get her to agree with me.
She wasn't with me on the test drive. I returned the rental car, picked up my Miata from the body shop, and happened to be in the area so I dropped in, and got lucky. They didn't have any LL Beans in stock, anyway, and that's what my wife wants. I drove an X Premium with SportShift.
Mark
still looking for alternatives to the 'day job' ... I'm talking to a friend who works in Michigan (I'm about 10 miles from the state line) .. Here, when a child is referred for special education, the school psychologist tests the child, and if testing shows a possible disability she will ask me to do additional testing, I write the report, and then we meet with parents to determine need and possible services..
There, the school psychologist tests and then will have the "teacher tester" (basically) go to the school and test the child. She goes to several school corporations, tests (always 1:1), writes report, goes to initial conference and makes recommendations. She also sometimes will test for the federally-mandated 3-year reevaluation (not always necessary to test). She's going to keep an ear out for possible openings. I'd have to get licensure in Michigan, but generally it's 'reciprocal'. I might have to take a state test. Will have to look into it to see.
Talked to my mother on the phone the other day. She is still in the hospital. She has been in since Feb 11. They have her on rehab wing, but the dr. doesn't think she's really motivated to do much and seems depressed. That was my take even over the phone. My dad has had a "stomach virus" and hasn't visited in over a week. (Besides he hates hospitals ...) Physically she is still weak. She can feed herself, and she can answer the phone. She is no longer on oxygen support. She still cannot turn over in bed by herself. She continues to complain of pain and nausea although they can find no reason for that. She takes lots of pain meds on a regular basis, so we're not sure if it's 'withdrawal' or 'real pain'. (I know .. either way it's 'real pain' but you know what I mean ...)
On the "upward and onwards" line ... we have tickets to see Eddie Izzard on his American tour ... woohoo .... something to look forward to ... (and now you know I definitely am NOT the traditional grandma that some of you may have thought I was ...)
see ya ...
Bob
Funnel clouds just missed us, passing NE of our town. My wife's office bldg was spared but not the CNN bldg. (which experienced some heavy damage). Georgia Dome, Omni and other areas didn't escape either. First time ever in Atlanta history to get hit by a tornado. Though weather experts say it never touched ground, but while it was forming, the damages were being done with EF2 tornado winds.
Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts
-Frank
-Frank
http://www.carlustblog.com/2008/03/car-lust--subar.html
I mentioned before that I thought the XT model names referenced back to the XT, and this guy agrees.
Seriously, though, they've had more snow than we have up here in DC, and now a tornado? :sick:
Juice, these are things in history that should NEVER be written, let alone mentioned, ever again
they've BOTH been in the hospital and seriously ill since the beginning of the year - so understandable that it's been confused ...
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host
I tried to reassure her that being first-time offenders, they would probably do no worse than get a slap on the wrist and a fine. Of course being a concerned parent who didn't raise her kids that way, she's scaring herself half to death with visions of jail time
-Frank
He pleaded no contest. PA gave him a 90-suspension on a license number they created, ...for out of state people, paid $421 in fines. He did the 90 days; not a problem since he didn't have a license in FL. He then had to pay a $25 reinstatement fee to PA, send a letter that he never owned a car in PA, and he FINALLY received a letter TODAY that he is now completely cleared. He went a month ago to the license bureau here and was told he needed clearance from PA...all the DMVs seem to be connected now. He can finally get his license in FL. The town where he got snagged was Milford PA, a very small town that seems to be strict on underage drinking...probably a money-maker for them.
I'm not sure about FL...they will probably have to go thru a similar process is my guess. They used to be lax years ago about spring break, but that has changed over the years. It also depends on the municipality and county. Let me know what happens, I'd be curious
Serge
-Frank
The town where he got snagged was Milford PA, a very small town that seems to be strict on underage drinking...probably a money-maker for them.
So basically your son gets busted and you end the paragraph wiht "must be a money maker for them" I think that's a little unfair to say.
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host
We shouldn't be too quick to pass judgement.
-mike
And here I was ready to say that in Brazil the drinking age was 18, so that didn't apply to me!
Also, for DC it used to be 18 years, but I missed the cut-off date by 17 days!
The rules (and enforcement) today are much tougher than they were for us.
-Frank
In Frank's example above, if the cops did that, (Stern lecture and dumping the alchol) the kids would simply go to the store and buy more. They would quite laugh at the cops actually. However by levying a heavy fine on them, this gets them where it hurts in the pocketbook. I'm almost certain that is why the fine is so high in the place where Serge's kid got busted, cause of all the little rich spoiled brats running around doing whatever they want.
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host
Sounds like a perfect example of poor parenting to me... not teaching their kids to have any respect for authority.
-Frank
-Frank
Agreed, but the only way to show the parents/kids that a community means business is to hit em in the pocketbook, HARD. That's how it is here in the Northeast unfortunately. If I had a penny for everytime my dad as a teacher had a parent say "my jonny would never do that in class", I'd be retired already!
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host
It's getting to be that rare ...
The Subaru Crew Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
-Frank
I got a hand written thank you note for merely talking to my daughter about something brought up in the parent/teacher conference.
Shouldn't that be expected from every parent? :confuse:
Maybe some of us would have resisted, maybe some of us (most, maybe?) would not have been able to. I doubt Serge's son is a 'criminal' for doing so. How many of us have never broken a law? Is there anyone who has never gone over the speed limit?
Serge was just stating fact- it's an income generator for the city, just like parking tickets, traffic cameras, and speed traps. It's certainly not for the benefit of mankind! Bottom line, it pays the bills.
Mike, wow, you really never had the tiniest sip of alcohol until you were 21? You are a rare bird, especially as a guy! I don't drink alcohol at all but even I had a few sips when I was under 21.
tom
My alcohol consumption was limited to taking the first sip of my dad's beer when he would first pop the lid off the bottle. I did it from as young as I can remember (around 3) until the first time he said, "get your own!" (two years ago... hehe) Eh. I agree with juice.