Finally!!

Well I have finally gotten my first "grown up" job!!!! Hooray!!!

I am going to be the gifted facilitator at the school I student taught at. I didn't apply for the job because I was not, and am not, qualified for it in any way. However, since I am there a lot the principal thought that I would be good in the position and I could prove myself as an educator. He said this is a "position teachers die for" and that "it is a once in a lifetime opportunity" for me. I guess this position is a big deal and a lot of people want it but don't want to leave their current jobs and be in "bad standing" with their schools, which I completely understand. He said that they had interviewed people for the job and he didn't like them and he thought of me when thinking of people to interview.

It's going to be an awesome job but I am definitely going to be challenged, pushed, and busy. I kind of have two sides to my job. I am the gifted teacher so I will pull kids out of classes and work with them and I will also work with large classes of above grade level and gifted kids. I will also be in charge of 9 adult mentors who will work with the highly gifted students. So on this side I am a teacher and a "boss". The other side is more administration work. I will be testing students and taking them through the process of getting identified for the gifted program. I will be a liaison between teachers and parents. I will work directly with parents to make sure their kid is getting the challenge and help that they need. I will also be working with teachers and helping them find/develop enrichment activities for small groups and the entire class. I'll also interview and hire new mentors as they are needed.

This job is only for the rest of the semester and I was told that they will be hiring someone else next fall who has had experience. This is PERFECTLY fine with me. I am lucky to have gotten the job without applying, being qualified, having a formal interview, or anything for it. My main goal is to work my butt off and show what a good teacher I am and hopefully I can be hired as a regular teacher there for the next year. I am sure this will be a job I would love to keep so maybe someday, since by June I will have experience with it, I can come back to this job at a school. It is a job where I get a salary and benefits. I work from 8-2 so it's technically only a .75 full time equivalent job. Whatever. I am just glad I have a job, I'm getting my chance to put my foot in the door, and that I have the opportunity to prove that I can be a good teacher. Plus, the money really won't hurt in this economy :)

It's just SO EXCITING!!!!!