I Quit Before I Started!

If you have read the previous posts you would have read all about The Hamilton School interview that I had on Thanksgiving Day. All of the excitement and newness of this school led to a very impulsive decision to take a full time teaching position of 3 and 4 year olds. What was I thinking?? Last Monday I was offered the job and I came in on Tuesday to follow another teacher for a couple of hours and fill out some paperwork. You can see my hot uniform in the picture above. Oh yes we had to wear a navy blue suit everyday. Let me tell you even though that suit is ugly that is the best one out of three that I found in Aberdeen. I look like I should be working for American Airlines!!

As I walked in to the classroom I was greeted by a little Nigerian boy who gave me a big hug and then handed me a kleenex to wipe the drooling snot from his nose and in only a couple of hours I did that for him three more times. Come to find out these children are taught to get a kleenex and bring it to the teacher to wipe their noses. Here's an idea why hasn't someone thought of teaching them independence to wipe their own dang noses! UGH! After my greeting of hugs and snot I was instructed to go sit at a table and help these children with a math activity. I must say they were cute but after I heard myself say in a strange high pitched voice good job, way to go, that is great, and you are so smart over and over for an hour I figured out this might not be the job for me. Then I sat down with another teacher during the kids french lesson to go over lesson plans and the schedule. This is when it hit me that I had made the most impulsive and stupid decision ever to take this job. I was informed that the 3 and 4 year old teachers get no break, eat lunch with the kids and work from 8 to 5. Yes that is a normal work schedule but not when you have to be with 15 three and four year olds every minute of your working day. After seeing the lesson plans I then also realized these would take a couple of hours to make for every week and I was told that they do there lesson plans at home. Lastly I was informed there is no summer break for the 3 and 4 year olds which means I don't get a break. So I came in on Thursday at 8 to quit and hand in my curriculum binder. I was then offered another job by the principal to teach the older kids which I did not accept. I have a feeling they are pretty desperate for teachers.

So on Wednesday I had another interview at the International School of Aberdeen and I was put on the substitute list which may lead to a full time position next year. I also may be able to coach at the international school which would be great. So my quiting before I started all worked out for the best!!