Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.

Lesson Plans


Re:the job

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Betty Bowen (bbowen.ok.us)
Fri, 6 Aug 1999 08:59:34 -0500

After nine years of college, several years of jobs that were supposed to
turn into art jobs when the funding materialized, but never did, trying to
figure out how to go back to school for an education degree which proved
impossible working full time, finally learning about Alternative Placement,
applying for and being rejected by jobs all summer, I was finally just
offered my very first teaching job. Part time. 61 students, 3 art classes,
one art appreciation, for 4 / 7ths the state base pay. I was awakened at 4
this morning by my brain trying to figure out how to survive as a single
person on a take home pay of $800 a month at the age of 38. I couldn't do
it.

This is EXTREMELY painful. It's insane to think I'd actually work 11:15 to
3:15, I know good and well I'd work full time at least, probably more. Then
I'd have to have a second job and work nights just for basic survival. The
hours are such that any part-time jobs I could find in this area will be
minimum wage and menial, and at night, and I have parents in their 80's and
my dad's been in the hospital since March and I can't imagine not being
available to them. And I'd have to quit the choir and my two non-profit
boards, basically, I'd have to give up my life in general, small and quiet
though it is, for a job that doesn't want me enough to pay me a living wage.
I guess I probably have this morning to decide. It's really horrible. Saying
no to the only offer of my life and committing myself to another year as a
dead-end records clerk is too awful to think about. I would definitly have
to unsubscribe from the list until youall were past the "back to school"
phase.

words from the wise much appreciated (and quickly)
Betty in OK, trying to get her morning's duties done without crying. (I
guess I want support for turning it down....assurance that Some Day Before
I'm Too Old To Feed Myself Someone Will Let Me Teach Art)