Merry Christmas!

“I truly believe that compassion provides the basis of human survival.” - The Dalai Lama

Last spring I was blessed to be able to attend one of the “Seeds of Compassion” events in which the Dalai Lama spoke during his visit to Seattle. It was an amazing experience and one that I will never forget. One of the things that I took away from the experience is that people, relationships and the entire world is nurtured by compassion and in this global community, it is essential that we not only learn to practice compassion ourselves but that we teach it to our children.

2008 has been an important year for me in the fact that I completed my year-long studies at Seattle University, which included three months of student teaching, and ended in July when I earned my Masters in Teaching. My student teaching experience turned out to be a very challenging experience, but one with many important lessons (mostly ones that I learned myself). I had a wonderful cooperating teacher who practiced compassion, not only with her students but with me as well and I am grateful to her for that.

Since last spring and throughout summer and fall, I have been applying for teaching jobs. As we all know, it is a tough economy at the moment, and so, I have not been able to find a full time teaching job. I am currently subbing in Edmonds, Mukilteo and the Shoreline school district (areas around Seattle). Subbing has its pros and cons but the bottom line is that I am getting more experience and hopefully it will lead to a long-term sub job.

My family is doing well. My sister Heidi and her husband Rick moved to Indiana in August, which was a mixed blessing. Rick got accepted to Purdue University (a full ride!) to pursue a PhD in Chemical Education and when he is finished will be a Chemistry professor. We are happy for this advancement in his career, but were sorry to see them go. They do plan to return to the Pacific Northwest after he graduates. My brother David and his long-time girlfriend Natalie are still living over in Maui and soaking up the sun and surf. My parents are doing well, my Dad enjoys retirement and my mom continues to care for my grandmother.

I plan to stay in the Seattle area for now, and hopefully will find a teaching job next year. I plan to go to Nebraska in June because one of my Peace Corps buddies is getting married. I also hope to go to Japan for another friend’s wedding, but much will depend on the job situation.

I wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah & Chreken Bozheek!

If you want to learn more about the Seeds of Compassion tour, check out: http://www.seedsofcompassion.org/

Love,
Jesse

Macedonia Update

MACEDONIA UPDATE:

Well, one thing that is interesting is that Kosovo got independence from Serbia on February 18th of this year. To read more, check out:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23203607/

Also, on a personal note, my friend and fellow Peace Corps Volunteer Shauna fell in love with a local Macedonian guy during her service and they have been in the process of getting him a U.S. Visa for almost a year now, after she finished her PC service and returned to the U.S. Yesterday he was granted the Visa and soon he will join her in Nebraska. Can you imagine being separated from your fiance for a year??? I am very happy for them both and will attend the ceremony sometime next year.

In addition, I'll be attending a wedding in Japan next year as my friend Maki will be marrying her friend Fulgence, from Tanzania, that we visited on my trip there almost 2 years ago. I have Fulgence to thank for the opportunity to visit Tanzania and who really made my stay there an enjoyable one, as well as giving us a place to stay, and being a tour guide and translator.

Both weddings are tentatively scheduled for either spring or summer of 2009.

I am also happy to report that the National English Essay contest that I helped to start has been continuing thanks to other Peace Corps Volunteers that came after me, as well as local organizations. They are currently working on the 3rd annual contest. I am proud to be a part of the creation of this awesome tradition!

"I'm a guest teacher AND a real teacher"

Now in my second month of subbing, I just survived my eleventh day. There are not a lot of sub jobs out there, October was a very slow month. I'm realizing that everything has a domino affect. Due to the economy, there are less jobs, more people subbing and so, less sub jobs to go around. Budgets are tight for many school districts, so less teachers are taking part in professional development, so less sub jobs. Due to the Boeing strike, there are spouses of machinists that normally sub on occasion who now have a need to sub more regularly, therefore, less sub jobs to go around....you get the point.

So for awhile there, the only sub jobs I had were when I was requested, which wasn't much since I hadn't subbed before.

My first day of subbing was for the same class that I did my student teaching with (my teacher moved up a grade and kept most of the same students). They were excited to see me, which was fun, and were surprised to learn that although I am a guest teacher (a nicer term for substitute) I am also a REAL teacher now. This news also surprised a group of high school students I taught this week.

So, I have subbed grade school, a gifted class, middle school science (that turned out to also have a PE class!) and high school special ed.

I am currently subbing in Edmonds, Mukilteo and soon in the Shoreline school district.

I continue to apply for leave replacements, but with no luck. I had one interview last week for a private Catholic school up in Snohomish, but I didn't get the job and that was mainly because I am not Catholic. I am totally OK with not getting the job, the commute would've been tough.

I am now working on my science endorsement, and I'm taking the WEST-E exam next Saturday, the 15th. If/when I pass, I will be "highly qualified" to teach science, which makes me more marketable.

I'm considering pursuing a job in middle school science, so I just need to take a few more science classes, which I can do in the evening at a community college while I'm subbing during the day.

I'm also now tutoring a 6th grade girl in math.

Substituting

Finally! After one month I have been cleared to start subbing in the Edmonds School District. I've been waiting (im)patiently for my paperwork to get processed and jumping through hoops so I can get in the classroom and get some income flowing in. I've also applied to sub in the Mukilteo school district, but they hire in waves and the next round isn't until next month. As of right now, I am set to start subbing on Wednesday, Oct 1st. I have a few leads on some long term subbing positions (also called Leave Replacements), so I'm hopeful that something like that will work out in the near future (otherwise I'm SOL when it comes to health insurance with my job).

Speaking of income, I am continuing to sell PartyLite candles. Contact me for more info if you are interested or have questions.

I told someone the other day, "You know, for someone who is unemployed, I'm pretty busy!" I have been looking online, applying for job openings and have not had more job interviews, which has been frustrating. I've probably applied or sent letters of interest to over 30 job openings (I would count how many, out of curiosity, but I think it would just depress me). I've expanded my job search, looking into jobs that would require a further commute. I've networked like crazy. Now, my latest thing is that I've started a support group for SU MIT grads that do not have full time teaching jobs and I call it, "Jobless in Seattle". There's been a decent response, enough people to have a group. We have our second meeting this week.

BTW, many people have asked me about teaching abroad at an International school, which would seem like an obvious choice for me, given my history. So, here is my answer...

Yes, I would love to, but now is not the time.

First of all, I'm broke and in debt. Second of all, I've gotten burned out from living abroad and Lastly, my family needs me (insert collective "awwww"). Now that both my siblings have moved away, the tables have turned. I am now the only kid left and I have missed my family (and friends, and my favorite city in the world) very much over the years. Now is the time for me to be home.

However, the nice thing about being a teacher is that I get summers off (from teaching, I'll still be working of course). So have no fear, my travels are not over. They will just look different in the future. And I do plan to teach abroad again, sometime in my career. Who knows when.

But, in case you're interested...I have plans to go to Japan next summer for a wedding.

For now, my next adventure is Substitute Teaching. Stay Tuned!!!

Now that I have the degree, what to do with it?

Since graduating, I've been very busy! I've applied to 7 school districts all north of Seattle, helped my sister and brother in law pack up for their move to Indiana (he got accepted to Purdue, full ride, to get his PhD in Chemistry Education) and even managed to take a few short vacations.

Now it's 4 days after the beginning of school and I still don't have a job! I'm trying not to get discouraged. I've had two job interviews, but no job yet. It's a tough market right now and very competitive. There are more teachers than their are jobs, school budgets are tight, less teachers are retiring than expected and they say that it is all due to funding issues and the economy. For every job opening there is, I've heard there is anywhere from 70-100 or more applicants. Like I said, it's competitive! I've sent in my paperwork to substitute teach in Edmonds and waiting for them to process the paperwork so I can start!

My best bet for getting my foot in the door is taking any kind of teaching job that I can get, whether it is part time, long term subbing, what have you.

Since school started I've been volunteering and observing at Beverely Elementary in Lynnwood. There's a good chance that I will be able to get into a long term sub position this fall. Keep your fingers crossed!

Graduation and Beyond!

July 18th, 2008 12pm= Freedom!

I graduated from Seattle University with a Masters in Teaching on Friday. I also earned my teachers certificate so now I can say "I is a real teacher now". LOL! A lot of people are surprised to find out that this Masters program is only a year, but that is typical for an MIT degree, as long as you are going full-time.

Now I have the joy of finding a teaching job. I have applied to Mukilteo and Everett and will apply to Edmonds shortly. So I'm looking for something in the area. Getting a teaching job, interestingly enough, is very competative, despite the pay (WA state is nationally 48th in Teacher Pay). Believe it or not folks, this chick is actually going to set up shop, get rooted and stay home in the U.S. (for now). I had a job interview with Everett last week, to be hired into a pool of teachers, but later learned that I didn't get in. This bummed me out until I remembered that I didn't really want to live in Everett anyway. I'd rather be closer to home.

Student teaching was one of the toughest things I've ever done. It was right up there with my Peace Corps experience...challenging, frustrating and also rewarding. My biggest challenge was behavior management, and I learned A LOT, so I'm feeling better prepared for my first year of teaching this fall

It doesn't really feel like I'm done with school. It seems like I should be writing a paper, reading a textbook or cramming for a test or something! I think it will hit me slowly during this next week.

Also, I spoke at a Peace Corps informational session on Saturday and it went really well. It actually got me nostalgic for Macedonia. It also reminded me that I need to write to my host family...

(By the way, anyone notice that Kosovo followed Montenegro and gained independence from Serbia in February? This is an area of the world to keep an eye on! Never a dull moment)

Hope you are all enjoying your summer! I'll try to get somewhat caught up with this blog before I start teaching and then you'll really think I fell off the face of the earth...

Finals! The end of Winter Quarter

It's finals week, do you know where your brain is?????

I wish that I had the time to make regular posts about how the Masters in Teaching program is going, but take my word for it, it is A LOT of work and at times it is VERY STRESSFULL. This is one of those times. I have 5 papers/projects to finish in the next 48 hours. So why am I bothering to take the time to make a post? I guess it's because I need to vent.

I just created a webpage to accompany my 50 page Literacy Unit, here is the website.

http://denazureus.googlepages.com/home

This quarter we have to do 3 unit plans, one on Social Studies, one on Literacy and one on Math. I still have to do the one on Math.

Wish me luck, I really need it!

On Monday, the 24th I start officially student teaching, even though I have already been working in my class, once a week, this quarter.

I am at Cedar Valley Elementary, in Edmonds with a 2nd & 3rd grade combination. The teacher and the kids are great!