Pocketfulofsunshine’s Weblog

how things change when you find out that the school you work for could pay for you to go to school. I had a seminar to attend last night to get continuing education credits (we must take these courses to keep our jobs). Anyway, these classes are totally boring to me because I already know about what’s being taught. I know about play, about behavior/classroom management, inclusion, etc.

But the point is that last night I found out there’s a program here in Vegas that I can go through to complete an apprenticeship in early childhood education and then go on to get an associates + a bachelors + a masters in early childhood education. Suddenly, I am not completely opposed to teaching preschool, because I’m not tied to Shenker forever. I mean, I wasn’t to begin with, but this will open up many more opportunities for me, rather than just having to apply for elementary positions.

Unfortunately, my mother always has to be the doubting Thomas and ask if that’s really what I want to do. Well, no, it’s not. I don’t know what my dream is anymore. I think it got crushed sometime between August of 2006 and April of 2007. But if I’m able to get education paid for, then I will certainly take the opportunity and run with it.

So, lately I’ve been rethinking the whole teaching thing. I’m not happy where I’m at right, as a preschool assistant. It’s not my dream or even my goal. The environment that I’m in right now has not been one of learning and/or growth for me. I want out, but I’m not sure which direction to go. I feel like teaching is no longer where it’s at. I don’t feel fulfilled or satisfied by what I’m doing.

There has been lots of talk about laying off teachers, here and in other places. As a result of that, I don’t feel like I have much of a chance to find a job. It also doesn’t help that I have a master’s degree - a really hard thing for a first year teacher to have when she’s trying to look for a job.

So, I guess if anyone has any suggestions and/or advice, I’d be really appreciative.

Thanks!

Just a little sneak peek at my recent trip to San Diego. I promise to come and blog about for real this weekend, with more pictures and some link action to the places I went.

I hope everyone has had a great week!

Jamie-James, if you read this (and I know you probably will), what’s the second week of June looking like for you? Like, the 7th-15th?

I’m back in Vegas. I can’t say I’m back home, because I’m definitely not.

However, San Diego was wonderful. I took a ton of pictures, saw a lot of new/cool things, ate a ton of wonderful food, and enjoyed the warm weather.

Keep an eye out for pictures and a more complete recap in the next few days. I did take 173 pictures, after all.

Tomorrow, I am going here. San Diego, CA. I will return on Sunday with more pictures of my own. (This is not even close to my picture).

I won’t be online much, if at all, while I’m gone, so feel free to leave comments and such and I’ll reply when I return on Sunday evening!

Have a great weekend + Happy Easter + Happy Purim!

I found out about this on another blog that I read. It’s pretty easy:

1. Pick fifteen of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Fill in the film title once it’s guessed.
5. No Googling or using IMDB search functions. THIS MEANS YOU!
6. Leave your answer(s) in the comments.

1. Sadie: You got a good memory for faces? Max: Yeah, I think so. Why? Sadie: There’s no mirror in your bathroom. (Across the Universe)

2. Jenna: I love you, Matt. You’re my best friend. Matt: I love you too, Jenna…I’ve always loved you. (13 Going on 30)

3. Mae: You’re not a helicopter, mom. Quit hovering. (Because I Said So)

4. Irving Radovich: She’s fair game, Joe. It’s always open season on princesses. (Roman Holiday)

5. Nola Rice: Do you miss me? Christopher ‘Chris’ Wilton: Are you mad calling me here? (Match Point)

6. Lavender ‘Popeye’ Wolfmeyer: People don’t know how to love. They bite rather than kiss. They slap rather than stroke. Maybe it’s because they recognize how easy it is for love to go bad, to become suddenly impossible…unworkable, an exercise of futility. So they avoid it and seek solace in angst, and fear, and aggression, which are always there and readily available. Or maybe sometimes…they just don’t have all the facts. (The Upside of Anger)

7. Dan Foreman: You seem jumpy Carter, did you switch from mocha to crack? (In Good Company)

8. Dorothy: Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my! (The Wizard of Oz)

9. Lizzie Bradbury: Hmmm. You’re exceeding my expectations. (Wimbledon)

10. Val: You know, I would kill for this job, but the people I want to kill are the people offering me the job. (Hollywood Ending)

11. Paulie Bleeker: Can we make out now? (Juno)

12. Barb: Knowledge is a terrible and marvelous thing. (Little Black Book)

13. Ray: Every story has an end. But in life, every ending is just a new beginning. (Uptown Girls)

14. Mary: Oh my God, you castrated him! (The Wedding Planner)

15. Drew Baylor: I’ve just recently decided that the things we know aren’t black and white. (Elizabethtown)

Feel free to leave any answers in the comments. I’ll post the answers to this entry when I return from San Diego a week from today. Good luck!

since I’ve blogged. My life is not so exciting that I have great, wonderful things to blog about all the time.

1. Work is work. I think my boss is intimidated by me. Maybe just a little. I think sometimes she forgets that I have been in the classroom before and just because I’m an assistant doesn’t mean that I don’t know what I’m doing. I do. I’ve been working with kids in one capacity or another since I was 12 years old. I am nearly 26 now, so that’s what…12 years? That’s a long time.

2. The job hunt is rolling along. I haven’t heard back from most places, which is really annoying. Even a rejection would be nice at this point. I did, however, have a phone interview for the University Child Development School in Seattle the other day. It went well, so hopefully I’ll hear back for a second interview. I’m not counting on it, though. I’ve found that most places aren’t interested in you if you aren’t already local.

3. According to my boss, parents don’t want to know if their kids are hitting or kicking other students or teachers. One of our three year olds was kicking me last night, totally unwarranted, and I told his mother. She needs to know that her kid is doing things like that for no reason at all. And if she can nip it now it won’t escalate to worse things.

4. I dislike wind. It makes my nose stuffed up and gives me a headache. It’s going to suck if it’s windy for the Purim carnival tomorrow.

5. The story of Purim is violent and it does involve killing someone, but it’s true history. We cannot shield our kids from that. If you don’t like it, don’t have it in your classroom, but don’t judge others for their interest in something. Sometimes it’s really hard being the only Jewish teacher at a Jewish school.

6. I leave for San Diego in 11 days. I can’t wait. I am so ready for a vacation and to be away from Vegas for a bit. I’m also looking forward to our upcoming vacations from work, in June and August. It can go either way for me…I can plan trips or I could potentially be moving to start a new job. As much as I want to travel, I’m sincerely hoping it’s the latter of the two that happens.