The title of this blog is controlled chaos, and today exemplifies why this is an apt description for my life. I’ll go reverse chron through the wackiest two moments of my day, in keeping with the reverse chron of the blogosphere:
So, at the end of the day, I was all excited to be leaving by 6:01 (I left at 8:13 yesterday), but I end up in an office, where I am informed that, for the rest of the year, I will be teaching high school ESL two times a week to seven kids who will no longer have an artistic period because they require these services. Someone else will teach them another two days a week. I’ve been informed that the students will be more or less hostile to this schedule change. I accepted it with a smile.
Also, I paid $50 to extend my certification, but the DOE moves slowly (think snails), so I am technically not certified. This means I’ll have to team teach my classes with another woman until I get the papework from the DOE. I called the DOE’s TEACH office to attempt to rectify this, and ended up writing the following email to my headmaster:
“You’re gonna looove this…
I called TEACH at 518.474.3901. The two prompts that apply to our situation are 4 and 5. 5 is to speak to a representative. Upon doing this, I was informed that the office was very busy, and given the option of dialing 1 to reach an automated system or being disconnected. I chose the latter and called right back, this time opting to press 4. 4 is the option for requesting expedited processing. I was then given two options: 1 for NYC public schools, and 2 for NYS public and non-public schools. I pressed two and reflected on my good fortunate not to be part of the circus/DOE. (I had no idea I would come around on the charter school thing so quickly!) I was then informed that my superintendent or principal can apply for expedited processing *and has already been informed of how to do this.* I was then dismissively told that the call would now be disconnected. Never did I speak to a human being.
So that wasn’t particularly fruitful. And I’m guessing the automator is incorrect in presuming that our and all schools are aware of how to go about expediting application processing.
As best I know, that means we are left to wait. Don’t hesitate to let me know if there is anything else I can do in the meanwhile.”
I start grad school two nights a week starting tomorrow. I hope I can get around to blogging about my summer and last month in Indonesia before the end of the year…
