I know some of this has already been said

January 18, 2011

RECAP: I know some of this has already been said, but we’ve been on hiatus for so long that I think you deserve a review. 

Who knew we’d be where we are now?  Well, I for one had an inkling.  The desire to be settled after 6 months of transition is overwhelming and Chicago’s dancing and friends are magnetic for me.

This year was/is an experiment in being, in action, and in experiencing what we could.  In August, after intense job and soul searching, we decided to pack it up and head to Nick’s mom’s place in Dubuque as a holding pattern until our plans solidified.  Our lease was up, the grit and crime of Chicago was getting under our skin a little too repeatedly, and we were feeling adventurous and free.  Theresa’s basement was a wonderful storage place for our belongings, and as soon as we were settled we bought a car and planned a massive road trip out west.  The trip was a defining experience in my life, and even now, there are moments when I am newly grateful for the time and grace that we lived in.  Two months later on the highway back to Dubuque, in the middle of flat Nebraska, I got a call from the Assistant Principal at Spry Elementary in Chicago.  How did she sift my resume out of the masses that had likely been piled on her desk?  How did my name get isolated on the entire Chicago Public School unemployed teacher database?  It’s still a mystery.  I interviewed for a 4th grade maternity leave position, or TAT (temporarily assigned teacher) on Friday morning, was offered the job on Friday afternoon, and started on Monday morning.  I embraced my new position, my new school, and my new students.  I immediately was challenged, I felt the internal shift from lay person to one who is dedicated to the growth of students, and I felt ownership over the learning that was taking place in my room.  I was inspired by my own successes.  We spent November, December, and half of January subletting from Bobby, a favorite person, hanging out with Rusty the beautiful, amazing fox mutt dog, and checking out Pilsen.  It felt almost like we’d moved to a new city; Pilsen is a Hispanic-centric neighborhood, there are 3 taquerias in a square mile, and my Spanish by osmosis is increasing.  

Present Day

My temporary job was slated to end on January 14, the teacher for which I was covering  indeed was coming back, to my dismay.  I wanted nothing more than for the principal to come into my room and ask me if I would stay, and continue to work with my students!  Alas, she returned.  A week or so ago, I spoke with the principal about the possibility of continuing on at the school in any capacity.  She let me know that positions were scarce, and if anything came up, she’d let me know.  The next day, she popped in to my class and observed the kids working, she happened to come in when the kids were incredibly engaged, working with rotating learning stations.  On the Wednesday, 2 days before my last day, the principal called me into her office and thanked me for my work and dedication to the students, and she offered to hire me as an ESP, or an aid in a Special ED classroom.  While it would have been great learning experience, I need to keep moving forward, I just could not go from having my own class to being an aid.  I am sure she sensed my hesitation to take a pay cut, and on Thursday, she offered me a cadre position (a permanent sub always assigned to Spry), which is actually not too far off from a teacher salary.  Again, I told her that in order for me to stay, I’d need to be hired as a teacher, getting full teacher salary and benefits.  On Friday, she let me know that she’d found a way to switch position numbers and make some changes in staff assignments so that she could hire me as a full time, salaried teacher.  I didn’t realize I was negotiating, but it seemed to work!  So, as of now, if all the paperwork goes through (CPS is infamous for pulling stops when everything is supposed to work out), I will be collaborative teaching in 3rd and 4th grade, through the end of the year.  

This happened on Friday.  Saturday morning I had 2 massage clients scheduled.  While I worked, Nick packed up our belongings at our sublet.  Saturday afternoon, we looked for apartments in Pilsen and Tri-Taylor area.  We viewed one apartment in Pilsen that we had some questions about, but seemed like a good match.  Saturday night we had a sleep over with best buddies Kristina and Paul, Sunday morning we went back to visit the apartment once more, to check out the laundry room, and to decide if it felt safe enough.  Everything passed, and we signed the lease right before the Bears game.  Grabbed sandwiches, got in the car, drove back to Dubuque to gather up some of our can’t live without items like my teapot and peacock china, and now on the return trip to Chicago, our car suitcased up, we stuffed ourselves in and got back on the road. Of course we are bed-less, so after we unpack our car-full, we will blow up the air mattress and make a pillow nest on the floor, if we have time, we’ll head to Ikea for some deliverable furniture to make our new place more homey.  It’s been a wild ride. 

And now, on the drive back to Chicago, the pull of the road still matches the magnetic desire to be settled.  I still feel romantic about taking to the road, driving until we find somewhere beautiful to spend the day, setting up our tent and getting the quinoa and grotta going on the stove. Sun wakes us up, I get my boots on, amble over to the camp toilet, tea is on when I get back, and we make a plan for the day that usually involves mountains, beauty, and being quiet.  

I realize I am still trying to have it all.  It remains that we are and will be happy where ever we are together, and in the interim, I will soak up this experience, I will dance as much as is humanely possible while taking on a new position, and I will spend time with the people I love as often as I can.