Update

I SO appreciate everyone's kind words and encouragements, I just wish that I had some good news to share.

It's Thursday. The principal at Alvarado said that they were looking to get someone into the job as quickly as possible and that he would, thus, let me know by the beginning of this week. It's Thursday. Wednesday MAYBE could've still been considered as early next week. Thursday is officially LATE next week. I got sick of waiting and wondering, so I just called the secretary at Alvarado to see what the deal was. Obviously, she said that the position had been filled.

All that I ask is that you CALL ME to let me know either way like you said you would. Too much to ask? I think not.

I had the interview at the Preschool on Monday which, again, I thought went alright. The school, hilariously, is called "Tiny Giants". I'm pretty sure that they sensed my apprehension, however, when I found out that it is a Preschool job from 9-12 everyday, and then a DAYCARE job from 12-5pm everyday. Yeah. Oh, and it is a preschool for 2- and 3-year olds, and the daycare is for those guys plus INFANTS. Yeah. There were babies in highchairs there, and I had to walk through a darkened room where little ones were screaming and crying because they didn't want to take a nap. Yeah. The women [sisters, actually - biological sisters, not nuns...] asked if I'm up for bottlefeeding kids and CHANGING DIAPERS. I, not so convincingly, said that it's not something that I'm used to, but wouldn't mind doing. It went well, and I think that they were keen on hiring a guy because the position to be filled was vacated by a guy who got another job, but I think they could read that I was feeling a bit sketchy about the whole situation. Plus, there are no benefits, no sickdays, and no holiday pay - at least for the first 6 months. Yeah.

Oh, and I realized later that evening that the resume that I gave Tiny Giants stated as an objective "to find a teaching position with San Francisco Unified School District". [Shoots self in foot.]

On Monday night I got an email from the District saying, "We just want to see if you are still interested in a job with the district!" [Man, am I starting to really hate these people...] "If so, bring 3 copies of your resume, credential, and letters of recommendation, to this meeting tomorrow." I went. Comfortingly, or maybe NOT so comfortingly, there were 5 or 6 people from my program there. Basically, the meeting was for the district, not for us. They just wanted to get an absolute, final, this-is-it list of people who are still looking for jobs. I walked in feeling OK because it was a lot of older people [40s and 50s] and I assumed that most older people would be looking for high school jobs. BUT, when the woman asked for a show of hands to see how many of us were Multiple Subject [elementary] people, 90% raised their hands. The woman then said, "Well, unfortunately, that's where we have the least positions to fill." Actually, all that they are really looking for right now are bilingual or special education people. If you are either of those, they'll hand you a job on the spot. The rest of us are screwed.

I called a school this morning that listed a Pre-K position and was told that they have someone that they are seriously considering, but took my name and number and would let me know either way [yeah, right] if that person worked out. I called another school about a K position and was told by the principal, "You know, I've already received at least 25 calls about this job and, frankly, can't consider any more. Sorry. Bye."

There's always still Head Start. I know that they recruiting woman there was back from vacation on Monday, and is probably looking over applications this week. Hopefully she will call tomorrow or early next week for an interview.

I'm currently sorting all of the books that I've gotten from Children's Book Project [ABC books, math-related books, science books, read-aloud books, etc.] so that it is one less thing to worry about if I have to move into a classroom the day before school starts - which, I suppose, could still happen. Teachers are supposed to report to work on Wednesday and Thursday next week for meetings. The first day of school is the following Monday [the 30th]. I just didn't want to have the added stress of having no prep time in addition to it being my first teaching job. A friend from the program is scrambling to find anything that she possibly can [4th or 5th grade] but I don't want to do that. I've worked so hard for this, and I know that it is what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I don't want to, at this point, just take ANY job that may come my way - especially not one that I really don't even want. It does neither me, nor the KIDS, nor the administration, any good to be in an environment where I don't feel comfortable. Is this really a time where I should be getting choosey? Probably not, but my comfort and happiness is most important.