Welcome to this week’s Sunday Post. This feature is brought to you by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, so swing by after you are done here and get the full list of participants!
- [5 Jul] #SundayPost: So hot
- [7 Jul] Desolation Road by Christine Feehan ★★★½
- [8 Jul] Current Events and Reading: How are you doing?
- [9 Jul] The Room Where it Happened by John Bolton ★★★★
- [10 Jul] #FreebieFriday: July 10th
- [11 Jul] After All by Kristen Proby ★★★★
- Beautiful Criminal by MN Forgy
- Join the Club by Lani Lynn Vale
Hamilton! I saw the show when it came to Cincinnati in late 2018-early 2019. It was awesome to watch it on Disney +!
Well, the big news of the week is I bought a new car! Now, originally, I was looking at base model Jettas-manual transmission, no frills, base. So, we had gone to a few dealerships, test driven 2 Jettas and we just weren’t wowed. At one of the dealerships, they had just gotten a 2019 Mustang turbo premium (originally sold for 41K) with 5k miles on it. Dave (husband) wanted to just test drive it. Of course, it was completely awesome! 6 speed transmission, turbo charged, leather interior, and simply gorgeous. I told him there was just no way we can spend that kind of money on a car. I have ALWAYS had the base model cars. ALWAYS. I didn’t get power windows or power locks until 2014. But every car we drove after the mustang (including an Audi Q3) paled in comparison. So, we took the plunge. Is it more than I wanted to pay for a monthly car payment? Yep. But, I’m 40 years old, I have no kids, and I have a decent paying job (as does Dave). He spends his money on getting a motorcycle, I now spend mine on my new Mustang.
There has been much stress about the upcoming school year. I understand (better than the average person) the need for children to have social situations, the need for schools to provide meals, and the need for teachers to be on the look out for abuse. But, as a nation, we have collectively agreed that large groups of people indoors is a bad idea. And to say that most kids won’t die if they get it is just so callous. I taught in a school where a student died (not of illness) and I NEVER want to do that again. Teachers are adults and many are in the age bracket that is more likely to have complications (including death). Classrooms are CROWDED. They are NOT cleaned every night (if a school tells you it will, they are lying. They don’t have the staff to handle sanitizing the room each day). Students simply won’t have the space to socially distance and teachers will be exposed to hundreds of kids a day. Even if the kids stay in the same rooms and the teachers move, we are still spreading possible exposures. What happens if a student (or teacher) gets COVID-19 and must quarantine? Are we going to have every teacher who came into contact with that person quarantine (like we are suppose to do)? There are not enough subs. Teachers will be working while exposed and even possibly sick because they have no option. Students will come to school sick because parents can’t take the time off to stay home. This disease will spread so fast it will make the current rise in numbers look like child’s play. Honestly, I don’t even want to be a teacher any more. It was an impossible job before. You get treated like crap by everyone-administrations, parents, students-, you get paid a barely livable wage, you are expected to meet high standards that are only measured by a test students take once, you are expected to provide supplies for your room (pencils, paper, tissues, Clorox wipes, snacks (because, again, one thing schools are responsible for are feeding kids). Now, I’m suppose to do all that, in mask for 8 hours and trying to be on the lookout for symptoms a child might be ill (because we are nurses too).
In other news, I don’t even know what other jobs are available for people with a Master’s in education. I don’t even know how to search for a job that isn’t in education. So, I’m stuck. I need a job. I need insurance. This is the most frustrating feeling in the world. All these people (parents, politicians, education administration) have weighed in, but no one is answering the valid questions a teacher has: What if I get sick and don’t have enough sick days? What if there are no subs? Am I expected to teach from home if I’m sick and not just quarantined? Are we going to quarantine when there is a person in the building who tests positive? Who is responsible for daily sanitation of rooms? Who is purchasing the materials to sanitize? Are we provided masks or do we have to get our own?
So, yeah, its a good thing I got a new car because the rest of the week has been pretty stressful. Although, if I get sick and don’t have enough sick days (which I won’t because I switched to a new school this year), I won’t be able to pay for my new car. I just want someone in power to answer teachers’ questions with something better than “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” because that is not a plan.
In other news, I have an appointment with my audiologist on Wednesday. I think I’m going back to the first pair I tried. The new ones just don’t sound as good. And really, my only issue with the first pair (the super high tech ones that did all kinds of cool things) is that they were more visible. But I’m 40 years old and I just don’t care (or at least I know I shouldn’t care and that making a decision based on this is BAD). Then, later in the week a former coworker is throwing a small (so we can socially distance) going away party for me. I’m excited to see my friends again.
So, whats new with you this week? Did you read any of the same books I did? Did you find any great book deals I need to grab ASAP? Let me know in the comments!
First – yay on the car!!! Sounds like you’ve been good for years and deserve a treat. I get it, my current car was the first one we bought that wasn’t a cash purchase. Its a 2012 and I bought it in 2016, the first time my car was in the same decade as me lol! Enjoy it.
Second – man, I feel you on the teaching. Leaving was such a hard decision, but I’m so thankful I managed to get out before COVID. I know (better than most) that school districts will be expected to do more than they are capable of with existing staff and the teachers will bear the brunt. Meanwhile, I understand children’s need, but what about teachers? And their families? I honestly think reopening schools is too dangerous at this point and while it sucks for everyone involved, schools need to be online for the foreseeable future. I wish you so much luck. Just know, finding a job after teaching is possible and the skills it takes to effectively run a classroom make you so incredibly skilled in ways most couldn’t imagine. Hugs!
Yes, I have always been very practical with cars. It was nice to have something new and fancy!
I’m going to really start looking for jobs outside of the classroom. My heart isn’t in teaching anymore because what I do isn’t teaching…its just crowd control.
Samantha I hear you loud and clear on the school situation! Have you ever thought of teaching adults on pedagogy? You should be treated with more respect and hopefully they would understand the meaning of social distancing? I don’t know, that’s a difficult question!
That aside, congrats on your new car! I bet my hubs would be drooling on it LOL
I’m going to start looking at college positions. I had avoided it because they are all adjunct (so part time, no benefits) but I can get health insurance through my husband’s company. I love teaching, but what I do now is not teaching-its crowd control.
I’m loving the new car. My husband is pretty jealous!
Congrats on the car! My first car was a 1964 Mustang – a hand me down from my Dad – it was 12 years old with 32,000 miles on it. I hope you get some answers soon about the new school year. My daughter’s college is staying online. She was going to choose online courses anyway.
Have a wonderful week and stay well!
Anne – Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
Congrats on the new car! It’s beautiful.
Yeah, going back to school doesn’t sound like a good idea unless they can reduce the class size and guarantee sanitation. Isn’t there extra funding for covid prevention? We have extra funds at the hospital for Covid treatment and precautions. I would think there would be the same kind of thing for schools. I can’t believe the increase in numbers we’ve been having. It’s insane!
Well, in May the governor here cut $300 million from k-12 education. So, there is actually LESS money right now that normal, and we were already operating with next to nothing. So, the only way the rooms will get sanitized is if teachers buy stuff and do it themselves. And I’m sure we will have to keep extra masks handy for the kids that don’t have them (because schools aren’t providing any). Based on the budget cuts from May, I think our class sizes will grow this year.
Congrats on the new shiny car! And avoiding getting any more books — I’ve given up on that, haha. 🙂
My STS/weekly roundup post.
The new car looks lovely – that mustang figure on the pavement is really cool… As for teaching in the new normal – yep – it looks a complete mess. I hope you get some answers… In the meantime, I hope you have a reasonable week:)
A lot of bigger companies often hire teachers in the HR department to do new employee classes and to teach policies. Something to think about. My brother loves Mustangs. It is a fun ride, so enjoy!
I have been trying to figure out what else I could do with a teaching degree! I don’t even know how to job hunt outside of education. Thanks for the tip!!
I honestly can’t imagine how difficult it is to be a teacher but especially with dealing with covid and the kids. They honestly don’t pay teachers half enough in my opinion. Congrats on the NEW CAR….its beautiful and hope you have fun with it.
When I was thinking of how they could do school without a vaccine, nothing came to mind. From my personal experience in the classroom, we would never be able to have the space necessary to keep socially distant. Our rooms were packed, and they even had to extend passing by another 2 minutes, because the halls were jam packed during passing. In high school (and middle school too), you have kids on different learning tracks, and they cannot stay in one room all day, which you might be able to get away with in elementary school. I also have a masters degree in education (secondary physical science, middle school science, chem, physics, and general science certifications), and I struggled to find a job outside education. I know I am working below my education level, but I am employed. But congratulations on the car. I hope you enjoy it!
Yay to the new car, the Mustang is such a cool car, we never used to have them here in Scotland but of late I have seen a few outside our nearest Ford dealer all in very bright colours with stripes!
My daughters go back to school next month, I worry as I don’t know how the school will cope, I feel for the teachers as well as having to teach they are going to need eyes in the back of their heads to ensure the kids are staying apart. My job was a casualty of COVID, I’m hopeful to find something soon.
Have a good week, stay safe and no speeding in your new wheels!
The car is stunning, and I’m jealous!
Our kids have been back in school for eight weeks and it’s proved impossible to keep up with sanitation, social distancing etc and we have nothing like the disadvantages the US education system is faced with (eg large class sizes, actual pandemic status, and awful funding) so I am skepticcal it can be achieved there. I’m so sorry it’s something you will be forced to face.
Wishing you a great reading week
The push to reopen schools just boggles my mind. Cases are sky-rocketing across the country, the virus is NOT controlled, there is no vaccine, and yet we are supposed to believe that reopening schools is a safe and viable option? Absolutely not. There are too many risk factors and not enough answers. In better news, congrats on the new car! A new car is always exciting but especially when you go all out and get something so nice. 🙂