Well it's that time of year. The job postings for teaching positions for next fall are out in full force, plastered all over the Des Moines Register, Iowa REAP and Iowa Education Jobs, not to mention every teaching website I seem to visit. For the first time in a long time, or 5 summers to be exact, I am not spending my summer perusing them and sending resumes, copying credentials, and creating a way to get to the moon and back in hopes of getting a principal to make a phone call asking me for an interview. In the education field that often is progress. I'm not here to vent about the job application process. That's a completely different story, of which I have many opinions about. But since it's second nature for me look at the help wanted section I noticed something else that I think bothers me more. Below are two actual postings from the Teach Iowa website...
Position:5th grade , AD, Boys HS Basketball Job ID: 13206Posted: 05/06/08
Job Description:5th grade math and science with athletic assignments Other:Salary commensurate with experience based upon state base salary and placement on district master contract salary schedule.
August 18, 2008 starting date.
Send resume and cover letter to Superintendent's Office along with letters of recommendations.
Contact Information:Seymour Community School District
Contact:Dr. Gary Drummond 100 S Park Seymour, IA 52590 641-898-2291 Fax: 641-898-7500
Position:4th Grade Language Arts Job ID: 13254Posted: 05/08/08
Job Description:4th grade reading and language arts. Varsity Volleyball would be a great opportunity. Excellent Talent. Returning All State player plus 3 other starters off team that made it to Regional Finals. Great facilities and community support. Present teacher coach took position at Indianola HS as head volleyball coach. Other:Varsity Volleyball
Contact Information:Twin Cedars Community School
Contact:Brian VanderSluis 2204 Hwy G71 Bussey, IA 50044 641-944-5241 Fax: 641-944-5824 http://www.twincedars.k12.ia.us
So my questions for Gary and Brian are this...do you want a high quality fifth grade teacher or a basketball coach that can supervise 11 year olds when not at practice? And maybe more than one sentence about the 4th grade teaching position rather than waxing eloquently about your volleyball team. So the kids can bump a ball...can they read? I know athletics are a part of every school system and I'm well aware that they can do great things for kids, but what is a better focus? Is it possible to hire the best 5th grade teacher and look for a coach and AD separately? It is possible that one person could do both jobs well, but are you going to count out a person that could be a fantastic teacher for forth or fifth grade just because they are not athletic?
Listing coaching positions in addition to teaching positions is fine. But finding a classroom for a coach to occupy the hours before practice isn't. I think kids deserve much better than that.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
A few about me's
My full name: Elizabeth Anne McWilliams
My nicknames and how I got them: Betsy - I got it because Mom and Dad liked it -I think it's unique and BMW - my students figured out on their own that my initials were just like the German automobiles I love - they would chant the letters in the hallway as I passed
My favorite hang out: Pat McGuire's Irish American Grill - the best good clean fun I've had in a while.
My favorite colors: green, red, and yellow
My favorite scents: Easter lilies and men's cologne - and hopefully I'm smelling it on him
My childhood ambition: to be a rock star - haven't made it - yet!
My fondest memories: EBC retreat days with all the girls (Lauren, Candy, Danielle, Maggie, Cristina, Mandy, Sarah, Ellie, Rebecca, Eunice, and anyone else I forgot) and CBC youth group summers.
If my life had a soundtrack it would be: The music of Amy Grant - life is great, messy, and full of purpose all at once
My wildest dream: To lead worship music with MWS, Chris Tomlin, and Bono - all together
My proudest moments: Conducting Handel's Hallelujah Chorus for my 225 students all crammed onto a stage at once and the audience packed with people - I was proud of them! And watching the junior high students perform Romeo and Harriett to a packed and roaring auditorium.
My biggest challenge: Being a choir and drama director when I had VERY LITTLE experience.
My idea of a perfect day: Road-tripping with friends to enjoy food, music, shopping, and each other
My job: Teacher
My last purchase: a CD for my manfriend
My life ...is insane but beautiful - and that's the way I like it!
My nicknames and how I got them: Betsy - I got it because Mom and Dad liked it -I think it's unique and BMW - my students figured out on their own that my initials were just like the German automobiles I love - they would chant the letters in the hallway as I passed
My favorite hang out: Pat McGuire's Irish American Grill - the best good clean fun I've had in a while.
My favorite colors: green, red, and yellow
My favorite scents: Easter lilies and men's cologne - and hopefully I'm smelling it on him
My childhood ambition: to be a rock star - haven't made it - yet!
My fondest memories: EBC retreat days with all the girls (Lauren, Candy, Danielle, Maggie, Cristina, Mandy, Sarah, Ellie, Rebecca, Eunice, and anyone else I forgot) and CBC youth group summers.
If my life had a soundtrack it would be: The music of Amy Grant - life is great, messy, and full of purpose all at once
My wildest dream: To lead worship music with MWS, Chris Tomlin, and Bono - all together
My proudest moments: Conducting Handel's Hallelujah Chorus for my 225 students all crammed onto a stage at once and the audience packed with people - I was proud of them! And watching the junior high students perform Romeo and Harriett to a packed and roaring auditorium.
My biggest challenge: Being a choir and drama director when I had VERY LITTLE experience.
My idea of a perfect day: Road-tripping with friends to enjoy food, music, shopping, and each other
My job: Teacher
My last purchase: a CD for my manfriend
My life ...is insane but beautiful - and that's the way I like it!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Lay Down Sister, Lay Down
I was going to post a list today about myself, but those plans changed quickly and God puts your life into perspective. I logged into the EBC website to get the original list and found that a classmate of mine had passed away suddenly. She was the same age I am. She was expecting her third child, a boy this summer. Now a husband and two little girls are without their wife and mommy.
I didn't know Lois well, and probably can count on my two hands the number of conversations I had with her. Being honest I remember thinking unkind thoughts, now which I regret. I remember she had incredible spunk and her huge smile. She had a bubbly personality and she stood out in the freshmen class as a person that thought deeply and cared much for what she was there to study.
Lay down sister and be with Jesus. We will miss you here on earth and see you again someday.
Lay down softly in our sorrow
Lay down sister to die
And cover over, my sweet Father
Cover over her eyes
Your broken body, it cannot weather
The years your youth still longs to spend
So go down graceful, sleep with the angels
And wake up whole again
‘Cause it was not your time; that's a useless line
A fallen world took your life
But the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, sister, lay down
Slower passing are the hours
To tell this tale that takes its time
But the finest moment, no man can measure
Is to look your Savior in the eyes
So take her tender to Your table
Take her from this killing floor
To taste the water that is forever
Let her be thirsty no more
It was not her time; that's a useless line
A fallen world took her life
But the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, sister, lay down
And the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, Lois, lay down
~ Bebo Norman
I didn't know Lois well, and probably can count on my two hands the number of conversations I had with her. Being honest I remember thinking unkind thoughts, now which I regret. I remember she had incredible spunk and her huge smile. She had a bubbly personality and she stood out in the freshmen class as a person that thought deeply and cared much for what she was there to study.
Lay down sister and be with Jesus. We will miss you here on earth and see you again someday.
Lay down softly in our sorrow
Lay down sister to die
And cover over, my sweet Father
Cover over her eyes
Your broken body, it cannot weather
The years your youth still longs to spend
So go down graceful, sleep with the angels
And wake up whole again
‘Cause it was not your time; that's a useless line
A fallen world took your life
But the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, sister, lay down
Slower passing are the hours
To tell this tale that takes its time
But the finest moment, no man can measure
Is to look your Savior in the eyes
So take her tender to Your table
Take her from this killing floor
To taste the water that is forever
Let her be thirsty no more
It was not her time; that's a useless line
A fallen world took her life
But the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, sister, lay down
And the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, Lois, lay down
~ Bebo Norman
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