Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Possibly Changing Jobs- The Why Revealed

If you have been reading for a while, or know me personally, then you know that my situation at work has been challenging. It has improved, but still has a long way to go. So, I am looking to make a move. Closer to family and a place where I would love to plant some roots. The following question and my answer kind of sum up what has been on my mind constantly lately.  

Thank you for sending your resume and for your interest in ????.  We are currently reviewing candidate materials and will contact you should we wish to arrange for an interview.  I am just curious - now that you have your degree in school counseling - congratulations, by the way - and you were fortunate to have gotten a job in that field, why are you interested in returning to the classroom - as wonderful as classroom teaching is?

Your question is a great one, my parents and current principal have asked me the same thing. There is a saying, that says "You can have everything you want, just not all at the same time". That briefly summarizes why I am looking to return to teaching.

I really enjoy my counseling job and I know that daily I am helping a very needy community. However, I stayed in Athens after finishing school, solely for my job. I am single with no children and do not have any family in that area.

Within two months of starting my counseling job I realized that I needed the support of my family. When you are working and pouring out 100% of yourself meeting the various and sometimes overwhelming mental health, physical and social needs of children, family and staff, you have to have people (family) close by to support and encourage you.

I took a long time thinking over the pros and cons to this decision. I have family living in your area and I want to move closer to them. I have always loved your area and traveled there each summer as a child. Of course, I know all about this job market, and so I decided to look back into teaching positions hoping to open up more job opportunities. When I left teaching in Florida, it was not because I was tired of it or unhappy, I loved my work immensely and I was very successful, but I wanted to learn more about counseling in the school setting. I have done that, and it's possible 5 or so years down the road I will look into school counseling again. But, for now I am excited to get a chance to move closer to my family, because in the end for me that outranks having a job where I explicitly use my Masters daily. And I had to learn that lesson through my experiences over the past year.

I'm sorry, this is so long winded, but it's a real life answer for a multifaceted question:)

No comments: