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pros and cons

I'm procrastinating...so in the meantime...I'll do a little pros and cons list of possible future employment opportunities that are staring me in the face, demanding that I find and rewrite my educational philosophy and update my CV.

As I detailed here, not too long ago, I was not very happy with the way that things were handled by the principal of the school I teach at as she decided to move me from teaching 3rd grade to 2nd, at the same time I was very pregnant and planning to miss the first twelve weeks of school.

Being back at school, teaching a new grade level, in another language, with limited resources and limited time to devote to the job, I have become interested in pursuing other options.

And the options are available, if I can get my act together and make a move, rather than simply procrastinating. So here we go with the pros and cons!

Stay at the same school, but loop to 3rd grade with the same bunch of students I have this year:
pros: 1. I know the kids already.
2. I know the curriculum already.
3. I love working with my partner teacher, who will loop with me.

cons: 1. I know the kids already.
2. I lost a lot of respect for my boss at the end of last year, and haven't regained it since returning to work.
3. The work environment is negative -- many teachers don't enjoy working at this school any more
4. 1 to 1 iPad initiative and new expectations that go along with it
5. Short planning period
6. Distance from home (30 min. drive!)

Stay in the same district, but move to a middle school:
pros: 1. New job!
2. Longer planning period
3. Most likely teach the same course multiple times per day (less prep required!)
4. Next door to the Chinese immersion school I'd like Peanut to attend, even though we live out of district
5. Only teaching language, not math and science

cons: 1. More grading
2. the iPads, again
3. Still public school -- lots of kids who aren't interested in taking a foreign language but are in class because it is required
4. New job -- new people, new expectations...
5. Still far from home -- but probably only a 20 min. drive.

Move to "upper school" at the private school I attended:
pros: 1. Elite students...either academically advanced and attending by scholarship, or financially well off
2. Students are more independent based on age
3. Closer to home
4. New job!
5. Peanut could go to private school

cons: 1. I went there as a student and didn't love it
2. High school.
3. Peanut couldn't be in an immersion program
4. Reduction in salary

Clearly, there is a lot to think about.

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