T Minus

About 4 days and counting.  Science Immersion training begins on Monday at City College, 9AM.  While I am not looking forward to waking up with the birds for my long commute to City College, I am looking forward to meeting other science fellows and beginning training.

When it comes to science, I'm kind of a geek.  I find biology thoroughly fascinating and the various other fields of science to be at the least, engaging.  I am hoping that during the immersion training, there will be ample focus in biology as that is what I enjoy and what I have been assigned to teach.

On a more logistical note, I am currently trying to plough through the Guidebook given to me by NYCTF.  I feel a bit irresponsible for not having completed it yet.  However, I have a feeling that it will not be utilized until training for everyone begins (not just immersion fellows).  This is not to say that I will be swamped with free time to read it during immersion training.  I imagine quite the contrary, which is why I'm hitting it hard now.

I am definitely looking forward to receiving the extra $1,000 stipend for the immersion training after it ends, following the first two weeks.  Money's not everything, but it sure it nice to pay the rent and eat.

All in all, I am very much looking forward to training.  I have a few contacts from the area and out of state who are all gearing up as well.  I look forward to meeting them in person and beginning a wonderfully exciting new experience.  

I got a job!

I almost don't believe it.

Just yesterday I went to a school in midtown Manhattan for an interview.  There are a few positions open at the school and was aiming for the Living Environment position.  I went in and immediately met with an assistant principal who questioned me about my resume a bit.  He then showed me around the school and I observed quite a few classes in action.  I was happy to see how easily and cordially students interacted with teachers and administrators.  I was also thoroughly impressed by the school's facilities.  Sliding white boards, clean and functioning lab equipment, and wifi in each room.  I had no idea that an underperforming city school had such resources.

After observing a few classes, I was a bit stunned how smoothly things were running.  I was able to see a teacher have some trouble with a student acting up and my tour guide very calmly help out in the situation, just as we were passing by a classroom.  Following my tour and observation, the asst. principal asked me what I thought and if I had any questions.  I had a few and all answers were satisfactory by my standards.  I told him I would be thrilled to teach at the school.

Luckily, I was also able to speak with a fellow who currently teaches at the school.  She seemed happy to be working there and told me that I would happy there too.  

We proceeded to the principal's office where he asked me a few pedagogical questions and about my background.  One was a scenario where a student consistently gets 70%s on assignments then a zero on one.  What would I do?

My answer was that the inconsistency indicates some altered circumstance and I would look into it before giving the zero and ruining the student's mathematical average.  Nothing ruins an average like a zero.

His second question was about classroom standards in regard to content.  In effect, he asked, should everyone be held to the same standard or how should students be evaluated based on some standard.

I responded that it is important to asses students knowledge in the beginning.  While students all may not progress to the same endpoint, as long as they have made progress, I have done my job.  He explicitly said that was a perfect answer, which I was obviously glad to hear.

After a few questions about my resume, he said I seemed like a nice guy and that I really wanted to teach and offered me the position.  I wasn't sure if I was understanding the situation right, just because I've been warned about principals offering jobs on the spot.  Usually in situations, I tend to trust my gut feelings as those are the most important.  Based on the visit, I was genuinely impressed by the school and very fortunate to have interacted with a current fellow teaching there.  Given this and my desired to secure  position before training, I accepted his offer.

The asst. principal took me to see the asst. principal of organization to arrange actually getting me on the payroll and such.  He instructed me to create a profile on the DOE website so he can put me in system on his end online.  He also asked me the status of my tests (LAST, CST and ATSW- the last of which I know nothing about, I'll be calling the fellows about that one).  I reminded him that I have a commitment form for someone at the school to sign.  We agreed that I'd create the profile and email him when it is completed.

I am so thrilled to have secured a position and look forward to teaching my new students.  Plus now I'll have August to myself woohoo!

Graduation, Job Search, Approaching Training

After four years, blood, sweat, tears, yadda yadda, I finally graduated.  I now have a Bachelor's degree with liberal arts major and concentration in Science, Technology & Society from Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts.  (It's quite a mouthful and cumbersome to explain, but just see www.lang.edu)

On Thursday the 15th I attended the Eugene Lang College graduate and on the 16th attended The New School (University) graduation at Madison Square Garden.  Everything has felt very anticlimactic, but I don't really care.  All I want is my diploma in the mail and to move on.  I am glad to be done with it.

In the meantime, I am pursuing positions at Manhattan schools.  I interviewed at one already with the assistant principal.  She seemed a bit aloof, but well-versed in her field (chemistry and biology), which was kind of intimidating.  According to her, the next step is to see me teach, probably during my student teaching in July.

In the meantime, I have another interview on Thursday and will be attending a job fair Thursday evening.  I have not heard the best reviews about job fairs, but I figure it's worth a shot.

I anxiously await training which begins on June 2nd for Science & Math Immersion fellows (I = Science Immersion).  My small phonebook-sized guidebook sits on my coffee table waiting me to finish reading through it before training begins.  Although, I'm not sure if it needs to be completely read by the time immersion training begins or everyone's training begins.  I guess I'm kind of hedging on the former.

So, for the next week and a half, I will be enjoying my free time to myself.  It is the only time I will have to myself between my previous job, school and NYCTF.  

PASSED NY State Certification Exams

I am so incredibly thrilled to share that I passed the two exams required to be certified to teach biology and general science in New York State.

These tests are issues by an agency called the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE).  These test ensure that teachers have basic knowledge that is ample for instructing students about some content.  Teaching Fellows must pass these tests before they begin teaching.  With several opportunities before and during training, the is plenty of time to prepare.  However, if you do not pass them, you cannot teach and are not eligible to continue the Fellowship.  Because of that I am very happy to have alleviated my anxiety by passing sooner than later.

The first exam that all teachers must pass before teaching is the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST).  If you had a high quality high school education or any undergraduate liberal arts education, this exam is entirely passable.  It basically looks to see if you have basic skills and knowledge in a few general areas.  The subsections of the exam are: Scientific, Math & Technical Processes; Historical & Social Scientific Awareness; Artistic Expression and The Humanities; Communication and Research Skills; and Written Analysis & Expression.  You receive a score for each subsection and an overall score.  The score is out of 300, with a 220 minimum passing score.  Even if a subsection is below a 220, as long as your overall score is 220 or more, you have passed.

The second exam is the Biology Content Specialty Test (CST).  Typically, the CSTs are considered more difficult than the LAST because they require specific content knowledge.  The Bio CST tests for basic and some higher level knowledge about the various fields of biology.  The subsections are: Foundations of Scientific Inquiry; Cell Biology & Biochemistry; Genetics & Evolution; Biological Unity & Diversity & Life Processes; Human Biology; Ecology; and Foundations of Scientific Inquiry (written response).

For those who have taken and passed, congratulation.  For those who have yet to take them, I wish you the best of luck and my guess is you'll do just fine.

The Apartment Search

Searching for apartments in NYC is like an urban evolution.  Those who don't know what they're doing pay out the nose or get scammed, while those more fit weather the storm and find the deals.  Scammers try to trick you into wiring money to Mozambique, brokers want your life savings in fees and disgruntled supers unwillingly show you apartments with their less than gracious manner.  I am doing my best not to be eliminated by urban (natural) selection.

In the past week, I think I have viewed around 15 apartments, all in and around Harlem.  I viewed one in Inwood off the 1 & A trains.  Then, I did some research and found that the block where the apartment was had anywhere between 15-30 shots fired in the past two months.  I want to live in the apartment, not die there.  No thank you.

I found another place, which felt much safer in Harlem, 139 & Lenox to be exact.  However, this very very very small 1 bedroom has a kitchen fit for a small person.  That is to say that the height of the refrigerator is about at my elbow and when you walk into the "kitchen" the only way to leave it is to back out of it.  For $1200, I want a kitchen I can at least turn around in.

So now I am having a change of heart.  Instead of looking in Harlem, I have turned to Brooklyn.  I figure if I live off the 2/3 trains, at least I'll be on the 1/2/3 line express through Manhattan and local to City College.  Prices outside of Manhattan are also much more affordable.  So I am hoping to find an apartment that is manageable and inexpensive enough so I can stockpile some funds instead of burning it on rent.  That way, I can save up a down payment to buy a place in a few years.

Tomorrow I continue my seemingly hopeless search for another home and hopefully I will find something reasonable.  

AND if anyone reading this can help, I welcome any and all assistance.