Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Reverence

I emailed my director yesterday with a question.  In these trying financial times, one would be remiss to not see about getting handle on one's position in the school district.  I'm not so much worried about having a job.  I know I have one.  It's the "what" and "where" that interest me.

My job involves working with a very targeted population of students that represents a rather small percentage of the whole.  If there don't happen to be all that many of these students in one particular school, then I need to go where there are more of them.  That is logical.  It does, however, mean that I move around a lot.  I also tend to follow students through the grades and there are some who will be subjected to my Tender, Loving Care for years.  And years.  And years.

My question to my director was this: Given that there is a new program being developed at the high school courtesy of our lovely new Stimulus Money, how long will it be before I find myself transferred?  I don't much care where I'm going.  I just like to have a general idea before I head off for yet another teaching destination.  I started in this district with kindergarten kids.  Six years later, I'm teaching middle school.  You can see where I might be questioning my future...

She responded promptly because she is a prompt sort of person.  She is also organized and highly productive.  That is a good quality in a director.  She told me that I should not worry about being transferred from my current position.  I will be staying put.  She informed me that she didn't dare move me since I was so revered at my new school.  She feared repercussions.

This poses a problem.  Not the part where I know where I'm going to be next year.  That is good because now I can plan ahead.  And while I don't exactly trust her prediction that I will be in a stable sort of situation for years given that the stimulus money isn't going to last forever, it does seem like something I can bank on for the time being.

No...it's the "revered" part that concerns me.  I do not wish to be revered.  Don't get me wrong.  A little validation is great.  I'd take "appreciated," "approval," or "in line for a cash bonus."  Revered is too much.  Revered is a great height from which to fall.  And if you can count on anything in this crazy, mixed up world, it is that you will always tumble when you least expect it.  Tumbling from a place of reverence is going to be painful.  

Plus, this is The Bad Job At The Middle School That No One Else Would Take And Into Which I Was Transferred Without Consultation In Order That I Might Perform Miracles.  I feel guilty now every time I think of it in this way.  The BJATMSTNOEWTAIWIWTWCIOTIMPM reveres me and I don't feel the same way.  I might consider being friends with it someday.  But I'm never going to love it the way it loves me.  It will be one of those ugly break-ups where no one ever really gets past the bad feelings.  

I thanked my director for the information and suggested to her her that "revered" (while a lovely sentiment) might be too strong a word.  And that I might be described a little differently depending upon the speaker since no one is revered by everyone.  Especially not people in my position...

I'm fighting The Reverence.

I think I'm glad I switched over to sock knitting.  The "dishcloth" (with sleeves) is just far too stressful for me while I find ways to be less revered.  Socks are simple and progress is quick if you stay the course.  My own particular sockie moved into the heel flapping state today while I rode the little exercise bike.  I like a nice simple sock.  It's just regular.  I appreciate it for its normal, predictable functionality.  That's all I really need.

Lastly and on an entirely different topic, I had a few comments regarding my tale of the Absurdly Gi-normous Kitty and his ability to rearrange the furniture.  To answer your question, let me say, "Yes...and no."  

No.  He has yet to pick up the sofa so I can vacuum under it.  (Not that I ever would...so it's not really a big deal that he can't)  Anything of a large and solid nature is safe.  Well...except me.  He's tripped me up a few times and I'm pretty large 'n solid.

And, yes.  He has knocked my spinning wheel aside in an attempt to get at a toy (no damage, he just puts it a bit askew) and has taken out a few dining chairs as he rockets about the manse.  He has also managed to flip the rocking recliner back so that it gets jammed under the window and stuck in a permanent "rocked back" state.  Don't even ask about my poor footstool.  He doesn't care that I assembled and painted it myself.  He just wants it clear of his toy-chasing path.  

He's an active kitty.  And not quite two years old.  Further, he wasn't neutered until after he got all his Big Boy features so he's rather solid.  (At least that's what they told me at the shelter...maybe he would have been a giant mutant cat even if he'd been fixed as a kitten.  What do I know?)  If he wants to move the furniture, I'm not going to stop him.  I can't stop him.  He's a force of nature.






Revere me...or else!!!!



SA

18 comments:

sheep#100 said...

We here observed that there are great, huge, jagged rocks there on the coast of Maine. They would be really painful on which to fall from a point of extreme reverence.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the job that you do not love back. Fingers crossed, it becomes The Better Job at the Middle School Where You Have Some Level of Control Over the Dear Children.

Enjoy the sock knitting.
Sarah

Kath said...

You know, considering that you've been following some of those Dear Children through their entire schooling, I bet they're wondering if you'll be at the high school also! Might be kinda fun to let 'em wonder...

Beth said...

That is a rather intimidating picture of the AGK!

Anonymous said...

As the parent of one of your types of students, I can tell you, I Revere the special teachers. The ones that can deal with him all day, send him home sane and happy, and make me feel like I'm not the worst mother on planet - oh yes, I Revere them! You'll never meet my son, but your twin sisters and brothers have, and they are special, in an awesome way!

(I'm a long-time lurker and first-time poster to your blog.)

Cleta

PICAdrienne said...

So, if you are revered, does that mean they may honor you by awarding you CTA? You deserve CTA.

April said...

Can "Worship" be far off?

"The Gospel According To Sheepie"

Yeah, I'd buy a copy.

Mia said...

Crossin' my fingers for ya on the job thing. It does seem to help to know the when and where...

Donna Lee said...

Revered is a hard word to live up to. My cats were full grown when I had them snipped. They were gorgeous. You could watch the muscles move under the fur. I felt like I was on Wild Kindgom watching them move. But, the marking behavior was unbearable so snipping happened. In a matter of days, they shrunk. Less muscle mass and no ruffs around their heads. It made me kind of sad. My guess is that the ADK would have been big regardless of when he was snipped.

ellaris said...

Reverence is not something you can command or relinquish at will. It is a mystery, like missing socks in the dryer that turn up months later behind the sofa. We think we understand, but we do not. Enjoy the peace, that you may be well rested for the Fall Recovery Process.

--the (sometimes) Rev. Leela

Cursing Mama said...

Just skip bus duty on Thursday & that level of reverence should come down a notch or two ;)

PS - I bet they don't even have "Bus Duty" at the High School....

debsnm said...

I'm thinking that the reverence is directly linked to the apparent control you have over your classroom - witness the utter chaos that erupts when you take a sick day. Those poor, helpless people who can't corral your class see you as god-like because you can. Think of it this way - you've fooled them! You know the trick to managing raving hormones and tweens. I say keep fooling them long enough, and there's *got* to be a financial windfall somewhere.

Knitting Linguist said...

Now *there's* a cat worthy of reverence. Good luck avoiding your dose -- maybe if you could think of something distinctly unreverable to do, it might put them off you? (And then you could go somewhere that isn't that middle school?)

Anonymous said...

Never having been revered myself, I have no wisdom to offer on the reverence front except to enjoy it while it lasts. Who knows, it may very well last as long as you are at that school. And if it doesn't, just sic AGK on 'em. They will non-revere you at their peril.

Anonymous said...

I think it's good that you're revered. No one else would take the job and you have done well. Now if they try to get you sainted, that would be too much.

Anonymous said...

I know nothing of being revered; I'd feel lucky to be appreciated, but I settle for my paycheck each week - it's the same whether I'm aprreciated or not :-)

That picture of AGK is a bit scary; did he get into the good cough syrup while he was rearranging the furniture?

Jeanne said...

Some cats are just built big. Zander is one of them. As a kitten, he was very awkward--super long skinny tail, ears too big for his face, and huge paws. I thought when he grew up either he'd be really funny looking, or if it worked like it does with dogs, he'd be a monster.

It was the latter. Huge, and handsome. Like the AGK.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you should think of the reverence in different terms...as in you are revered for being the nutcase that is taking on the job so that none of the other teachers have to draw straws to see who has the standing appointment with the shrink every week...

Maybe they should revere the director who puts people in positions where they can shine...in addition to making a positive difference in the lives of the students...