i have all of my lesson planning done between now and christmas. my gradebook is a well-oiled machine. i have a humongous, class project running eerily well that the kids (surprisingly enough) absolutely love. i was even voted by the 7th grade as the students' favorite teacher.
...and then we had a meeting this afternoon wherein the principle told us we'd most likely be reducing staff number again. cowabunga.
i survived the last fall of the guillotine by God's good graces and the seat of my pants, and was thankful to hold on to my coveted job for a second year. i don't think i'll ever know exactly how close i came to being one of those guys who ended up drawing the 'short straw,' and i don't think i'd want to. granted, i'm in better standing than i was last year - being a second year teacher now and beginning grad school in january and all (by the way, i found out today i was officially accepted). and i don't personally expect this year's staff cut to be as bad - or ominous - as last year's... but, at the same time, you never know.regardless, being told that 'some people might be let go next year' was enough to put my super-awesome week into a tailspin.
it is, in truth, as my principal says, i suppose: "as goes the economy, so goes our school."
...and on that matter, folks, all i have to say on that matter is this: this whole economy thing better turn around real damn fast or else this guy (yours truly) is going to have to join the military.(yo joe!)
- brian
