just "How Lucky I am!"

The blood, sweat, and worries all paid off for Aaron this past week.  The bureaucratic runaround that the school system puts their teachers through, has ended in our favor.  Despite getting fully qualified to teach at a Dual Immersion school three years ago, Aaron had to re-qualify this year, due to a changing of the guard.


The PRAXIS tests in English are often dreaded by teachers.  Add Spanish to the front of that word PRAXIS and it is dreaded even more.  Especially when a practice question is the following:


What is the name of Christina Aguilera's baby? (Translated to English from the Spanish form it was in originally.)


Not only does one not want to take this test, but they charge $150.  Hey! But you'll be reimbursed if you pass.  If not, insult to injury.


Last Tuesday morning, Aaron came in early that morning with the look of just having seen a ghost.  "The test results are posted."  He says.  But he hadn't looked yet.  With the click of a button, Aaron became even more shocked.  Honestly, I wasn't that surprised.  (I had watched him prep for this test.)  He passed! (Aaron would add, "Just barely.")  We are excited to say that we will be getting reimbursed and for now, he is again qualified to teach in Spanish.


Who knows what will happen in three years if a changing of the guard happens, again.  Somewhat disillusioned with the teaching system.  Especially with the announcement of next year's .015% pay increase.  Previously it was about .03%, but despite Aaron's outrage, at least he still has a job.  


He's just angry because he spent 2-3 weeks of his summer taking college classes so he could get a .06% raise next year (not to mention his 1 credit History Fair assignment that turned into over 40 hours of extra work on top of the new Treasures program and his first year teaching in Spanish)....and he just found out that it will be half of that.  At least it isn't .015% I tell him.  

Read this for the first time yesterday, it totally applies to our recent disappointment in the lack of pay and runaround teachers are put through.  Because at least we don't live "in that forest in France, where the average young person just hasn't a chance to escape from the perilous pants-eating-plants!"  My pants are safe!