On quitting

Hey everyone!!

I'll try and keep this brief (because it is 8:45 am and I have a hockey game in a bit...) I am playing with the Ladies 4's now...the team above the one I used to play for...and it's a permanent move. I'm flattered, of course, but certainly sad to be leaving friends on the other team. (Tonight we are going to a comedy night, so crazy pictures will follow!)

Where did I leave off...Sami came to London last weekend, and we had a short-lived, but awesome time. My friend Carmine and I threw a Pub Crawl in our neighborhood because no one every really comes up here to hang out with us. (I'll admit...where I live is SLIGHTLY off the beaten path.)

We decided to make it a crazy hat event. So...we wore crazy hats from pub to pub. Naturally, I was the only one (besides Matt who is always up for anything) that really got into it, so most of the hats are mine. Clearly, I presumed other people would lame out, so I preempted the possibility that I might be the only one in fancy dress, and I brought out extra hats to force people into wearing them :) I'm such a good friend, eh?

Sami and Jason came to watch our hockey game (in the pooooouring rain), and we WON!!! Our first win since I've lived in this country! I know sports aren't about winning (but DAMN it felt good)! WOOOHOOOOO. (Okay, it STILL feels good, one week later.) And I had the assist! I was feeling greedy for a goal, but I'll certainly take an assist on a win.

This is a photo of us, soaking wet, post win. I'm going to treasure this photo forever...since I don't plan on winning again any time soon. ;)

Things kind of went downhill after Sami's visit. I had been talking to him and others about how I wasn't feeling fulfilled in my job. The students are SO difficult, and I just felt like, I've spent five years teaching/crowd controlling kids that don't want to learn...when do I get to actually better my teaching practice by actually TEACHING? In addition, I don't have qualified teacher status in England the way I do in the US, and without that, it is very difficult to get a job in a decent school. I have been thinking that I should start looking for schools that will let me do my teaching practice and get my Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) which will allow me to stay in this country (should I choose to do so) and not limit my options in my career. Furthermore, I have been having very serious problems with The PPP, and how they overwork their staff by taking advantage of workers and not adhering to the contract. We all know that one thing I don't lack is the ability to be vocal, and on numerous occasions, I (and others) have brought up these contractual discrepancies, and nothing has ever been done. People constantly say they will talk to their superiors, but nothing ever happens. Long story short, through lots of tears and lack of sleep, I resigned from my job on Monday.

I don't have another job to take it's place, but the term ends at Christmas, and I planned to stay on until Christmas while I looked for a new job for the next term. It is common for teachers to leave at the end of term, so there are a fair amount of positions available. In any case, on Wednesday I was told that I cannot stay on until the end of term, but that my last day will be Monday, November 30th. I was absolutely shocked. It is highly unconventional to turn a teacher down that wants to stay until the end of term. They will not be able to find a teacher in time, and they will have to higher a substitute...when I was OFFERING to stay! This shock made it all the more clear to me that I made the right decision in resigning because my organization does not have the best interests of the students at hand. (I was in the middle of finishing final drafts of papers that they need in order to graduate with them, for goodness sakes!)

Now, my company prides itself on honesty, and non-oppressive practice. I decided that in order to follow in the ethos of the company, I should be honest with the company about the reasons why I was leaving. So, I wrote a formal resignation letter explaining my reasons (listed above) to the company. I decided to email the letter to everyone. I figured, everyone has the right to know why I've left, instead of speculating about the reasons after I'm gone. Apparently, people don't exactly DO this. (Kidding, kidding, I know people don't exactly do this...but I'm a bit fiery, and I like to protest when things are unfair. I should have been a suffragette...) The letter detailed how I feel that the ethos of the company is brilliant, which is why I accepted a job at The PPP, but I think the CEO is out of touch with what actually happens in his buildings, and the ethos is not actually being practiced. Decisions are made based on money, and not based on the best interests of the students. (Don't worry, believe it or not, I was very tactful...as tactful as you can be when you are writing a letter to an entire company, and a CEO, of a company of only 80 people, who has never bothered to meet you.)

Let's just say, I was shocked by the responses. People I hardly know sent me emails thanking me, applauding me for my courage, and telling me that they too have been raising similar issues and nothing is happening. One guy who I've spoken to only once, from a different building than mine (he works with ESL kids), came over to my building after work to kiss me (on the lips!, but don't worry, he's verrry into his boyfriend) and thank me for bringing the issues out into the open. The CEO of the company responded to the email and has called a meeting for people to address these issues (after I've left, of course). Basically, I wrote the letter for my own personal gratification, but it felt really good to see it responded to in such a positive way. (Not positive for everyone, of course. My boss is truly thrilled about it because he agrees with me, but HR are horrified because I raised some issues about things that could be taken to the press and shed a not-so-flattering light on our organization.)

Moral of the story...I'm still out of a job, come Monday. I am in touch with about five teaching agencies right now to get me work for January. My old agency is giving me substitute teaching work up until Christmas. I sent out two applications to schools on my own, schools that I am really interested in working at (socio-economically diverse, relaxed atmosphere where students don't wear uniforms, young progressive staff, but with a population of students known for wanting to learn). I never expected to get a call back from these schools because last year I sent out about 50 applications, and not one of them responded to me. The only jobs I was able to interview for were with an agency. Anyhow, one of the two schools called me for an interview this coming Monday. (And they BETTER have! I spent 5 hours filling out their application form and crafting the most amazing cover letter in the history of cover letters!) I know I have a 1% chance of getting this position, but I'm over the moon at being given the opportunity to even interview! Then, I have interviews with schools through agencies on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Let's just say, I panicked when I didn't have a job anymore, and contacted every agency I've ever heard of.

This has been lengthy, even after my attempts to make it short, but if you made it to the end, think happy thoughts for me on Monday!

Love you!!!

Sarah

PS: This is what my schedule looks like for Christmas break...who is going to be around??

December 20-25--Connecticut
December 26-27--New Jersey (Bouncing Souls wootwoot!)
December 28-31--New York (I'm TOTALLY going to Oxford Street today and splurging on a ridiculous dress for new years even though I have no real excuse to wear it...)