A Cup of Tea

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

7th grade social studies! So 13 year olds, basically. I've taught this group before, and while I haven't done this particular lesson with them, I've done very similar ones about the treaty of Versailles (the German team inevitably gets super pissed by the end, it's great) and the decision to use atomic weapons against Japan. It's a really fun age because kids are just now blossoming into adults and are having these debates for the first time, so it's all fresh and interesting to them.

[superdeath]

Wish i had the money to be a history teacher

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

it's actually not hard to become a sub. At least in Missouri, all you need is a college degree, and you can apply to get a substitute teaching certificate. You can use that to get your foot in the door while you pursue a full teaching certificate.

[superdeath]

Well, i swapped to a different job when i was in college at DMACC.. which caused me to not be able to attend a 4credit history class.. so then my financial aid kinda fell thru. So id need money to get the degree to then teach.

[darrelljs]

The lesson I need to teach is "How did decisions following WWII lead to the Cold War?"

I question the assumption that the Cold War resulted from decisions rather than circumstances.

Darrell

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

and that's absolutely a case you can make!

But we're teaching the 7th graders the simpler version.

[superdeath]

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

So I had my interview last night, at 11:30 Korean time. I walked them through my lesson and fielded their questions, which were not softballs. The chair of the history department asked, "There are two schools of thought regarding the Cold War - one that it came about as a result of our decisions, the other that the Cold War was basically inevitable. Your lesson seems to be arguing the former - could you comment on the latter school? What are your thoughts on that?" basically Darrel's assertion yesterday, so thanks for making sure I had that in mind! The superintendent of human resources asked how I would make sure students were engaged in the lesson, and furthermore what does engagement look like in a classroom. Finally, the principal asked how I would build a classroom environment that would make a lesson like what I was proposing successful, and if I could give examples of how I had done that in Korea. Then I got some time for questions of my own. 

It was a tough interview, but I think I handled myself well - and I got the word this morning that I'm on to round 3, which will be with a panel of 6-9 teachers and administrators from the school. All former coworkers, so that will be fun!

[superdeath]

The lesson I need to teach is "How did decisions following WWII lead to the Cold War?"

I question the assumption that the Cold War resulted from decisions rather than circumstances.

Darrell

Instead of nuking russia and expanding both US reach and Europes reach, we instead had stalin/communism for a bit longer.

[superdeath]

On a more serious note: I have received word that i won my job back + backpay from the post office. THIS IS AMAZING, if they would just tell me when i could get this stuff so i know how to handle bills.

But, on the other side of things.. Been coughing a bit and had one of my bi-yearly seizures earlier this week so ive been sore and not working lately. So kinda hoping between the 1200 deposit the gov is "supposed" to be sending and this backpay... i hope one of those makes it to me in time before i start going thru my stash of sardines in a can.