Time to Leap

I have been slowly taking steps towards quitting teaching and finding something part time and now I think it's time to leap...

The first step was getting Tyler to be ok with it. And finally he is ok with it. When asked if I should do it, I didn't get a "It's your decision..." He has finally started responding with a "Yes." Also, the sarcastic remarks about it being my fault if the family starves have finally started to decline.

The second step was talking to my principal. She had scheduled a meeting with me to talk about next year. I knew she was just wanting to see if I had put any thought into going back to the regular classroom but if you know me, you know I can't keep any secrets. So in about a million words or more, I told her I need a part time job for next year. I think through all my rambling and non-necessary excuse making she got the picture. The meeting ended with her saying that a contract would be there for me and if I wanted it I could take it. If not, she totally understood.

The third step was spreading the word at school so I felt even more like I would have to leap or forever be embarrassed upon returning another year. I have respectfully, told the literacy coach, the counselor, a second grade teacher and a third grade teacher. And like every other person I know so now if I was to return next year- pure embarrassment.

The fourth step was e-mailing the teacher I student taught with who now has her own tutoring business. Today I met with her and she is completely interested in adding me on. The only catch is that I will need to help in drumming up some business (i.e. students for me to tutor). As nervous as it makes me to think I may start out working only a few hours a week because I may not have many students at first (except 2-3 she can throw my way), I feel like this is the path I should take. I know it won't be the most reliable job because students come and go and their periods of the year where students are just too busy to be tutored but I think it will be ok. I just need to have faith that things will work out.

So now I must leap and drum up some business as I go. Please visit: www.envisiontutoring.com and think about how fantastic that website will look when I get my page on there because I'm not going to chicken out! And hopefully all will work out and I will be tutoring a bit in the month of June and then officially starting in August. Meanwhile, I will just keep thinking how great working only 20 hours a week will be (3-7 M-Th & Sat mornings) ...