Deja Vous

I don’t know how I ever thought I would escape this. I don’t know how I had the audacity to believe it wouldn’t be me… or perhaps I was just oblivious. I shouldn’t have been, though. My mom was a teacher. 2 Aunts were teachers. My uncle worked in education administration. My cousin went on to be a teacher. My other cousin is doing Master’s work in education. That cousin’s brother just married a teacher. Another Aunt now works post-retirement in a school as a resource aid. Her husband, my uncle, does admin work at a college… And I thought I’d do something different? When I moved to Rock Island I needed a job to support ministry… I became a Kindergarten teacher… apparently you don’t need training to do this. And somehow it all just fell into place. I was a teacher. After 2 years of that I decided I would step out of school setting full time. However, a music teacher job found me.

I made NO effort to pursue the position. Heard about it from 3 random people, the last was someone who actually took the job and then quit it and thought I should take it. Somehow it ended up finding me… and I taught it for three years. I quit that position in ’05 and went on to teach private lessons full time. And here I am at the door of a school again... that same school… same job.

I have an excellent relationship with the school. LOVE the students. LOVE the teachers. Outstanding atmosphere. I just didn’t know if I’d be in the area long and wanted to be fair to them, so I resigned my position a school year ago.

A week ago the current music teacher quit. So I told the principle I’d be happy to fill the position until someone was found. However, knowing that the Christmas program (oh yes, the Christmas program) was upon us, no one would walk into a job in the middle of that. I knew I would be helping indefinitely and have the ability to do so. However, the principle called this morning and said, “I’d like to talk to you about possibly taking the job.” And I’m back in school again.

I haven’t said yes. I will ask for a few weeks. I don’t love elementary. However, I have always loved the idea of having current experience with a wide range of ages. And what it comes down to is education in the arts and that is what I’m completely sold on.

I’m just surprised to find myself here… again… for a job I’ve tried not to have… twice.