Recently I investigated the mystery of why after a 21 year teaching career in NYC I have no pension...better late than never. This project took me on a trip down memory lane. I reviewed my years as a paraprofessional/teacher's assistant, my years teaching in an alternative program called ASHR/Auxiliary Services For High Schools and my years teaching on the college level as an adjunct professor ay BMCC and NYU. All those years of teaching service just didn't add up to a pension. Why? What was missing? I contacted the United Federation of Teachers and the Teachers Retirement Fund in NYC to get some answers. I did get more clarity from the union rep right here in FL. where I reside.
And then the light came on...there was a 3 year period in the middle of my career when I left the Board of Education for an offer I couldn't refuse. Here's how it all began...
My career in education first began when my 5 kids were all in school and I was going to college at night to get a teaching degree. I decided to get some on the spot experience and extra money. So I went to the high school my 2 oldest attended to get a position that allowed me to be off when my kids were...cause that's how I roll! As luck would have it they were looking for a para so I fell right into that job. I enjoyed working with kids in the reading program,cause I am an avid reader myself. Ever hear of reading foe pleasure I would ask them. I also enjoyed getting the accolades from my daughters' teachers,she a star student but not so much the complaints about my son who enjoyed cutting up and not doing homework. That position took me through to my degree and my divorce which I got in the same year which was lucky for me because now I really needed to support myself. While working as a para I befriended a couple of teachers who later left the traditional classroom and moved on to ASHS, an alternative program.I'm all about alternative so they invited me to come on board when I got my degree...which I did cause that's how I roll! At that same period in my life I moved to Long Beach,L.I. I went to the sea to recover from my divorce after a 21 year marriage. 21 seems to be a relevent number in my life story. There I made some new friends and swam in the healing waters of the Atlantic.
I enjoyed my time at ASHS, it was a scary/exciting time being newly divorced and all. I had gone from my parents' to my husband with no breathing space in between, this was my first time on my own and I was 40 years old. Je ne rien regrette, I did it my way.
I loved teaching,I prepared the HS dropouts for the Language Arts part of the GED which was right up my alley and it was thrilling when they passed and could go on to college. And I loved using my creativity to create fun lessons. It was a stimulating environment. As the years rolled by, I got an invite from a friend and former neighbor. She was marrying an important person at Adelphi University on LI and he was looking for someone to run the Manhattan Center. By this tim e I was living in Manhattan in Tribeca so she asked me if I was interested in the job? I was thrilled! My fellow teachers not so much...are you crazy? leaving the board of ed? (clue-years later I understood why) . At the time I said Why? I got a better offer and I meant it. I was delighted with this opportunity,not to be cavalier about it...I guess I was just naive and innocent.
This assignment was the highlight of my career so far. My commute to work was a short ,sweet bus ride from Tribeca downtown to 28th St. , very pedestrian.
My duties were to oversee all the Ed programs offered at the site 7 days a week and make sure they were running smoothly. I loved calling meetings with all the program heads to brainstorm, problem solve and raise morale. I was in my element! My first challenge came when the operations manager who had expected to be promoted to my job quit. (welcome to the real world) I admit I got this position through nepotism. Now I needed to throw myself into hiring a new operations manager. I threw myself into it with gusto and took on the challenge. I placed want ads and interviewed candidates. I loved it! I hired a young black man who was bright and savvy. My supervisor loved him, a coup for me. coincidentally, he just happened to do some volunteer work at the Joyce Theater/Dance. I enjoyed many a dance performance with comps from him. Ah! the perks of the position.
No comments:
Post a Comment