Shameless Self-Promotion

One thing I have learned from my career as writer that I have (obviously) implemented in my quest to return to career as teacher is shameless self-promotion. Of course, I have. And it's weird. I started this "teacher blog" because one of my classes here is "required" to keep their own blogs. Because I'm one of those teachers who actually does every assignment the students do, I decided to launch this blog. When I say, "do every assignment", I mean it. When I assign an essay, I write one as a model. When I assign study guides for novels, they are written by me. But, I am having a cynical moment. My Facebook and this blog have become one, big walking advertisement: Teacher Extraordinaire. Hire me. Look at my displays. Look at my white board. Look. Look. Look.

And sigh. I mean, listen... "back in the day" we teachers didn't have these venues. We simply showed up to schools, hand-delivered our resumes, made old-fashioned phone calls and prayed. When we got interviews, we showed up and talked. No on-line applications, emails, fancy websites, blogspots. A handshake and a prayer got you a gig. Not anymore.

And thank gravy I launched a professional writing career and learned these "tools of the trade". I do like keeping a blog. It forces me to write at least these little essays every day. That and my private journal are the only writing I'm doing these days. I'm under so much stress and pressure serving as long-term sub here and there and interviewing and praying for a permanent gig for next year... I'm not writing. Ye gads. The world's gone mad. Not writing? Deep breath. It will cycle once again.

Finally, I love the irony of it all. I'm serving as creative writing teacher while not writing. Hopefully, the full-time job of looking for a full-time job will end and my mental space will empty and creativity will flourish again.

In the meanwhile... at least, I've been doing some high-quality teaching. These pickles are rockstars.