I'm nearly 54 and job-hunting again.
This is one time I envy those who are under 30 and doing this. They can move all over the country, especially if they're not married yet. Life's one big adventure, and they're on the "upward slope" (Robert Louis Stevenson, Songs of Travel). There are times I wish I was 30 again, and no doubt it would have been a different big adventure.
I've applied to nearly 30 positions and received two interviews--both at local small Catholic colleges. One interview lasted all of 10 minutes, and the other at least had the courtesy to ask all of the questions on her sheet. No offers yet, but I'm getting turned away from better and better positions.
I still have 25+ applications outstanding, but I'm finding that if I don't hear within a week of submission, I'm not going to hear in a positive way. Still I press on, for me, for my family, in praise of the One who made me. Onward.
Cheers.
*--Royce Robinson, Big Kids, Big Plans, 2009.
This is me and a bit of my work.
LinkedIn profile
STEM for all Scouts website
LibGuide, Bridges and Earthquakes
LibGuide, Research in Education
Essay: Knowledge vs. Understanding
Friday, February 28, 2014
Day in the Life*, part 4
I haven't done a blog post that was strictly about library work for a while, so I think I'll do "Day in the Life" again.
755am: walked in, sat down, ate my breakfast and scanned the Inquirer and the Times Herald, daily newspapers from Philadelphia and Norristown, respectively. The BK next door, which I've written up for poor customer service service on several occasions, forgot to salt the hash browns. It's little things like that that make me pine for my days at Country Kitchen.
I check my "Intranet" email and my yahoo email and discover that there are new PD opportunities. Made a mental note to check them later.
9 am: I'm working the paging list and ran into a few problems with copies of materials that weren't there. A lot of YA fiction going out today. I also do a "selfie" (self check-out) of a cookbook I ordered and a movie my daughter requested.
10am: First patron comes in to return books. It's snowing surprisingly hard, even for February. According to the weather talking heads, it's not supposed to amount to more than an inch and be done by noon. I'm not so sure, judging from the front row seat I have.
Sorry, it's 920 on Friday the 28th--forgot to finish the post, but truthfully, there's not much to report. Afternoons here have become deadly dull. Onward.
755am: walked in, sat down, ate my breakfast and scanned the Inquirer and the Times Herald, daily newspapers from Philadelphia and Norristown, respectively. The BK next door, which I've written up for poor customer service service on several occasions, forgot to salt the hash browns. It's little things like that that make me pine for my days at Country Kitchen.
I check my "Intranet" email and my yahoo email and discover that there are new PD opportunities. Made a mental note to check them later.
9 am: I'm working the paging list and ran into a few problems with copies of materials that weren't there. A lot of YA fiction going out today. I also do a "selfie" (self check-out) of a cookbook I ordered and a movie my daughter requested.
10am: First patron comes in to return books. It's snowing surprisingly hard, even for February. According to the weather talking heads, it's not supposed to amount to more than an inch and be done by noon. I'm not so sure, judging from the front row seat I have.
Sorry, it's 920 on Friday the 28th--forgot to finish the post, but truthfully, there's not much to report. Afternoons here have become deadly dull. Onward.
That's the way it was, and we died from it, AND WE LIKED IT! Introduction.
I've decided today to give bouquets and brickbats on customer service. Not just for the library but in other arenas as well. I'll name companies but not individual employees (I generally save that for my missives to the company in question).
Today's bad customer service experience was at Wawa in East Vincent Township, Chester County. I stop there for gas or lunch or breakfast on occasion. Often I get the overly chummy, chatty female cashier, when what I really want to do is get what I came for and get going again. This morning was especially egregious, in my estimation. I picked up a box of half-price donuts for my colleagues at the library, coffee and a sandwich for me, and went to the cashier station.
Cashier: "Hi"
Me: "hi"
Cashier: "Do you want a bag?"
Me: "please"
Cashier: "That's going to cost you one donut"
I was not in the mood to kid around. I waited a good ten seconds for her to proceed with my order, but when it became clear she wasn't going to continue without a response from me, I looked her square in the eye, glared, and said "May I move on, please?". She did, I completed my purchase, and went on with my day.
My mind was filled with unkind thoughts as I left the store (like saying to her, "from the looks of things, that's worked on other customers"--but I still struggle with my weight) but held my tongue. I swear, I wonder if I have undiagnosed Aspberger's syndrome. I get so impatient with people making lame jokes.
Well, that's the way it was, and I didn't like it--I was annoyed by it. Onward...
*--Dana Carvey, as a cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live, had a recurring character on Weekend Update called "the cranky old man" who would rant about nutrition, education, safety issues, and the like. I don't know ANYONE who does that, do you?
Today's bad customer service experience was at Wawa in East Vincent Township, Chester County. I stop there for gas or lunch or breakfast on occasion. Often I get the overly chummy, chatty female cashier, when what I really want to do is get what I came for and get going again. This morning was especially egregious, in my estimation. I picked up a box of half-price donuts for my colleagues at the library, coffee and a sandwich for me, and went to the cashier station.
Cashier: "Hi"
Me: "hi"
Cashier: "Do you want a bag?"
Me: "please"
Cashier: "That's going to cost you one donut"
I was not in the mood to kid around. I waited a good ten seconds for her to proceed with my order, but when it became clear she wasn't going to continue without a response from me, I looked her square in the eye, glared, and said "May I move on, please?". She did, I completed my purchase, and went on with my day.
My mind was filled with unkind thoughts as I left the store (like saying to her, "from the looks of things, that's worked on other customers"--but I still struggle with my weight) but held my tongue. I swear, I wonder if I have undiagnosed Aspberger's syndrome. I get so impatient with people making lame jokes.
Well, that's the way it was, and I didn't like it--I was annoyed by it. Onward...
*--Dana Carvey, as a cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live, had a recurring character on Weekend Update called "the cranky old man" who would rant about nutrition, education, safety issues, and the like. I don't know ANYONE who does that, do you?
Friday, February 7, 2014
You Should Be Dancing*
Observation: in the 1950's-1970's, it was the baton twirlers' mothers.
In the 1980's-2010's, it was the baton twirlers mothers wondering why
the band suddenly didn't need twirlers any more. Those who figured it
out became drum corp auxiliary (flags and rifles) mothers when their
girls joined the corps. Today it seems to be the Dance Moms (title in italics because of that vile show on
Lifetime) who are giving arts teachers fits.They all seem to fit a
pattern of behavior and attitude which will destroy even the best-laid
arts education program in a New York minute.
POSIT: School arts programs exist to, among other things, provide creative outlets of various kinds to students, an introduction to careers for those interested in going that direction, and information to all students on the fundamentals of particular art forms--not necessarily in that order. Further, local, state, and national organizations have created standards and/or best practices with the intention of providing a curricular basis.
For example, NAfME (National Association for Music Education, formerly MENC--Music Educators National Conference) has a list of nine such standards. To wit:
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
This doesn't include competition standards and it doesn't ask the music educator to value or emphasize one type of music over another. This broad set of standards allows for teachers to be uniquely creative, to draw upon their own strengths and knowledge to enrich their student's knowledge and experience base. One could even substitute the word "dance" or "choreography" in many of these standards, and chances are good that you'd be able to come up with a pretty strong curriculum if you did. Then again, I'm not the dance education expert--but wouldn't you know, there's a group who is.
NDEO, the National Dance Education Organization, has developed its own philosophy of what dance instruction should look like at various levels, and has coordinated with NAfME and other arts education organizations to create coordinated national standards for arts education.
I think it would pay for any parent whose child is involved in a K-12 school arts program (and an alarming number are not) to investigate these standards and decide for themselves whether or not their child's school arts program lives up to these standards. To the extent that they do not, both organizations offer myriad ways in which the concerned parent might positively advocate on their child's behalf.
Cheers...
*--Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, Children of the World, 1976.
POSIT: School arts programs exist to, among other things, provide creative outlets of various kinds to students, an introduction to careers for those interested in going that direction, and information to all students on the fundamentals of particular art forms--not necessarily in that order. Further, local, state, and national organizations have created standards and/or best practices with the intention of providing a curricular basis.
For example, NAfME (National Association for Music Education, formerly MENC--Music Educators National Conference) has a list of nine such standards. To wit:
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
This doesn't include competition standards and it doesn't ask the music educator to value or emphasize one type of music over another. This broad set of standards allows for teachers to be uniquely creative, to draw upon their own strengths and knowledge to enrich their student's knowledge and experience base. One could even substitute the word "dance" or "choreography" in many of these standards, and chances are good that you'd be able to come up with a pretty strong curriculum if you did. Then again, I'm not the dance education expert--but wouldn't you know, there's a group who is.
NDEO, the National Dance Education Organization, has developed its own philosophy of what dance instruction should look like at various levels, and has coordinated with NAfME and other arts education organizations to create coordinated national standards for arts education.
I think it would pay for any parent whose child is involved in a K-12 school arts program (and an alarming number are not) to investigate these standards and decide for themselves whether or not their child's school arts program lives up to these standards. To the extent that they do not, both organizations offer myriad ways in which the concerned parent might positively advocate on their child's behalf.
Cheers...
*--Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, Children of the World, 1976.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Happy Trails*
Sigh.
I had such high hopes for 2014.
One was that the Boy Scouts of America would do a better job adjusting to modern day conveniences like computers, networks, listservs, etc., and that they would once and for all, clarify their membership policy. Looks like it's not going to happen on either count. My son aged out six months ago, and I haven't been a leader there either, but I still get correspondence addressed to "chartered organization representative" inviting me to one function or another, in spite of repeated requests to remove me from their rolls. The local council as a whole isn't really good about using computers, although there are exceptions.
Second, I had hoped that the "alternative", now called Trail Life USA, would not get off the ground. Well, I'm going to allow the reader to judge for themselves if they choose to go to the website, but apparently the group is not for Catholics, Jews, Mormons, or members of other churches that have chosen to affiliate with the BSA through either chartering an organization or its individual members joining. As odious as some people find the BSA, you'll find a lot to dislike with "trail life", whose motto appears to be "Walk Worthy". Caveat Emptor!
*--Dale Evans Rogers, for Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, 1952.
I had such high hopes for 2014.
One was that the Boy Scouts of America would do a better job adjusting to modern day conveniences like computers, networks, listservs, etc., and that they would once and for all, clarify their membership policy. Looks like it's not going to happen on either count. My son aged out six months ago, and I haven't been a leader there either, but I still get correspondence addressed to "chartered organization representative" inviting me to one function or another, in spite of repeated requests to remove me from their rolls. The local council as a whole isn't really good about using computers, although there are exceptions.
Second, I had hoped that the "alternative", now called Trail Life USA, would not get off the ground. Well, I'm going to allow the reader to judge for themselves if they choose to go to the website, but apparently the group is not for Catholics, Jews, Mormons, or members of other churches that have chosen to affiliate with the BSA through either chartering an organization or its individual members joining. As odious as some people find the BSA, you'll find a lot to dislike with "trail life", whose motto appears to be "Walk Worthy". Caveat Emptor!
*--Dale Evans Rogers, for Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, 1952.
Friday, January 17, 2014
America*
Academic applications so far: 12 in 4 states
Public applications so far: 5 in Michigan, many more in PA in the five county area.
Observations:
1) $8-9.00 an hour for a job that requires a Master's degree and gives no benefits is nothing short of insulting (not my current job, mind you).
2) If what I was told about college music teaching jobs is true--that if it's posted, it's already taken--what's the point?
3) Ditto for the candidate whose background is unorthodox--like mine. Consider that I've been:
A) a music teacher, kindergarten to post-college;
B) a hardware store manager (which is a LOT like working a library, believe me--give me five minutes and you'll get an INTERESTING "elevator speech"';
C) a hard-working free-lance musician for most of the last 40 years. I'm truly a man who's "25 with 30 years experience"
D) a paraprofessional in a small rural public library for the last 2 1/2 years, dreaming of and working toward bigger and better things.
Top that, fellow candidates, and I'll see you in Philadelphia next week.
*--Paul Simon, Bookends, 1968.
Public applications so far: 5 in Michigan, many more in PA in the five county area.
Observations:
1) $8-9.00 an hour for a job that requires a Master's degree and gives no benefits is nothing short of insulting (not my current job, mind you).
2) If what I was told about college music teaching jobs is true--that if it's posted, it's already taken--what's the point?
3) Ditto for the candidate whose background is unorthodox--like mine. Consider that I've been:
A) a music teacher, kindergarten to post-college;
B) a hardware store manager (which is a LOT like working a library, believe me--give me five minutes and you'll get an INTERESTING "elevator speech"';
C) a hard-working free-lance musician for most of the last 40 years. I'm truly a man who's "25 with 30 years experience"
D) a paraprofessional in a small rural public library for the last 2 1/2 years, dreaming of and working toward bigger and better things.
Top that, fellow candidates, and I'll see you in Philadelphia next week.
*--Paul Simon, Bookends, 1968.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Same Old Auld Lang Syne*
It seems only fitting that I end 2013 with this title, one of my favorites by Dan Fogelberg. As I stated in my last post, I was on my back with excruciating back pain, muscle spasms, and honestly wondered if I was ever going to be pain free again.
Well, three weeks and two trips to the ER later (along with massive amounts of painkillers and physical therapy), I'm at least able to work for short periods of time. By turns it's been gratifying (the family gets along without me) and maddening (the family gets along without me) and I'm trying to get ready for the ALA mid-winter meeting in Philadelphia in 10 days to begin my job hunting in earnest.
Some thoughts on job-hunting:
1) I'm 53 (54 next month) and I realize that whoever hires me will do so at considerable cost. I taught school for the better part of 16 years, have run a successful business, played and sung a dizzying array of music at an even more dizzying level, and received my MSLS degree last month with a 3.916 GPA. Quality doesn't come cheap.
2) My dear wife and three teenage children don't see moving with dad's every job change as the adventure that they used to. Son has a girlfriend, and daughters are involved in many facets of their school's lives.
3) To quote Jon Lovitz's character in A League of Their Own, "How it works is, the train moves from town to town, not the station". Truer words were never spoken. While it would be really great if a job opened up in greater Philadelphia for which I was the perfect candidate and it was the perfect job with the perfect compensation package, chances are good that my next library job will be out of the area, and, to quote Patricia Wettig in City Slickers, "We'll jump off that bridge when we get to it".
4) It would be tempting to take a part-time reference or circulation position at a local library, or even a library managership at a public library. But that wasn't why I went to library school.
More later. Cheers
*--Dan Fogelberg, The Innocent Age, 1981.
Well, three weeks and two trips to the ER later (along with massive amounts of painkillers and physical therapy), I'm at least able to work for short periods of time. By turns it's been gratifying (the family gets along without me) and maddening (the family gets along without me) and I'm trying to get ready for the ALA mid-winter meeting in Philadelphia in 10 days to begin my job hunting in earnest.
Some thoughts on job-hunting:
1) I'm 53 (54 next month) and I realize that whoever hires me will do so at considerable cost. I taught school for the better part of 16 years, have run a successful business, played and sung a dizzying array of music at an even more dizzying level, and received my MSLS degree last month with a 3.916 GPA. Quality doesn't come cheap.
2) My dear wife and three teenage children don't see moving with dad's every job change as the adventure that they used to. Son has a girlfriend, and daughters are involved in many facets of their school's lives.
3) To quote Jon Lovitz's character in A League of Their Own, "How it works is, the train moves from town to town, not the station". Truer words were never spoken. While it would be really great if a job opened up in greater Philadelphia for which I was the perfect candidate and it was the perfect job with the perfect compensation package, chances are good that my next library job will be out of the area, and, to quote Patricia Wettig in City Slickers, "We'll jump off that bridge when we get to it".
4) It would be tempting to take a part-time reference or circulation position at a local library, or even a library managership at a public library. But that wasn't why I went to library school.
More later. Cheers
*--Dan Fogelberg, The Innocent Age, 1981.
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