Sunday, September 7, 2008
The Gamers: Dorkness Rising
Daina and I just finished watching (we watched it twice as a matter of fact) the newest Dead Gentlemen's flick and follow up film to The Gamers. The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is hilarious! It's quality and production value is considerably better than The Gamers and, at one hour and forty-five minutes long, it's quite a bit more lengthy than the first film. Buy it! Watch it! I mean, C'mon.... Any movie that has a wall of dead bards to hide behind and a cooked undead turkey in it, is Oscar worthy material as far as I'm concerned!!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Um...yeah...
Greetings All,
I was just surfing some online news at Yahoo when I came across an article regarding the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin. It read as follows,
"First, a campaign-issued timeline said McCain initially met Palin in February, then held one phone conversation with her last week before inviting her to Arizona, where he met with her a second time and offered her the job Thursday."
Now THIS is what kills me! I’m simply trying to get a position as an elementary schoolteacher. Besides just filling out a lengthy application that asks a myriad of questions about my background and experience including a statement from me detailing why I wish to work in that district, I have to jump through the following hoops to even begin to be considered for a position:
o I must complete a well defined program of academic study at an accredited college or university that results in my receiving a Bachelor's Degree and state certifications in the educational disciplines associated with aforementioned academic program.
o I must produce authentic documentation of my official certificates allowing me to practice pedagogy in the State of New York.
o A well polished and detailed resume.
o Letters of recommendation from my college professors, school co-workers and administrators such as teachers and principals respectively.
o References from past employment supervisors.
o My transcripts from my undergraduate and graduate classes at college.
o My placement folder from college - While in college I had to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better to stay in the undergraduate educational program and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for continuance in my graduate educational program.
o I had to, initially, pass a National Teacher Exam (NTE) that was federally approved and mandated. Later, I had to pass three – 4-hour state examinations, testing my general knowledge, my professional knowledge, and my content specialty knowledge, and must pass yet another “content knowledge” exam if I want to pursue my further certification to teach Social Studies.
o I had to take and pass a class in ASL sign language for the deaf.
o I had to attend seminars on recognizing child abuse, teasing and bullying, and drug abuse.
o I had to successfully complete an online approved course (including a final examination) entitled - “Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect: Identification and Reporting New York State Mandatory Course”.
o I had to be fingerprinted and have a federal FBI cross check done on me as well as a local level law enforcement background check.
o I am not allowed to have any prior felonies, and I am required to report any misdemeanors outside of minor traffic infractions and parking violations.
o I had to sign a document stating that I had no physical or mental disabilities that would prevent me from performing my tasks as an educator.
o I needed to take a "Tine Test" to test for Tuberculosis and come up negative.
For districts that might be interested in actually hiring me the interview process is lengthy and rigorous consisting of:
- An initial interview where I faced a panel of professional and lay people (Yep, I was seated at the end of a long table and was facing nine individuals) consisting of a superintendent, an assistant superintendent, an elementary school principal and a middle school principal, an assistant principal, two teachers, a teaching assistant, a teacher’s aid, and a parent who questioned me on various topics, scenarios, assessment ability, professional knowledge and experience that I had to answer on the spot!
- If I got through that I would have to face another interview with the superintendent or the assistant superintendent and elementary school principal.
- If I passed that, then I would have a final interview with the superintendent or the assistant superintendent and, if I agreed on the contract they were offering, I would finally get the job.
o For my teaching certifications to become permanent:
- Within a five year period of receipt of my initial certifications, I must be hired as a full-time classroom teacher and work for a period of no less than two consecutive years in the same school district.
- From my time of being hired as a full-time classroom teacher, I have a period of five years in which to complete a program of academic study at an accredited college or university that results in my receiving a Master's Degree.
Keep in mind that there are a few steps and processes that I have left out, both in the requirements and interview process for the sake of keeping this email relatively short and to the point.
Again, let’s review my interview process (see above) to become a schoolteacher versus the Republican interview process of ONE phone call and a SINGLE one-on-one meeting in person to get the job of VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!! A position that is one heartbeat away from becoming the most powerful person on Earth!! And you know what? If the principal becomes incapacitated for whatever reason, I would NOT automatically move into their position! Thank God, however, that my pay scale is commensurate with my position and selection process for becoming a teacher versus becoming Vice President of the United States of America.... Oh wait!
Kevin
I was just surfing some online news at Yahoo when I came across an article regarding the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin. It read as follows,
"First, a campaign-issued timeline said McCain initially met Palin in February, then held one phone conversation with her last week before inviting her to Arizona, where he met with her a second time and offered her the job Thursday."
Now THIS is what kills me! I’m simply trying to get a position as an elementary schoolteacher. Besides just filling out a lengthy application that asks a myriad of questions about my background and experience including a statement from me detailing why I wish to work in that district, I have to jump through the following hoops to even begin to be considered for a position:
o I must complete a well defined program of academic study at an accredited college or university that results in my receiving a Bachelor's Degree and state certifications in the educational disciplines associated with aforementioned academic program.
o I must produce authentic documentation of my official certificates allowing me to practice pedagogy in the State of New York.
o A well polished and detailed resume.
o Letters of recommendation from my college professors, school co-workers and administrators such as teachers and principals respectively.
o References from past employment supervisors.
o My transcripts from my undergraduate and graduate classes at college.
o My placement folder from college - While in college I had to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better to stay in the undergraduate educational program and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for continuance in my graduate educational program.
o I had to, initially, pass a National Teacher Exam (NTE) that was federally approved and mandated. Later, I had to pass three – 4-hour state examinations, testing my general knowledge, my professional knowledge, and my content specialty knowledge, and must pass yet another “content knowledge” exam if I want to pursue my further certification to teach Social Studies.
o I had to take and pass a class in ASL sign language for the deaf.
o I had to attend seminars on recognizing child abuse, teasing and bullying, and drug abuse.
o I had to successfully complete an online approved course (including a final examination) entitled - “Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect: Identification and Reporting New York State Mandatory Course”.
o I had to be fingerprinted and have a federal FBI cross check done on me as well as a local level law enforcement background check.
o I am not allowed to have any prior felonies, and I am required to report any misdemeanors outside of minor traffic infractions and parking violations.
o I had to sign a document stating that I had no physical or mental disabilities that would prevent me from performing my tasks as an educator.
o I needed to take a "Tine Test" to test for Tuberculosis and come up negative.
For districts that might be interested in actually hiring me the interview process is lengthy and rigorous consisting of:
- An initial interview where I faced a panel of professional and lay people (Yep, I was seated at the end of a long table and was facing nine individuals) consisting of a superintendent, an assistant superintendent, an elementary school principal and a middle school principal, an assistant principal, two teachers, a teaching assistant, a teacher’s aid, and a parent who questioned me on various topics, scenarios, assessment ability, professional knowledge and experience that I had to answer on the spot!
- If I got through that I would have to face another interview with the superintendent or the assistant superintendent and elementary school principal.
- If I passed that, then I would have a final interview with the superintendent or the assistant superintendent and, if I agreed on the contract they were offering, I would finally get the job.
o For my teaching certifications to become permanent:
- Within a five year period of receipt of my initial certifications, I must be hired as a full-time classroom teacher and work for a period of no less than two consecutive years in the same school district.
- From my time of being hired as a full-time classroom teacher, I have a period of five years in which to complete a program of academic study at an accredited college or university that results in my receiving a Master's Degree.
Keep in mind that there are a few steps and processes that I have left out, both in the requirements and interview process for the sake of keeping this email relatively short and to the point.
Again, let’s review my interview process (see above) to become a schoolteacher versus the Republican interview process of ONE phone call and a SINGLE one-on-one meeting in person to get the job of VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!! A position that is one heartbeat away from becoming the most powerful person on Earth!! And you know what? If the principal becomes incapacitated for whatever reason, I would NOT automatically move into their position! Thank God, however, that my pay scale is commensurate with my position and selection process for becoming a teacher versus becoming Vice President of the United States of America.... Oh wait!
Kevin
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