Grab Bag

Funny

I saw this in English yesterday and figured it needed to be translated to Spanish.  So I did.

It's one of those rare jokes that is easy to understand in the foreign language and is also funny.  The kids will like the meme faces too.

More Targeted Advertizing

How do they know this about me?  What information of mine is out there that these advertisers have access to?

Do you get ads like this in your browser sidebar too?  Eerily accurate.

Teach Away Update and Head Scratching

Well, the folks at Teach Away have me stumped.  I filled out their forms and applications, sent in my documents, and got references from people who think I walk on water.  Once you've filled out everything, you apply for the jobs you are interested in by simply clicking the button.  Easy and pain free, yes.  But, at the same time, you get no chance to make a personal connection.  I think that is very important when it comes to teachers.  I figured there would be an interview process to accomplish that, right?

Apparently I was not good enough even for an email for three of these jobs.  I went over there today and saw "application closed" next to my listing.  Well!  Part of me wants to call them up and take them to task.  Hello!  I'm a native speaker of this language and I've taught it professionally for years.  I write my own materials; I publish a teaching blog, I'm fluent in two other languages.  I am a certified teacher with years of experience.  The NBPTS is the highest level of teacher certification that exists in the United States!!  Hello?  Hello?!  Anybody home?

It is probably because I do not hold the TEFL/TESL certificate that is offered by University of Toronto - the Teach Away business partner.  If that's it, then I will play ball.  I'm happy to go through their coursework to prove that I'm a worthy candidate . . . I just wish I knew for sure, you know?  If it is something else (my nationality, my age, my gender, the fact I have a school-age child . . . ) - something I cannot control, then I don't want to take classes that are not going to promote my career.  But, if they just mark my application "Closed" without talking to me, then I don't know what I need to do to make myself a more attractive candidate.

Spring Break

Track-out is two weeks long this time around, instead of three, because of snow days.  Still, two weeks off is great.  I'm grateful for some time off, to be sure.  I had that hellish last day of the quarter where everyone and their best friend was bringing me make-up work along with sob stories . . . and I'm such a softie, I always take the make-up work.

The best thing, after going through the hellish last day of the quarter, is waking up the next day and realizing it's track-out and I can relax for a few weeks.

 

I hope every little thing is going well for you, amigos.  Drop me a line and say hi sometime, okay?


Hasta pronto,

--AnneK