Transition to part time teacher...

Ok, so it's a "larger" urban school district...

(insert silly noises as I rewind the video three months)

I've got all of my online application completed, I asked for letters of recommendation (with several reminders and thank yous), and I requested *Official Transcripts* and paid through the nose and waited...

(Silly fast-forward noises - one month ago)  

I have submitted EVERYTHING, only two months in the collecting. Really, only two months waiting for transcripts and letters. I mean, people have waited longer for lesser things right? Right?

And then I get the email that I have been waiting for:

Hello Mr. XXXXXX

You are an active candidate, and when you receive your ESOL certification, please let us know. That is a shortage area.

Best,

XXXXXXXXX

That's alright, I'm only  A YEAR AND A HALF away from completing that ADDITIONAL certification.
What am I? Slap Chop?

Long story short -- The district did email me wanting to set a time for an interview. Unfortunately, I was in a night class at the time and couldn't respond right away - that was Wednesday night. I called Thursday morning between classes (I was subbing) and they wanted to interview me that afternoon - STOP--

Alright, so I sub at the school that my older son goes to. I still have to finish out the day chasing kindergarten kids around the gym, support 5th grade in math and ELA, pull three sessions of playground duty and teach two sections of sixth grade technology. THEN, I have to figure out how my wife can take the kids for the afternoon because I have an interview TODAY.

No time to prep. No time to change (yes, I am a sneaker wearing teacher) no time to even think about this what questions to ask or what this interview means.

So, Mr. XXXXXX, what can you tell me about the 6 shifts from the standards to the common core?

My mind reels. I do believe that I blank out and that thirty minutes later I'm shaking hands, saying goodbyes, and hating the pit in my stomach.

The next day I get a job offer...  I accepted.

Now, I am sitting, waiting for the offer letter, wondering what grade I will be teaching, wondering what the schedule will be like, what is the school culture, and what is the curriculum....