Looking for Work at 64

This is what I run into every time!

For 30+ years, I have been teaching. It began with homeschooling my own children; later I took on the children of many of my friends and neighbors. After I finished my bachelor’s in education, I also taught for a full year in my classroom while attending classes in Arizona. I worked for several years as a full-time substitute including at J.W. Eater in Rantoul. I completed my master’s degree while I was working at Eater.

Full-time subbing is like having your own class; at least, that's what it was like for me. I had a full semester as the music teacher and almost a full semester subbing for the 7^th-grade math teacher, along with other substitute responsibilities while at Eater, Once I completed my masters’ degree, I went to work for Parkland Adult Education, where until December I taught for six years.

And yet, with all this education and experience, I can't find a teaching job even online without being certified. Why am I NOT certified, you might ask? Well, I finished both my bachelor’ and master’ degrees online through Ashford University, now part of the University of Arizona Global Campus. I was not able to get a position anywhere in Illinois to do my student teaching. I was told - erroneously, apparently - that if I did full-time subbing, that would count as my student teaching. WRONG! It doesn't count, and now the state tells me that even after all that education and teaching, I still need to take another year or more of college classes to be certified...or licensed as they call it here. 

I don't want to go back to college. I need to work, and I still owe way too much money for student loans to have to take more. 

The problem with finding work, even online, is that everyone hiring is either paying $12 an hour and offering 5-10 hours a week (definitely not enough), or they require you to be certified in the state you live in, or both.

I'm asking you, especially anyone who teaches or is on a school board, or works for the education department in ANY state: DOES THIS SOUND RIGHT TO YOU? IS IT FAIR? And what would you do if you were in my situation at my age? Would you go back to school, or just find something else?

It's just so frustrating after spending most of my life teaching to be stopped now. If it wasn't for my compromised immune system preventing me from going back to live classes, I would still be working at Parkland; but that's no longer possible. I feel like everything I've done to get to this point was for nothing.

Sorry. Just had to rant today. I'll be better tomorrow.

Chasing Life After 64

There comes a time in everyone’s life when changes must be made. No matter how much you love where you’re at and what you’re doing, life forces you to make changes that can upend your life and trigger a reevaluation of the choices you’ve made along the way.

I’m old. At least, I feel old…today. Actually, for the last year. I know most people don’t see me as old, except maybe my grandchildren who think I’m ancient.

I had a birthday this past Tuesday. I am now 64 years old. Last year, I was excited to move ahead and experience life again as a healthy older adult. I made a remarkably fast recovery after my kidney transplant in 2019; I was back to work and loving it again. Life was looking good!

Then COVID hit. I couldn’t return to the classroom because of my compromised immune system…too many drugs! But teaching online was good. I grew to love it.

Other things grew as well – like my hips, my waist, my double chin. And the longer the pandemic persisted, the more I sat in my comfy chair, and the wider and lazier I got. But I was feeling good and happy to be working, so life, for the most part, was agreeable.

                     Or so I thought.

2021 was not good to me. I fell 5 times: once, down my daughter’s staircase; twice in a snowbank; another time when my daughter’s dog ran a circle around me, wrapped her leash around one leg, and threw me to the ground in a precariously painful manner. Oh, yes, and once when I stepped out my front door. Things just went downhill…literally….from there.

I should mention at this point that 1) I didn’t break anything, although I got a concussion on the staircase, and 2) I have a wonderful neighbor who came and rescued me from the snowbank, where I was rolling around and hollering, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!”

In August 2021 Parkland opened up the school again and we went back to teaching in the classroom. I was glad to be back, but I began to realize how weak I had become from more than a year of sitting. At least, that’s what I thought it was from. Apparently, the concussion from March was still affecting me in August, and I had developed vertigo. I stumbled around like a 90-year old woman, but it certainly kept the students entertained.

I also began to forget things and lose my focus. I didn’t know what was happening to me, and it was scary. I was sure I was developing Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia. But again, it was all from the concussion. I never knew a concussion could last so long! I had to go to physical therapy for several months.

COVID finally put an end to my job. I had been teaching at Parkland for six years. I’ve put in almost 30 years teaching every age and grade level in both public and private schools. I loved it! I still do. But because of problems with my immune system (due to all the medications I must take), I can no longer teach in the classroom, and Parkland could not give me enough hours to continue online.

So, the time for reevaluation has come, and “I think I’m quite ready for another adventure!” (Bilbo Baggins (2003); Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.)

 I’m going in a new direction, and, with determination and a WHOLE LOT OF LUCK, it will be the best life experience I’ve had so far. And I want to take as many along as are willing to join me.

So, stay tuned, and hold on to the rail. This could get a little rough!