After submitting an application months ago a strange twist of fate afforded me the opportunity to interview at Greenberg Elementary School in the greater northeast region of Philadelphia. After a painstakingly long wait I have just been offered the position of 4th Grade Special Education Teacher.
This school is essentially a suburban school within 200 ft of Montgomery County. This means a drastically reduced number of assaults on teachers and serious incidents hindering our ability to teach. My previous placement, Ethan Allen School, had 118 suspensions last year. Greenberg had 8.
It pains me to think about the students and friends that I’m leaving behind who expect to be working with me next week. But as my parents, friends, and colleagues have told me, this is the one time where you have to be selfish. This is my career. I could have and wanted to deal with the bs of Ethan Allen for another 5-10 years. I kept telling myself, “I’m a young and resilient teacher. I can handle it.” While this may or may not be true, this is an opportunity that I cannot allow to pass.
So if you need to find me sometime in the next thirty years and I’m not at home, check Joseph Greenberg Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA.
