I truly enjoy the place I teach currently. I am supported by the administration and have a lot of latitude to try new things as long as my students are acquiring necessary knowledge, skills, and overall education of various content. My students come from families that generally are not living from paycheck to paycheck and seem to be concerned with the grades their students are earning on a weekly or every other week basis. With all that said, this is the time of year that causes angst due to parents making decisions to re-enroll for next year AND pump these same people for even more cash by way of the annual auction.
It isn't that I think auctions are bad, it is just that I cannot participate most of the items are frivolous/impractical or highly priced for starting bids. I know I could write things off as a charitable donation but I just find it difficult to spend money on something that is not for me - as cool as it may be to have.
Last week I received an email asking would I be going? At first I was not going to go because the Carrabba's catered dinner was $40. If I am going to spend $40 on Carrabba's, I would want to do it with my daughter so we have some quality time together. But the money issue seemed to be petty - especially since I know I will be documenting this as a work-related event on next year's taxes. Then it dawned on me the real reason why I didn't want to go. I always get snagged at the last minute to some volunteer position where I can (and I am not joking here, I was really told this) "work my magic" with the technology push the auction was pushing. Generally speaking, I do not mind volunteering but GIVE ME NOTICE ahead of time rather than on the fly. It makes us both look sooooo much more professional. So the first thing that ran through my mind was "If I am paying $40 a pop, I better not be asked to volunteer."
Fortunately for me, a fellow teacher knew of the latter concern and let me know that if anyone asked me anything except "how are you doing?" she would run interference so I could slip out and go home - probably without the Carrabba's meal but that was a chance worth risking. The meal was fine and as usual, the gift baskets, swag and other nice but not necessity things to have were nice to look at and ooo and aaahhh over but nothing in which to write home to mom. I did manage to sit at the table with the headmaster who always has amusing stories to tell. All in all , it was a comfortable night - although I did sneak out 30 minutes early so I could come home and see if one of two things happened: either my dog needed to go out (or peed on the kitchen floor) OR my dog finally succumbed to his 17 years of life.
Yeah, I look at my dog periodically to see if he is breathing. He is closing in on doggy heaven, but that is a later post to come.
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