Did I do the right thing? Am I going to regret this? (preparing to return to work)

[BamaTanya]

I have been working toward a gifted/talented education graduate degree since Jan 07. I've completed 9 of 13 courses and should finish in May. The problem? I must do an internship in the spring. That means daycare for the little one (an additional expense when I'm not getting paid!)

My advising professor told me about a local opening in the schools. A g/t teacher is taking maternity leave for the year. I could do the internship while working! Of course, that means daycare this fall, but I could afford it! By the time the g/t teacher comes back, I'll have completed my degree and can apply for other jobs.

I interviewed and was offered the job. Yea! Well . . . kind of. When completing the process, we got stalled. There are (at least) 2 problems. 1) The leave request from the regular teacher had not been processed and the position is not "open" and 2) budget cuts prevent the system from hiring new teachers as they are "rearranging" staff cut last year.

I could take the position as a substitute.

A substitute?

That is 1/3 the pay my credentials (experienced, master's level teacher) would ordinarily net. With no sick leave (no pay if I miss work -- and I have 5 dc!), no insurance, no retirement. I would work for the year and it wouldn't count toward my teaching experience. Theoretically, my status *could* change later in the year, but there are no promises.

On the flip side, I suppose it would be a break-even position. I would be making contacts and I would probably make enough to pay for child care. I could finish my "internship."

I turned it down. I told the interviewer that I, a mother with family concerns, could not afford to work without benefits. I turned it down on principle.

I suppose I actually *could* afford it. I've been taking out student loans for my schooling. We could continue that. It's just that I went into the interview with certain expectations and I determined to be professional and to demand professional treatment. I stood up for myself (very kindly).

Now I'm going over it again in my mind. Did I shoot myself in the foot? I *still* have to pay for daycare in the spring . . .

Tell me: would you take *much* less pay than you deserve for your professional work? Should I swallow my pride and tell them I’ve reconsidered? Or did I do the right thing?

[WendyK]

I think you had a tough decision to make and you made a decision. Either choice had its pros and cons obviously. I wouldn't dwell on it now. Look for another opportunity. It may seem like the riskier choice, but you might find something that suits you better.

[WTMindy]

I can't tell you if you did the right thing or not, but in our town, they rarely hire a teacher on a normal contract at first. There is just too much unknown for the district and they can't over hire when they don't have an accurate account of student FTE. Most of the time the sub starts turn into contracts once they have sorted out enrollment issues and spread the staff around.

If they do hire you on with a contract after the year starts, do you get retro-pay? They usually do that here too. Are you sure that the time you put in subbing doesn't count? In our state, they do count subbing days towards experience if you work enough days in the year.

Again, I don't know what is right or wrong for your family, but it does seem like a good job for your situation. I might reconsider your decision.

[JFS in IL]

It sounds like the school folk want more than for which they are willing to pay.
They interviewed you for a position that is not truly "open" yet and then offer you the same work at lesser compensation? You do NOT want to work in any way for those folks. Keep looking.

If they had been upfront and interviewed you to be a sub. for the year - that is another story. Then I would call it getting your foot in the door and advised you to take it. That is how my neighbor (a certified teacher) has gotten back to work after taking several years off to care for her kids.