Career Conundrum, Spoiled for Choice


Jean de la Fontaine wrote “En tout chose il faut considerer la fin” [In all matters one must consider the end]. After abandoning my goals, and dare I say “dreams”, of pursuing my Teaching career some four years ago to become a Correctional Officer, I find myself with an offer from the local school board in my hand. Had an opportunity such as this been offered to me back then, there would be nothing to give up and I would have jumped at the opportunity. When I set out into the teaching world, I aspired to help kids who grew up in the inner city as I did, to amount to more than their surroundings had to offer. I did teach adults from this demographic for a little over a year before teaching maximum security inmates at the local correctional facility. One thing lead to another there and I found myself make the shift from Teacher to Correctional Officer.

The offer is to teach at a K-12 school for students who have been expelled from every other possible programme and school in the area – this is basically their last chance. The Principal seems like someone who knows what’s what in that she’s not idealistic, stating most of the students that they have will one day end up at the maximum security facility that I presently work. There are problems with drugs, violence (including staff assaults), abuse and every other horror story that you might imagine. It sounds like the chaos I’ve been looking for!

So, what’s holding me back? I firstly want to see the facility and meet some of the staff to see if they are a fit as working in such an environment depends so much on teamwork. Money wise, I reckon that it will be comparable to my current salary. The hours will certainly beat shift work too!

…No, the only two major concerns I have are (1) job security and (2) the burn-out factor. Let’s not kid ourselves, there is plenty of job security where I am presently employed, and, having a wife and daughter who are dependent on that paycheque leaves me with some hefty responsibilities. School Boards can be fickle. Before being made “permanent” there could be funding cuts or whatever, causing me to be made redundant.

As for the second point, where I presently work there are serious incidents and stressors, that goes without saying. However, to be on the front lines with some 15 out of control youths, in addition to all the horrors of drug addiction, suicide, sexual molestation, etc., one must maintain some sense of detachment – this is a sense of detachment for which I don’t know if I have a stomach for.

Finally, getting older doesn’t help. It’s hard to start off as the new kid on the block at 37. I’m comfortable where I’m at the prison, and like many of my colleagues. There is a sense of a “band of brothers” in that I have been through virtual combat scenarios with many of those with whom I work. I must say, for most teaching gigs, the fact that I have become somewhat institutionalised would make the transition very difficult as I found out last year. This particular position, however, would provide a much smoother shift. I can’t imagine someone who went straight from High School into university to get a teaching degree filling such a position, that’s for sure!

Anyway, I can puzzle and puzzle and puzzle ‘til my puzzler is sore like the old Grinch, but guess I’ll just have to see how things look on Monday when I meet with the Principal and then go with my gut!