The Hamster Wheel

Maybe from the title, you thought I was going to tell a funny tale about a hamster getting lost in a class I subbed in, instead I am going to tell you about my hamster wheel, otherwise known as: dun, dun, dun: The Job Search. I fill out application after application, write paper after paper and to what end? At the end of the day I have just written one more paper about my philosophy of education and written about how I am such a great teacher. Well, I would like to stop thinking and writing about my philosophy and actually DO IT!
I know its only been a few days since school began, but I am beginning to grow impatient. I really thought for sure that by being willing to substitute ANYWHERE that I would get a sub job soon, yet I am still sitting at home not subbing. So I decided that maybe I should expand my horizons. I began searching other school districts and found that a couple of them still have positions open.
So here is a maxim that I was reminded of Monday and Tuesday: Finding a job is a lot more work than actually having a job. In order to apply for an open job, in a district where I already applied the year before I had to: fill out the application, print out several forms to sign and take in, resend forms to my references to fill out and send in, write a narrative statement about a current issue facing education, write a letter of application regarding my instructional practices I value, my philosophy of classroom management, and my commitment to education.
Ok, so now that I spent a day crafting a letter to the principal of the school where I am hoping for a position, and another day writing the narrative statement and the letter of application, I am not really that much closer to having a job. Maybe I will get called for an interview, now that would be something. Then I wouldn't feel like I had wasted my time. Chances are they will never even call me and I will just have to write some more papers or letters about my philosophy of education tailored specifically to whatever the next application asks for.
Back to the hamster wheel for me!