Talk-to-the-Hair

Yesterday marked one complete week of blogging every single night and I was going to celebrate my discipline - but then I forgot to blog.

So, today I'm celebrating my tradition of writing six days a week plus one day of rest. Yesterday, I did rest and went and got my hair cut and highlighted courtesy of my mother. I have been bemoaning our bills and fearing our unpaid mortgage, and my mother said, "Well, you need to at least look good for your sister's wedding."

My sister's wedding aside, I used my haircut today to bolster my presence when I made a few appeals for my Minnesota teaching license. My idea was to be appear both saavy, put-together, and NOT DESPERATE. A, I-know-what-I'm-worth attitude (and I have the hair cut and highlights to prove it).

Here was the result:

Stop #1 - The Minnesota Department of Education - I was here in order to look into one of my license restrictions.

"We have your files right here and we need proof that you attended this (indicating) Americorp program or this one."

"I wasn't a part of either program, but I was a Teaching Fellow supported by an Americorp grant."

"We only do those two programs."

"And Teaching Fellows, according to the paperwork," I added. She shuffled the papers, we both looked at the exceptions section, reading the exceptions applied to those who participated in "Americorps, Peace Corps, or Teacher Corps."

"See, it's different."

"I'm not sure I see the difference. Is not the requirement that the candidate work with and recognize diversity? Is there someone I could bring this too and appeal my case?"

"That's me."

"Then please examine my program. I worked in a low-income highly diverse neighborhood. I am sure that the program I participated in fulfills the intent of the Human Relations requirement to a tee."

"But did you take courses on Native American Indians?"

Stop #2 University of Minnesota - Williamson Hall - David. Poor guy. He was just a self-professed paper pusher. I came into his cubicle and forgot about looking calm and collected and started into a tirade of how my Master's Degree in Teaching wasn't good enough for the state of Minnesota, that they had the nerve to require me to take over ten-thousand dollars in classes that would result in nothing more than a MN teaching license . . . a teaching license to a already certified, degreed, experienced teacher.

What is education aiming for?

At least my hair looks a little better.