Big Plans-NOT!

I had some spent a considerable amount of time preparing my application for an Einstein Fellowship that would have afforted the opportunity to spend a school year in one of departments like NOAA or NSTA as an educator with real world experience; bringing a teacher's perspective to the department's education section.  In the application I needed to list all my educational experiences, whether is be teacher or student based, 6 essays, and 3 letters of recommendation.  It was a rigorous exercise and was submitted electronically on January 1 of this year.  Found out yesterday that I did not make the cut, meaning I will not be invited to DC to interview with the different departments. 

I was hoping to be accepted but after a few too many beers last night it dawned on me that I am one of those persons who don't translate well on paper.  I have strong credentials and teaching experiences and demonstrated I can plan and complete educational workshops for both students and teachers.  But I think I'm one of those people that need to be met to really get a grasp of what I could bring to a program or department.

This has the same feel of 15 years ago when MISE was choosing Leader Teachers to plan and present Peer Teacher Workshops.  At first they choose those stereotype science/math know it all nerdy types of teachers.  The type who had much content knowledge but had little process (read: people) skills.  I remember I had spoken to main person choosing these teachers (she was much the same:  very bright but lacking people skills and a sense of humor) and I think she was taken by my questioning on how and when would other Leader Teachers would have opportunities to develop PTWs.  It was the year or two after that other leader teachers were asked to join the cadre and I was asked.  Since that time I have co-taught or lead about a dozen PTWs including designing a partnership grade 4 assessment based on the results of the TIMSS test. 

So maybe the move to DC, working for the government, and being away from home was meant to be.  I do think I'll need to be somewhere other than home next September.  And it will be strange to see those school buses.