I never entirely abandoned my search for a teaching job once I moved from Colorado Springs in 1991.
In 1992, I believe, I was between my second and third assignments at IBM (not knowing that I was going to be hired for a different project after six weeks away). I began applying for several different jobs during my time of unemployment. One propect would have been at Hewlett Packard, just a few yards west, across an open field, from where I had worked through most of the 1980's, at Kaman Corporation, on Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs. I still owned my house there and would simply have moved back in, perhaps to the delight of my cat, Schnozz. But, again, as with the Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) teaching assignment, I was second to a younger woman whom they hired instead.
An even more unlikely prospect was back at the Air Force Academy itself. I have written about this before, but they were mandated to hire several civilian instructors to augment their previously all-military faculty. I knew this was not going to happen, given my previous history. But I was better prepared to teach, after having been a part time college instructor at PPCC, and having been a technical writer and editor from 1980 until then. I had also gone back to college in 1988-9, to get a secondary certification to teach English. But with 100 applicants to choose from, I was not hired, and I was certainly not surprised.
At the same time, there was an English Department opening at the Community College of Denver. I was among 20 preliminary finalists, and we all met at the college one afternoon. The department chair was a man, but most of the preliminary finalists were, again, younger women. They chose seven finalists from among us. Curiously, I was not one of them, even given my extensive, and recent, teaching experience. When the names were released, I believe that all of them were women. I had experienced something similar when I was fresh out of teacher certification in Colorado Springs. The high school where I had an interview for an opening had all of the current faculty meet with me for the interview. The head of the English Department was a man. However, all of the other teachers were women, mostly older women. I was not hired even though I would have taught the very students who had been my students during my student-teaching at the feeder middle school.
Just last year, I learned of one opening each at two Denver-area community colleges. Not only had I been a technical writer and editor in the work force for nearly 30 years at that point, had that teaching experience from 1978 until 1991, and had the student teaching experience in English, I now had published ten novels, in addition to three volumes of poetry I had written from the late 1960's until the early 1980's. However, from one job prospect, after sending in a lengthy resume and curriculum vitae, as well as transcripts, I heard nothing. From the other, I received a negative response, telling me that the finalists whom they selected more completely fit their needs. A generic reply if ever I heard one.
I wondered if I was not a finalist because of my age, and/or the fact that I had not been in the classroom for 18 years, though I did include the fact that I always trained the new hires at my current IBM assignment. Having direct work place experience as a writer and editor, as well as being a published author, in addition to my years in the classroom, I figured the applicant whom they finally did choose must have been one, incredible teacher. (I suspect, as with PPCC in the late 80's, they probably chose a person whom they knew and who had been a part time teacher for them as I had been for PPCC. Why choose a man in his late 50's who had been out of the classroom for 18 years, whom you do not know? Besides, I had been in the military. With all the returning veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I thought that might be a plus. However, for those from the post-Vietnam era, it could just as easily be a negative.)
For that same Denver-area community college the previous year, I had applied for a part time teaching position in history. But I was, again, not selected. I wasn't even able to get my foot in the door so that they would know me personally the next time a full-time position came open.
Elsewhere around the country, because of budget cuts, teachers at all levels are being laid off. I suspect that many are attempting to find jobs in other states like Colorado where there is at least limited hiring. It's a bad time to be out of work or to be trying to find a job teaching, I suppose.
At 60, with retirement looming in the next decade, I think back and realize that, instead of attempting to join one branch of the service or another in the early 70's, I ought to have stayed in college, gotten my Master's Degree, and then began an earnest effort to be hired at one of the many community colleges that were established or opening in Southern California in the 1970's, when education was expanding.
I would have had a safe, secure job all of these years. Of course, I never would have experienced the Marine Corps and the Air Force. Would never have lived in Minot, North Dakota, and been a missile combat crew commander. Would never have lived in Colorado nor taught at the Air Force Academy. Would not have been forced to resign for being gay. Would not have had any of the many experiences I have had or met all of those whom I did meet all along the way and who have remained friends to this day.
And, most important, perhaps, I would certainly not have written and published the Rainbow Arc of Fire series of novels.
In 1992, I believe, I was between my second and third assignments at IBM (not knowing that I was going to be hired for a different project after six weeks away). I began applying for several different jobs during my time of unemployment. One propect would have been at Hewlett Packard, just a few yards west, across an open field, from where I had worked through most of the 1980's, at Kaman Corporation, on Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs. I still owned my house there and would simply have moved back in, perhaps to the delight of my cat, Schnozz. But, again, as with the Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) teaching assignment, I was second to a younger woman whom they hired instead.
An even more unlikely prospect was back at the Air Force Academy itself. I have written about this before, but they were mandated to hire several civilian instructors to augment their previously all-military faculty. I knew this was not going to happen, given my previous history. But I was better prepared to teach, after having been a part time college instructor at PPCC, and having been a technical writer and editor from 1980 until then. I had also gone back to college in 1988-9, to get a secondary certification to teach English. But with 100 applicants to choose from, I was not hired, and I was certainly not surprised.
At the same time, there was an English Department opening at the Community College of Denver. I was among 20 preliminary finalists, and we all met at the college one afternoon. The department chair was a man, but most of the preliminary finalists were, again, younger women. They chose seven finalists from among us. Curiously, I was not one of them, even given my extensive, and recent, teaching experience. When the names were released, I believe that all of them were women. I had experienced something similar when I was fresh out of teacher certification in Colorado Springs. The high school where I had an interview for an opening had all of the current faculty meet with me for the interview. The head of the English Department was a man. However, all of the other teachers were women, mostly older women. I was not hired even though I would have taught the very students who had been my students during my student-teaching at the feeder middle school.
Just last year, I learned of one opening each at two Denver-area community colleges. Not only had I been a technical writer and editor in the work force for nearly 30 years at that point, had that teaching experience from 1978 until 1991, and had the student teaching experience in English, I now had published ten novels, in addition to three volumes of poetry I had written from the late 1960's until the early 1980's. However, from one job prospect, after sending in a lengthy resume and curriculum vitae, as well as transcripts, I heard nothing. From the other, I received a negative response, telling me that the finalists whom they selected more completely fit their needs. A generic reply if ever I heard one.
I wondered if I was not a finalist because of my age, and/or the fact that I had not been in the classroom for 18 years, though I did include the fact that I always trained the new hires at my current IBM assignment. Having direct work place experience as a writer and editor, as well as being a published author, in addition to my years in the classroom, I figured the applicant whom they finally did choose must have been one, incredible teacher. (I suspect, as with PPCC in the late 80's, they probably chose a person whom they knew and who had been a part time teacher for them as I had been for PPCC. Why choose a man in his late 50's who had been out of the classroom for 18 years, whom you do not know? Besides, I had been in the military. With all the returning veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I thought that might be a plus. However, for those from the post-Vietnam era, it could just as easily be a negative.)
For that same Denver-area community college the previous year, I had applied for a part time teaching position in history. But I was, again, not selected. I wasn't even able to get my foot in the door so that they would know me personally the next time a full-time position came open.
Elsewhere around the country, because of budget cuts, teachers at all levels are being laid off. I suspect that many are attempting to find jobs in other states like Colorado where there is at least limited hiring. It's a bad time to be out of work or to be trying to find a job teaching, I suppose.
At 60, with retirement looming in the next decade, I think back and realize that, instead of attempting to join one branch of the service or another in the early 70's, I ought to have stayed in college, gotten my Master's Degree, and then began an earnest effort to be hired at one of the many community colleges that were established or opening in Southern California in the 1970's, when education was expanding.
I would have had a safe, secure job all of these years. Of course, I never would have experienced the Marine Corps and the Air Force. Would never have lived in Minot, North Dakota, and been a missile combat crew commander. Would never have lived in Colorado nor taught at the Air Force Academy. Would not have been forced to resign for being gay. Would not have had any of the many experiences I have had or met all of those whom I did meet all along the way and who have remained friends to this day.
And, most important, perhaps, I would certainly not have written and published the Rainbow Arc of Fire series of novels.
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