Yesterday at work, I was talking to a couple of trainee-tutors (who are currently taking the class to become tutors). They shadow/observe us for a week or two and then slowly begin taking over some of the tutoring, while being watched and evaluated. It is a helpful process, (to see an experienced tutor 'in action') and I still remember going through it myself, maybe six or seven years ago. I clearly remember wondering how on earth I would handle questions or requests for help for things I had no clue about . . . and watched in awe as the established tutors then, seemed to handle EVERYTHING with skill and seemingly endless knowledge . . .and while there are still things that I am not the best resource for, almost everything else I have dealt with so often, that even if I am rusty on that skill, I can look it up quickly and easily and help someone who is struggling grasp a concept better . . .
I absolutely LOVE this job.
Oh it is just part time, and while at first we pretty much got to work as many hours as we were able or willing, every semester, the hours are cut more and more . . . The state budget crisis is draining the school's coffers, which is such a shame. At a time when the economy is SO bad, more and more people are returning to college to sharpen job skills (or develop new ones) and with the funding cuts, there are fewer and fewer classes available . . . Even the professors are getting fewer classes to teach . . .
Anyhow, it is VERY part time and doesn't pay very well (we all took big pay cuts a year or two ago), so its not like it would ever allow me to be self supporting, if that need arose . . . It isn't really a 'career' choice . . . but . . . I LOVE what I do . . . I like the variety of working with a HUGE array of writing/English issues . . . varying skill levels . . . and the puzzle of trying to figure out how to help THIS person master THAT skill . . . I like working with people, and this job is a delight . . .
It is also going away . . .
This will be my last semester to do this . . . It was supposed to go away at the end of May, when the state did away with the job classification of 'part time classified' employees . . . but at the last minute a few of us got a reprieve, when a temporary loophole was found . . . so I could work Summer and now Fall semesters . . .
I knew the reprieve was temporary . . . and I was just grateful to be able to keep doing what I loved a little longer . . . I know this isn't personal . . . They aren't TRYING to get rid of me . . . but still . . . I am sad . . .
The entire time I have worked as a tutor at the college, I have absolutely LOVED going to work every day . . . even when things were slow (and there are a few slow periods every semester) there was plenty that I could do, so I can honestly say that the number of times that the time has dragged for me in this job I could count on one hand . . . I love working with a wide variety of people . . . I love the endless variety of problems I encounter . . . I love the air of 'adventure' because until a person sits down next to me and says "I need help with [blah blah blah] I really have NO inkling of what the session will involve . . . and I even love helping someone figure out what their problem areas are if they are not already aware of their weaknesses . . . Best of all is when you can SEE the lights come on in someone's eyes and they finally GET it . . . When something which has baffled and frustrated them, no longer does, and they look hopeful and sometimes even excited about the task ahead of them . . .
I absolutely LOVE that . . .
And yesterday, in the midst of a VERY busy day, one of the tutor-trainees suddenly asked, "Is it true that from here on out that all tutors will be student tutors?" and I answered, "Yes . . . that IS true." And when he followed that up with, "So what will happen to you?" and I had to say, "I will be looking for a new job after this semester" . . . I, all of the sudden, (though this is certainly not a new thought and I have no illusions about another loophole being found) was just SAD at the thought that this is going away . . .
SIGH . . .
Then at MY age . . . in THIS economy . . . I get to start job hunting again . . .
That thought truly IS rather daunting . . .
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