thank God I'm not a teacher

A short story, yes? In 1987 I graduated with my nice little degree in art and it was the middle of the Reagan-Bush years and there were no jobs in the newspaper except special education. I didn't know what it was but I applied to and was accepted into a grad program in Chicago for special ed masters and teaching certificate. I finished the program and still didn't know anything about special ed or teaching or children. I didn't learn a thing, but there was an open pottery studio and that is how I met my wife, but you know that story.
ANYWAY, once I graduated from that useless program and had my teaching certifcation I had to find work. Chicago has, as you might imagine, the world's largest administration building where you go to be fingerprinted and fill out forms. And then, of course, never hear back or get hired. That was my experience, and I started working at a private school for blind children, which changed my life as you might imagine. (I later returned to college and got certification as a reading specialist and taught that at a private school in Massachusetts before retiring from teaching in 1997)
ANYWAY the whole point of this is to say that although my certifications have lapsed, I still have my degrees of course, and my dream last night was about that huge building in Chicago. It was like going through the gauntlet at an airport followed by a cattle call, none of which seemed to get anybody a job. What a nightmare: trying to get a teaching job....
THANK GOD I am a potter and dig this rather excellent bunch of tiny teapots...


(teapots by Gary Rith)