Encore Career of a Retired Educator

Bucket list and unbucket list

2011-10-17T11:30:00.000-04:00

I took a cooking class from a French chef - in France - and I picked merlot grapes for winemaking in Bordeaux. I also went (nearly) to the summit of Mont Blanc. Okay, by cable car, but still. I love the idea of an unbucket list - those activities I would not engage in unless caught dead. Let's see: Going to Six Flags comes to mind. Jet skiing.
Stay tuned.

Multiple Encore Jobs

2010-09-25T10:05:00.001-04:00

I started this blog just over a year ago. My goal was to explore encore careers by networking on-line. Since my first day of retirement I have been a house painter, a complaint investigator, a sales consultant for a textbook company, president of a statewide non-profit organization, a volunteer at the botanical garden, a web site editor and a concrete mason. All this in addition to my daily workout and hobbies, reading, travelling, and cooking. I barely have time to keep up with the Kardashians!

Looking for a Vocation Vacation?

2010-08-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

Earlier in the year I wrote about the firm that coordinates Vocation Vacations. Their concept is that the best way to learn the ins and outs of a dream job is to spend time with a mentor in the field. The vacation part is that most of the mentors are in fantastic locations and you combine a nice trip with a learning opportunity. Their latest development is small group vocation vacations. Several careers are offered but Travel Writer struck my fancy.
Here's a sampling and the link:
"Do you love to travel? Can you imagine combining your travels with writing and photography? Do you love the idea of making a living while traveling for free?"
http://vocationvacations.com/StaticDreamJobs/group-mentorships/ron-stern.php
Enjoy and maybe I will see you in the Rockies!

Encore Careers, Happiness, etc.

2010-06-15T13:45:00.000-04:00

     A fantastic opportunity has arisen! This Thursday (June 17, 2010) there will be a free webcast with two of my favorites in the field of encore careers and stepping aside: Marc Freedman and Anna Quindlen. The webcast is sponsored by Merrill Lynch so it may be heavy on the investing issue but I plan to tune in!
     Here is the blurb: Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anna Quindlen, best-selling author Daniel Gilbert (Stumbling to Happiness), and Civic Ventures CEO Marc Freedman (author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life) in a lively discussion on all aspects of preparing for an encore career.
     And the link http://www.totalmerrill.com/totalmerrill/pages/Webcast_Retire_0610_TM.aspx

I'm Just Getting My Thing Together

2010-05-31T07:42:00.003-04:00

With the passing of Dennis Hopper we felt compelled to watch Easy Rider last evening. One of my favorite pieces of business is when Peter Fonda throws his watch onto the side of the road. Wyatt and Billy retired and went looking for America. My trip has just begun. I am working on a soundtrack equal to theirs.

Thirteen Days In

2010-04-13T09:46:00.001-04:00

     My first full week of retirement coincided with Spring Break. Although I didn't experience a rush of feelings, I did have time to reflect on the many wonderful expressions of good wishes from my professional colleagues. The dreaded parties were enjoyable and low key. (Dreaded because of having attended so many poorly executed, overly maudlin retirement parties throughout my career.)
    I am especially grateful for the gift of a beautiful memory book. A lot of thought, effort, and time went into it and I know I will cherish it for many years.
   This month I am enjoying the beautiful weather of southwest Florida. After a few weeks of healthful eating, exercise, and de-stressing I will be ready to begin one of my encore careers!

Encore Career Research

2010-03-27T08:22:00.000-04:00

The Encore Career e-newsletter that I subscribe to included information from a research project funded by MetLife. Interestingly, they project a labor shortage in the next decade. I recommend you read the full report and I have included the link to it below. The major conclusion of the study is that older workers will be vital in filling "social sector" jobs that are crucial to the economy and the well-being of our citizens. Here is some data from the report.

After the Recovery: Help Needed; The Coming Labor Shortage and How People in Encore Careers Can Help Solve It
By Barry Bluestone and Mark Melnik; Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Northeastern University; Boston

Total Social/Government Sector – Projected Encore Career Job Growth 2008-2018 (in thousands)

Primary, secondary and special education teachers 647.3
Registered nurses 581.5
Home health aides 460.9
Personal and home care aides 375.8
Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants 276.0
Medical assistants 163.9
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses 155.6
Business operations specialists 147.2
General and operations managers 143.2
Child care workers 142.1
Teacher assistants 134.9
Receptionists and information clerks 132.7
Medical and health service managers 100.8
Clergy 85.1
Social and human service assistants 79.4
Maids and housekeeping cleaners 78.6
Educational, vocational and school counselors 73.3
Computer support specialists 64.0
Office clerks, general 60.8
Managers, all other 57.6
Social and community service managers 57.0
Mental health and substance abuse social workers 56.4
Accountants and auditors 55.6
Rehabilitation counselors 54.2
Medical and public health social workers 53.9
Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks 52.3
Administrative services managers 52.2
Lawyers 52.0
Computer systems analysts 50.1
Human resources, training and labor relations specialists 49.1
Cooks, institution and cafeteria 48.5

Source: Lacey and Wright, “Occupational Employment Projections to 2018,” Analysis of Labor Market Assessment Tool

http://www.encore.org/files/research/JobsBluestonePaper3-5-10.pdf

I was especially encouraged by the authors' certainty of an economic recovery!

Are You Ready to Retire?

2010-03-07T07:56:00.003-05:00

The decision to retire is based on financial preparedness and social-emotional preparedness. This week I spent some time talking with colleagues about capturing the maximum benefit from the Teachers Retirement System. To some this concept was new; to others it was not at all relevant. Putting aside the awkwardness of talking about personal finances, how do we frame the conversation about social-emotional preparedness?
I have read many articles and books on this stage of life. The semantic context may be encore careers, life portfolios, starting over, stepping aside (Anna Quindlan), or "the narrows" (Sara Davidson) but one common exercise emerges: the necessity of self-examination. I modified a quiz developed by Sara Davidson http://www.saradavidson.com/index.html to help clarify goals for my life after retirement. Complete these sentences:

I realize work is both rewarding and fulfilling. When retirement becomes attainable, I will be ready to go because...

The thing I will miss most when work is over is...

I have finished with... (name both good things and difficulties)

I still yearn to...

In the years to come, I will be grateful for...

This exercise has been very helpful to me in decision-making and goal-setting. Please let me know if you find it valuable.

The Net You Really Need

2010-02-28T17:03:00.001-05:00

     The annual conference of the Georgia Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) was held last Thursday and Friday. The keynote speaker, Marie Corrigan, addressed the value of seeking and maintaining social relationships in a speech entitled, "The Net You Really Need." She cited some interesting research that suggests that too much time networking on-line may jeopardize our ability to build face-to-face social networks. This struck a chord with me because I see how tempting it would be to let email and blogging substitute for social involvement during my retirement.
     The conference also taught me how important CEC is to maintaining strong professional relationships. With commonality of career (special education) and the traditions and "ways" of a highly structured organization, it is a valuable resource.
      With my first retirement gift in hand, I head into my last month of full-time employment in a public school system. I intend to use much of this time strengthening, not severing, my ties to the wonderful teachers, paraprofessionals, staff and administrators who comprise my "net."

Retirement Paperwork is Done!

2010-02-21T15:17:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I received a letter from the Teachers' Retirement System. All of my paperwork has been processed and I will receive my first "pension" check on or about April 15th! My last day of work for my school system will be March 31, 2010.
My immediate plans are to make plans! I have a number of home improvement projects I want to initiate and some to complete. I also have some tentative work lined up. I am feeling a little more elated each day but I don't know how I will actually feel on the first day I do not have to get up and go to my job. I have been gainfully employed since the age of 15 (not counting those babysitting jobs) and I want to take stock of what I have contributed. I may also sleep a lot!

Impact of Furloughs on Retirement Income

2010-02-06T11:14:00.000-05:00

Those of us planning to retire under the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) of Georgia have had questions about the impact of furloughs and other temporary downward salary adjustments on our retirement benefits. The Executive Director of TRS, Jeffrey Ezell, has written a very clear memo addressing the situation. It is posted on the TRS website
http://www.trsga.com/Images/NewsDocs/Furloughs%20and%20TRS%20Earnable%20Compensation_3754/Furloughs_Reporting_Employers_Memo.pdf

This is good news! I did my application to retire on-line and found the process to be a breeze! I am beginning to get excited about my retirement.

Teacher Effectiveness Reform

2010-01-31T09:18:00.004-05:00

The January/February, 2010, issue of The Atlantic Monthly has an article on teacher effectiveness that everyone interested in the health of our public schools should read. http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/good-teaching Written by Amanda Ripley, it describes the results of 20 years of analysis of student test score progress linked to 7,300 specific teachers. This analysis was conducted by Teach for America. Teacher practices are measured through observations, review of their lesson plans and interviews. The results are "specific and surprising."
Briefly (because you should read the article) the characteristics and skills of the effective teachers (defined as those who move their students one and a half or more years ahead in one year) are:
1) They set big goals for their students.
2) They perpetually seek ways to improve their effectiveness.
3) They avidly recruited students and their families into the process.
4) They maintained focus so that everything they do contributes to student learning.
5) They planned exhaustively and purposefully with outcomes in mind.
6) They worked relentlessly.

Specific strategies included: frequent checks for understanding (using all-student-respond strategies, tickets out the door, etc.), using the "I do, we do, you do" structure to their lessons, and establishing classroom routines that can be executed by the students with little or no direction from the teacher.
This is very important information in light of the 4.3 billion dollars in federal funds that will be awarded in the form of a competitive grant, "Race to the Top." This is essentially a teacher-effectiveness reform initiative designed to help states identify great teachers and shift teacher compensation from a credentials/experience model to an effectiveness model.
The popular press was busy last month in this area. Bill Gates had an essay in the February 1, 2010, issue of Newsweek. In November, 2009, the Gates Foundation awarded $300 million to districts in Tampa, Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles. The grant projects will implement incentive pay for effective teachers and study ways to fairly and reliably measure teacher effectiveness.
The work of Daniel Willingham on how we learn, think and remember also translates into the research base for effective teaching practices. His book, "Why Don't Students Like School," is an excellent resource for educators. http://www.danielwillingham.com/
Federal and state education agencies now have a considerable body of information on which to base reform. Let's hope they don't waste too much money reinventing the wheels built by Teach for America, the Gates Foundation and Willingham.

Career Change Specialists and Vocation Vacations

2010-01-16T10:59:00.002-05:00

     As I continue to explore encore careers, I find resources in some unexpected places. In the Northwestern Alumni e-newsletter there was a link to a site offering Vocation Vacations. http://vocationvacations.com/MessagePages/newsletter-thankyou.php Naturally I had to satisfy my curiosity. And I was pleasantly surprised to find a career consulting company that has developed the perfect marriage between careers and travel. A "vocation vacation" is a trip to spend 2 days with someone who has been trained to mentor people into their fields. The fields are mostly non-traditional and fall under the category of "dream jobs." For example: Broadway Director, Fishing Guide, Fly Fishing Outfitter, and Chocolatier!
     Brian Kurth operates a career counseling/career development company. On his web site he outlines eight steps to changing careers. The vocation vacation aligns with Step 5, "Test Drive a New Career." Here are the eight steps and contact information for Brian.
1. Define What a “Great Job” Is
     What are your passions and interests? What activities give you a sense of purpose and satisfaction? The first step in any career transition is the opportunity to explore, experiment and discover your “great job” and what you can do to pursue it.
2. Address Fear
     Financial instability, family disruption, giving up an identity, failing at something new. These are all fears that may stand in the way of a successful career transition. The biggest thing you can do to get past these fears is to meet them head-on. Bring these deepest fears to light and examine them with reason; talk about them; play each one out to its most irrational end. What is the worst thing that could happen?
3. Create an Action Plan With a Timeline and Goals
     Pursuing the ideal career is less a leap than a series of incremental steps that move you closer to your goal. What is critical to reaching that goal is making sure the steps you follow are the right ones. An action plan is needed. If you make a list of all the things you need to learn and do in order to realize a great new job, you will have mapped out a plan for transition. A knowledgeable action plan provides you with the power to forge ahead.
4. Find a Mentor
     Inspirational, experienced, realistic, forthcoming and optimistic. A good mentor is all of these things and eager to help someone else get started. Recruiting a mentor who is a good match for you requires asking the right questions and building a mutually satisfying relationship. Having a mentor is at the crux of a successful career transition. Whether you are a 50-something CFO or a 20-something marketing manager (and everyone in between in terms of age and career stage), you need a mentor in your desired vocation.
5. Test-Drive a New Job Or Career
     There’s no better way to learn than by doing. Test-driving a new job with a mentor provides a hands-on experience that has the potential to change your life. This is the opportunity to learn as much as possible about the job, how you feel about the day-to-day activities and what it takes to succeed. The mentorship experience gives you the required personal and professional due diligence you need prior to making a career transition.
6. Create Your Professional Brand
      Your professional brand (including a professional biography, in addition to your resume) separates you from your competitors and colleagues. Professional branding is not about building a persona. Instead, it is a way for you to maximize your key passions, attributes, skills, strengths and values—and use them to differentiate yourself in the workplace.
7. Network, Network, Network
     You need to reach out to people with similar interests and goals. Additionally, you need to do your homework and access resources ranging from the online social networking world of LinkedIn, Yahoo!Groups, Facebook, and Twitter to the good, old-fashioned one-on-one interaction with people in the field you are exploring and those you meet through business and university alumni associations.
8. Create A Work/Life Balance
     The biggest benefit to a successful transition is increased life satisfaction. The transition process is as much about what you learn on the journey toward reinvention, as the rewards when you reach your destination of having a work/life balance including family, friends, financial stability and physical and mental well-being.

For more information, please email info@briankurth.com or give us a ring at 971.544.1535.

My plans are to link Vocation Vacations to Retired Teachers for another perfect match!

Clarity, Consistency and Congruency in the Teaching Career

2010-01-10T06:16:00.005-05:00

This is from MAPP (Motivational Assessment of Personal Potential):
"Our friend and career consultant, Bill Paxton, likes to say that there are three keys to creating unstoppable momentum in your life:
- Clarity
- Congruency
- Consistency
     Clarity means discovering what you are designed to do. MAPP can help you do that by identifying your greatest motivations and talents. It also provides a list of careers that you are likely to find satisfying.
     One of the greatest benefits of Clarity is having realistic expectations for yourself. For example, a Jeep and an Indy racer are both cars, but designed to do very different things. You wouldn't expect a Jeep to be competitive in the Indianapolis 500. Nor would you expect the Indy racer to negotiate a logging trail. They are designed for different purposes. So too it is with people. Clarity allows you to have realistic expectations of what you can and can not do.
     It's one thing to know what you are designed to do. It's another to do it. The main idea of Congruency is to align what you do with your MAPP. When it comes to congruency, most of us are rather badly out of alignment. You may need to make some adjustments. Most will be incremental, but some may be radical, such as changing professions. The goal is to spend more time using your strengths. That's where performance and satisfaction both peak.
     Consistency means staying with it. Have you ever been caught in traffic in a large city? You accelerate as the light turns green, only to stop at the red light on the next corner. This pattern of starting and stopping repeats itself over and over as you make your way to your destination. It's impossible to gain any momentum.
     Careers can have momentum, too. Career momentum is achieved by practicing Clarity and Congruency over a long period of time. How long?" One researcher "discovered that it takes between ten and eighteen years to achieve world-class performance in any career. You'll never get there if you keep switching careers.
     The secret to gaining momentum in your life is to do what you are designed to do over a long period of time."

     Eighteen years to achieve world class perfomance in any career? It is instructive to read Daniel Pink on job satisfaction. http://www.danpink.com/
     The conventional wisdom is that it takes four years to be a good teacher. Based on my experience as a teacher and in supervising teachers, I agree with that four year figure. But by eighteen years most teachers become much less willing to change their practices. Teachers need exposure to a variety of school settings and opportunities to learn from master teachers. But what is mastery in teaching?
    The teaching career is inherently autonomous (one of Daniel Pink's keys to job satisfaction). The question of mastery is a little different. Mastery in teaching is increasingly defined by student perfomance on standardized tests. In fact, the new administration in Washington would like to pay teachers based on this definition of mastery.
    How does a teacher acquire the feeling that he or she is getting better at their job? Let's expore this concept next time.

An Excellent Career Option

2010-01-08T11:12:00.000-05:00

My first job as a trained professional was working as a diagnostic teacher in an oral deaf education school. Over the course of my career, the influence of the signing deaf community on the field of deaf education has waxed and waned. Because of the incredible advances in technology (cochlear implants, excellent hearing aids, better prescriptives), deaf children today have far better chances of developing normal speech and language through audition. I am pleased to post a link to a website that provides extensive information about careers in oral deaf education:Careers in Oral Deaf Education

Some of my best friends are deaf people - signers and talkers - and it has been a joy to experience the newly opened world of communication (the Internet, texting on cell phones) with them! Their futures keep getting brighter and brighter!

Unemployment Among Those Over 50

2009-12-27T12:46:00.002-05:00

Lee County, Florida, where I am spending the holidays, has an overall unemployment rate of 13.9%. The area experienced an incredible housing bubble due to the subtropical climate, excellent health care facilities, abundant recreation opportunities and lack of state income tax, all of which are extremely desirable to baby boomers. Alas, the value of residential real estate has declined by two thirds since the peak in 2005. The thousands of jobs supported by real estate transactions and new construction have been drastically reduced.

A good percentage of the over fifty population in Lee County is made up of retired people which complicates the unemployment statistics. My intuition tells me the rate is high. Unless you have training and experience in the health care field, your prospects for getting a good job are pretty slim. The school district website does not encourage applications, not even for substitute teaching positions.

In a previous blog I referred to the Encore.org website. They now have an excellent, free, 28 page resource guide with valuable tips for exploring careers in the nonprofit sector, government, teaching , etc. I recommend that you download a copy.

Help others get started on their encore careers.
http://www.encore.org/find/guide

During the upcoming week I will reconnect with my college days by attending the Outback Bowl. Go Northwestern!!!

My First Follower

2009-12-05T08:17:00.001-05:00

After blogging for three months I have my first follower. This is thrilling news because I had no idea if anyone was reading my material. It turns out that my follower and I have very similar interests. While I hope to engage retired educators in meaningful encore careers, he is all about assisting educators in making wise financial decisions. His blog is excellent and I am including the link here.
http://www.theeducatorsretirement.com/

Please take some time to learn about your retirement options.

Tax Recovery Clarification

2009-11-22T08:10:00.002-05:00

This is from the website of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia:

"Georgia Department of Revenue Tax Recovery Adjustment"

"Recently, an email containing misleading information about member contributions and possible tax credits has been circulating around the State.
Back in January of 1990, the Georgia Department of Revenue created a “tax recovery adjustment” for TRS member contributions made from July 1, 1987 through January 1, 1990. During that period, member contributions were sheltered from federal income tax, but not Georgia state income tax. Thus, a member’s contributions and pension were taxed by the State of Georgia.
The Georgia Department of Revenue allowed TRS members, who contributed to TRS from July 1, 1987 through January 1, 1990, to “recover” the taxes paid on those contributions when they filed for their state taxes. At retirement all retirees receive this important information at the time they receive their first benefit check.
TRS members eligible for this recovery adjustment will receive, along with their first benefit check, a letter that provides the total dollar amount of TRS contributions made during this time frame so members can document the adjustment on their state tax returns. For example, a retiree who retired on July 1, 1998 received this important tax information with his/her first retirement check. In early 1999, when the retiree filed his or her state taxes for 1998, the adjustment would have been included.
To be clear, the amount shown in the letter you received is not the amount you are owed by the Georgia Department of Revenue, but is the amount of money from which you can recover the taxes you paid on it. This money has nothing to do with incorrect contribution amounts. The contributions you made to TRS during this time were and are correct.
If you fall into this adjustment period and are unsure as to whether or not you filed for this adjustment, we recommend that you go back and check your tax returns for the applicable year to avoid claiming the recovery more than once. If you already received your adjustment, then you are all set. If you did not claim the adjustment, please contact the Georgia Department of Revenue directly at https://etax.dor.ga.gov/ or 877-602-8477 to find out if you are still eligible. "

Something to ponder: what is the purpose of the Georgia Retired Educators Association? Disseminating information like that above should be a routine activity for them. My only experience with the group is that they tried to sell us long term care insurance!

The Value of Professional Conferences

2009-11-15T12:17:00.003-05:00

During the past two weeks I participated in one national conference and one state conference of special education administrators. This was my 22nd and final appearance at the state conference, held, as is tradition, in Savannah, Georgia. The national conference was held in beautiful San Diego, California.

The importance of these annual gatherings should not be underestimated. The meetings and information sessions provide insight into the operation of a wide variety of school systems. At national conferences I am always alarmed to hear about the stranglehold teachers' unions exert in many states. I am also always pleasantly surprised at the level of innovation and effectiveness that characterizes Georgia's special education programs. I am proud to have been a part of the development of our learning organizations.
The recurring response from my many professional colleagues when I announced that this would be my last conference was, "You'll be back." Friendships are forged, food is shared, and fun is had at these conferences. The planned and unplanned social activities provide glimpses into people's "real" lives that we may not see otherwise. Indeed, having drinks with folks from the state education agencies, colleges and universities, and school systems helps strengthen our network!
I will miss the camaraderie. But it is increasingly difficult for me to listen to the same issues and the same complaints about problems created by our overly restrictive federal special education law. We have become a dysfunctional kingdom within the realm. I say let the younger generation take it on!

Google is a Great Investment

2009-11-01T13:13:00.000-05:00

The retirement benefits for eligible teachers are guaranteed by state law in Georgia. There are occasional concerns about the solvency of the retirement system, usually raised by panicky teachers during economic downturns. In fact, the funds are invested in what could be called a dream portfolio. The top twenty include oil companies, pharmaceutical companies, high tech giants such as Intel, Apple and Microsoft, McDonald's, Coca Cola and Google.

If you have any doubts that Google has made a significant impact on the way we process information, just read Jeff Jarvis's excellent book, What Would Google Do? He reverse engineers Google and applies their principles to a variety of industries. This book is a "must read."

Google gets better every time it is used and it is used millions of times per hour around the world.
Google could charge a fee for each hit. But it doesn't. And the world is better for that decision. A sound investment indeed.

What About the Peace Corps?

2009-10-25T13:05:00.002-04:00

Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed about joining the Peace Corps. Over the years the reasons varied - running away, learning a foreign language, yearning for adventure, seeking nobility - and now I am considering volunteering as part of my encore career. The Peace Corps website provides a wealth of information. http://www.peacecorps.gov/
I took their quick survey to see if I could be considered a candidate. Based on my college education, experience with volunteering and in education, the survey results placed me in the category of potential Peace Corps volunteer. My candidacy may be deferred because I have high blood pressure (controlled by medication). They would have to monitor my condition for three months and then determine whether or not I could volunteer.
Amazingly, the Peace Corps provides health and dental insurance for volunteers during their service and for up to 18 months afterward. Other tangible benefits are extensive training and a small living allowance. The intangible benefits include immersion in another culture and language, the opportunity to meet new people and the satisfaction of helping in areas sorely in need of help.
One major deterrent for me is that volunteers are asked for a 27 month commitment. Hmmm. I am not ruling out a stint in the Peace Corps but I am not ready for it yet!
I encourage you to explore the Peace Corps website and learn about the variety of opportunities in the program. I especially enjoyed the lists of high achieving people who got their career starts in the Peace Corps. Live information sessions are held frequently throughout the country.

Continuing to Learn About Encore Career Opportunities

2009-10-18T13:48:00.001-04:00

One of the advantages of being an extreme commuter is the opportunity to hear the excellent stories on National Public Radio. This week I was intrigued to hear about "Encore Fellowships." After a short amount of research time, this is what I found out.

The "Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act" was signed into law on April 21, 2009, and went into effect on October 1, 2009. It is the reauthorization and expansion of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) administers the programs authorized by this legislation. One of the new provisions of the law is that it: "Authorizes a new Encore Fellowship program to allow Corporation-selected individuals aged 55 or older to serve at organizations on a Corporation-maintained list, supported by $11K grants (under a $1 for $1 match) to the organization for Fellow living expenses. 75% non-Federal match required for the first year, 50% non-Federal match required in subsequent years."

Evidently this program is modeled on succesful pilot programs described in the NPR story.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113856732 Further information will be provided by the CNCS as the details are finalized. I am looking forward to the development of this program.

Also of interest are the changes to some provisions of the Senior Corps program, a part of the Serve America Act. The miniumum age for participation in the Foster Grandparents Program and Senior Companion Program was lowered from 60 to 55. Another change is to the specific purpose of the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program). It is to provide opportunities for older volunteers to share their knowledge, experience, abilities, and skills for the betterment of their communities and themselves. Their website is worth touring: http://www.seniorcorps.gov/about/programs/rsvp.asp if only for awareness of another federal program few people seem to know about!

Retiring From an Extreme Commute

2009-10-11T17:27:00.000-04:00

Each day I drive 48 miles one way to work. This qualifies me as an extreme commuter. The carbon footprint and the waste of gasoline cause me to feel guilty. I have explored carpooling and using public transportation but neither option was viable. So by retiring, I will save the atmosphere from 17.6 pounds of carbon dioxide each work day. Bill McKibben states that 5.5 pounds of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide are emitted through the combustion of one gallon of gasoline. To calculate my daily commute carbon footprint, I assumed my car gets 30 miles per gallon. My figure of 17.6 pounds is probably conservative.

The commute is also physically and mentally stressful. I navigate some of the most congested interstates in the country. It is not unusual for my trip times to exceed an hour and a half. The mental stress comes from driving defensively and worrying about the 18 wheel trucks cruising at 75 miles per hour. The physical stress comes from sitting and gripping the steering wheel for over an hour each morning and each evening.

My retirement countdown could also be called my countdown to a greener, more peaceful lifestyle!

Travel With a Purpose

2009-10-04T11:20:00.006-04:00

Ask any educator what they plan to do after they retire and the answer will most likely be, "Travel." It is our nature to want to see new places and learn. With a little structure and purpose, our trips will be much more fulfilling.

In the news this week was a story on NPR about the decision by Elderhostel to change its name to Exploritas. It seems that 70 is the new 60 and 60 is the new 50 and many Elderhostel customers were uncomfortable being associated with the elderly. James Moses, President of Elderhostel/Exploritas said this, "If you don't appeal to the baby boomers, you're pretty much done. I mean, let's face it."

Please check out the Exploritas website http://www.exploritas.org/ and their new social networking tool. Elderhostel was the first and best organization to foster active and positive roles for seniors in the United States and to encourage people to remain active after retirement.

There are many interesting ways to structure travel trips. Here are a few we have enjoyed in my family:

Visiting the National Parks
Driving, walking and/or hiking to the highest point in each state (there are clubs for this)
Touring the homes and buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
Birding by season and migratory paths
Visiting art museums by city or region
Taking the guided tours at the National Monuments and Battlefields

No matter how you choose to travel, there are great bargains to be found during the fall. I look forward to being able to visit some great places at times when kids are in school and I am not! I mean, let's face it!

The Power of Learning Teams

2009-10-03T15:55:00.009-04:00

Retired teachers hold the potential to have a powerful and positive influence on the learning environments of the future. This past week I had the opportunity to hear a compelling and convincing presentation on the urgency of restructuring schools to take advantage of the confluence of three trends. Dr. Thomas Carroll of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future described the enormous expertise soon to be available in the baby boomer retirement bulge, the eagerness of Generation G (as in Google) to learn through the Internet, and the inevitable attrition of one third of all new teachers. He suggested that retirees be encouraged to engage in meaningful participation in the education of young people by partnering with experienced and beginning teachers. The resultant learning teams would build on each other's strengths to develop authentic learning opportunities.

"Did You Know" is a video that provides data to support this concept. It is on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKAnyU4kGxQ

I also recommend visiting www.nctaf.org and http://www.learningteams.org/ for more information about the future of teaching. From the Learning Teams site you can link to "Encore Careers." But, once again, it is about people transitioning from other careers to teaching; e.g. "Troops to Teachers." My goal is to explore moving from education to a different career!