The New Teachers Looking for Jobs Support Thread!

[ImagineerM]

So..I may be the only one who needs this...but thought I'd throw it out there in case any of my fellow DISers are in the same spot.

I'm finishing up my student teaching and starting the process of looking for a job. Unfortunately our local districts have no postings...i know, i know, it is early, but I'm a nervous kinda guy!

So this thread is for those new (or out of work) teachers looking for a job!

Anyone else out there looking? Thought we could support each other...throw out some tips or suggestion, etc. Anything to keep positive!


Hope I'm not alone out there.

 

[barkley]

if you dont object to or have nothing preventing from relocating, consider looking at other states that your credentialing qualifies you to teach in. some states like mine have shortages in general and markedly in certain subjects.

another suggestion i would make is to not discount all private schools. i know that in general the perception is that they pay less, but with some systems that's not the case-and the pay and benefits can exceed the regional norms for public school teachers. they can also offer some incredible teaching opportunites and benefits that can pay off career wise and financialy down the road (i have one family member who teaches highschool level at a private boarding school, her salary is comparable to what she would receive in the public schools but she also receives free staff housing on 'faculty hill'-that free housing sure facilitates repaying her student loans faster another works for a private school and has the rare opportunity to teach multiple subjects in multiple grades (5th-8th)-if he chooses to go into the public schools in a few years his professional experiences will put him at a distinct advantage over teachers with comparable years in who have only taught multiple subjects to one grade/age level for the few years they've been teaching).


good luck. seems like in some regions teachers are in high demand.

 

[ImagineerM]

if you dont object to or have nothing preventing from relocating, consider looking at other states that your credentialing qualifies you to teach in. some states like mine have shortages in general and markedly in certain subjects.

another suggestion i would make is to not discount all private schools. i know that in general the perception is that they pay less, but with some systems that's not the case-and the pay and benefits can exceed the regional norms for public school teachers. they can also offer some incredible teaching opportunites and benefits that can pay off career wise and financialy down the road (i have one family member who teaches highschool level at a private boarding school, her salary is comparable to what she would receive in the public schools but she also receives free staff housing on 'faculty hill'-that free housing sure facilitates repaying her student loans faster another works for a private school and has the rare opportunity to teach multiple subjects in multiple grades (5th-8th)-if he chooses to go into the public schools in a few years his professional experiences will put him at a distinct advantage over teachers with comparable years in who have only taught multiple subjects to one grade/age level for the few years they've been teaching).


good luck. seems like in some regions teachers are in high demand.

I'm certainly keeping my options open. I just wanna teach! Thanks for the good vibes!

 

[java]

Hey our teachers are about to go on strike I think? Come to NJ we need some teachers and we pay pretty well I think.
Oh and by come to nj I don't mean live here (it's crazy expensive) just work here. lol

 

[barkley]

I'm certainly keeping my options open. I just wanna teach! Thanks for the good vibes!

what grade are you hoping for? my fav was 3rd-old enough to be able to go to the restroom by themselves but young enough to still have some respect (and they have an awsome sense of humor at this age-one of the best parts of the day was reading to them and hearing them explode in giggles over what 'superfudge' had done in a current chapter).

 

[java]

My BIL teaching as a second career quickly was offered a job in an all boys public inner city school. He LOVES it and it was a way for him to get his foot in the door. Now he is looking for something more local.

Is where you have been student teaching hiring?

 

[swanmom]

My brother graduated in June 2006. He spent about a year looking for jobs in our hometown area - northeast Ohio - and was getting very frustrated (and broke.) In June of 2007, he answered an online ad for a one-year replacement middle school teacher in North Carolina (even though he wasn't sure he really wanted to go.) He got the job and has been teaching there for a year. They liked him so much that they just offered him a contract for next year. Turns out that he loves that area and he'll be relocating permanently this summer. He's so glad that he looked for a job in another area of the country and that he decided to take a chance on a one-year replacement position. Good luck with your search! Hope something equally good works out for you!

 

[PrincessPAC]

What part of KY do you live in? My district is right across the border, and there are a ton of teachers retiring this year. If you don't want to post your exact location, feel free to pm me. Oh, but if you're in elementary ed. - well, you probably won't have much luck here. It's next to impossible to get an elementary job around here - unless you want to go waaaaaaaay, waaaaaaay out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[ImagineerM]

My student teaching school LOVES me and wishes they had an opening...but as of right now there is nothing with no signs of an opening.

I'm a Middle School certified teacher...social studies and language arts....i know, I'm crazy. But there is something about this age group that I love. I think they need the help the most!

 

[paigevz]

When I graduated, there was nothing in Oklahoma for me and a hiring freeze in Kansas. Finally, I applied to Texas and got a job. Moved down and I've LOVED living here!

DFW is a FAST growing place. So if you don't mind relocating, you can always go SOUTH!

 

[BrerMom]

Bumping for the newly pink-slipped teachers. They may need to re-locate, too.

We've been able to avoid pink-slips in my district for several years by just not replacing retiring teachers, but not this year. We have a county-wide vote in May. If it passes, things don't get worse. If it fails, we're going to lose a lot of teachers. Printed estimates are 40 district wide and that's in addition to the ones already notified. I'm not sure at this point which would be worse - to be pink-slipped or have a minimum of 35 kids per class.

 

[mickeyboat]

I just read in my alumni magazine that NC is going to face a gigantic teacher shortage in the near future. It might be worth taking a look into.

Denae

 

[ImagineerM]

ugh....that is so depressing. I can't imagine how we can afford to cut teachers right now. If anything, we need more of them! I hate the politics of teaching...

I'm from Western KY.

I feel horrible for those pink slipped teachers. That frightens me to the core.

 

[BrerMom]

Don't be too scared, just don't come to Michigan. We're the home of the "Yes, you're having personal financial difficulties, but we'd like you to vote: would you like to give money to the schools by paying taxes?" Some districts haven't had a yes vote in almost a decade.

 

[DelaneyRose]

I'm a Middle School certified teacher...social studies and language arts....i know, I'm crazy.

Good Luck!! I hope you're able to find something.
I'm thinking about going back to school to renew my certification-Secondary Social Studies and if I go back I'll probably add Language Arts. It's so hard to find a teaching job in Michigan!!

 

[Kath2003]

*joins thread*

I am looking for a new job as a newly qualified teacher from September but so far there's little on the market By mid-July I'll be qualified to teach Geography to high schoolers (6-12th grades).

 

[allicat]

Java- surely you don't mean central NJ is looking for teachers because they are no teaching jobs to be found as far as I can see.

 

[Cindy B]

I'm finishing up my acadmics this semester and student teaching in the fall.

I'm already looking for work a whole year early.

I will have an Elementary Education/Writing Arts dual major, plus a Special Ed certification, and middle school language arts certification.
I may take the middle school social studies praxis as well, since I have all the additional coursework.

I'm hoping that I will have a job. Straight elementary jobs are hard to find but you can find them... either as a hired long term sub or just visiting the employment offices (not the websites because not all job listings are posted online) of each individual district. NJ DOE has every school district in NJ linked with information and/or a website for the district.

NJHire.com is also an additional resource. I haven't had much luck there, maybe somone else will.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

im joining in! I graduated last May with a bachelors in early childhood education and sociology..Im been working at a day care center this year--but trying to get out of it!

 

[ImagineerM]

So for you aspiring teachers out there...what are your plans now? What steps do you plan to take while job searching?