The New Teachers Looking for Jobs Support Thread!

[kinntj]

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.

Yes, Michigan is suffering. I wish more money would go towards schools. They just went through closing so many schools in the Lansing area, because of job losses and people moving out. It's been really sad. We live in a great district and our teachers are very secure right now. Who knows down the line. To get a job, it seems you better have a Masters and have multi certifications and be willing to head up extra curricular activities. You have to be super man/woman to be a teacher in this area.

I wanted to be an elementary teacher here, but I had to give up that dream and go into something else. I can't relocate, because DH makes great money and we don't want to give that up.

Good luck to the new teachers and those that have been teacher and have lost jobs. I hope it gets better for you when those baby boomers start retiring and opening up some jobs for you all. I know so far it hasn't made a huge dent yet, but hopefully it'll catch up to you.

Just don't come to Michigan.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

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

i have my resumes out..went on my first interview on Tuesday and now im waiting!
i am a co-teacher for a pre-k class and love it..but i want to get into a school district

 

[sharlon]

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

That is sooooo true. Here in Western NC, we have a real shortage because either people don't want to live in the mountains or the cost of living in some of the counties can be a little high. That said, it is beautiful here, and my county, Buncombe, has one of the best school districts in the state and the southeast. We were just named one of the top 25 places in the country for an education.
Anyway, here's a link to a teacher fair they are having here in May. Maybe it will help someone here get a job. http://www.wresa.org/JobFair2008/home.htm

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Forevryoung]

Not as a teacher but applying to public schools as a speech therapist. TWO openings on all of Long Island

I can't take a leave replacement and be worried about having a job come January. I would rather move out of state. And NY seems to be the only place not looking! I was "handed" a job out of state (I wouldn't be happy there)

 

[Debi]

I, too, am a teacher looking for a job in NJ. I'm in southern NJ (I live in Cape May County), and am certified in Elementary Ed (K-8) and Middle School Social Studies. I graduated in May 2005, and am still looking. I've done a few long-term sub positions that I've LOVED, but nothing permanent has opened up. Elementary Ed in this area is very hard to break in to.

Good luck everyone!

 

[MushyMushy]

I'm joining the job search. I spent a huge amount of money on a professional resume service. I'm terrible at interviews, though.

 

[Cindy B]

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

I am planning to go through my Dept of Ed websites and hitting every district in my county, most of the districts one county over, and only a few school in the third county near my home.

I will be snailmailing or emailing a resume and cover letter.

I'm kind of in a weird spot because I'm done my academics early and I'm doing a post bac cert in special ed. I have to do four classes and a praxis to get special ed certified. I will have to take as many special ed classes as possible in spring and or summer 2009 in order to complete it. Sometimes the classes aren't offered in the spring so that puts me back.


I do have a sub cert so I can sub. Currently I have a county based cert which entitles me to short term sub-- I can't do a long term sub based on medical leave or such with that cert but I can still work.

As soon as I get my degree and cert from the state, I can do the long term sub for medical leaves, etc...

 

[Cindy B]

Not as a teacher but applying to public schools as a speech therapist. TWO openings on all of Long Island

I can't take a leave replacement and be worried about having a job come January. I would rather move out of state. And NY seems to be the only place not looking! I was "handed" a job out of state (I wouldn't be happy there)

If you feel like moving to S. Jersey my district had an opening for speech therapists. It's S. Jersey near Philly.

 

[Cindy B]

I'm joining the job search. I spent a huge amount of money on a professional resume service. I'm terrible at interviews, though.

What did the professional resume service do?

Did your school have/has a resume review service as part of the careeer planning center? My school does. I submitted my resume (actually that part was a class assignment) and it was critiqued and reviewed.

Interviews don't bother me. I used to be a theater major many many years ago and sometimes I have to draw on that. I'm a good talk on the spot person so I can think of ideas quickly and say them quickly. (all those improv classes came in handy!)


I've been told to bring samples, portfolios, anything and everything you might need.

I have a book with sample lesson plans, sample unit plans, sample computer work (webquests and online quizzes) and such all available. I even have an entired integrated unit with one theme integrated with science, health, art, literature and social studies. (the main theme was the Industrial Revolution)

I know in some language arts interviews they ask how you would teach a lesson with a specific book so you really need to know the book.. (in our district its Hatchet by Gary Paulsen)

 

[Cindy B]

I, too, am a teacher looking for a job in NJ. I'm in southern NJ (I live in Cape May County), and am certified in Elementary Ed (K-8) and Middle School Social Studies. I graduated in May 2005, and am still looking. I've done a few long-term sub positions that I've LOVED, but nothing permanent has opened up. Elementary Ed in this area is very hard to break in to.

Good luck everyone!

You're a little too far-- but my district had two middle school social studies positions open in a big district.


Cape May to my town would be about 2 hours or more, I think... Can you get certification for Delaware?

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

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

Ours too in Mass....public education is a horror show right now. If I were starting with a teaching degree I would approach some educational publishing houses and do professional development so that you are only teaching teachers and not enmeshed in a school system.

 

[comicguy]

I would recommend substituting for a while if you don't get an offer. I did that for a year (various school districts) and ended up with a one year position last year at a private school, as a one on one teacher for a student that had sevre behavioral problems and needed to graduate, which led to a perm. teaching position at the start of this school year (self-contained special education room, I get all of the behavior problems for grades 6-8 in one room all day but they are a great bunch to work with, you just have to know how to motivate them and have a lot of hands on learning). Most of the staff at my school say that my Teaching Assistant and I are up for sainthood and that they are truely happy that we are in the school otherwise "those" students would be in their classroom.

A big help would be if you had some classes in Special Education as well. Many districts are trying to push as many Spec. Ed. students into gen ed as possible (saves a lot of money) and frees up some valuable teacher resources to help those particular children.

Don't give up teaching is an awesome career, it may take some time but it is well worth it

 

[java]

I, too, am a teacher looking for a job in NJ. I'm in southern NJ (I live in Cape May County), and am certified in Elementary Ed (K-8) and Middle School Social Studies. I graduated in May 2005, and am still looking. I've done a few long-term sub positions that I've LOVED, but nothing permanent has opened up. Elementary Ed in this area is very hard to break in to.

Good luck everyone!

Yeah that is about an hour and half to where we are but in my town there will be several openings this year. 3 are retiring(K, 5th social studies and another to be named teacher from the middle school)
Can you broaden your search area?

 

[Cindy B]

Yeah that is about an hour and half to where we are but in my town there will be several openings this year. 3 are retiring(K, 5th social studies and another to be named teacher from the middle school)
Can you broaden your search area?

Any openings in January? I know retirement paperwork needs to be in by April 30th...

I'm in Camden County near Philly... are you near there?

 

[NCRedding]

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

NC universities and colleges graduate 3000 teachers a year; NC public schools need 10,000 teachers each year to replace those leaving for a variety of reasons. The governor is attempting to bring our teachers' salaries higher. Our school system has a relationship with a couple of teacher colleges in Ohio, where we get a good number of new teachers. We're able to keep some, while others return to their home state after getting the required experience. I would certainly encourage anyone to look to NC for teaching opportunities.

 

[Debi]

I've been sending resumes throughout Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland, Camden, Burlington, and Ocean Counties. If I have to move to one of these areas, I wouldn't be opposed. Since my family is here, I don't want to go too far out of South Jersey, but at this point, I'm anxious for a job.

CindyB, what school district are you in?

 

[chip 'n dale rule]

Add me to the list. I have been a long term sub (in various placements) for over a year. I had an interview on Wed but did not get the job. I am also terrible at interviews. Teaching positions are so hard to get in my area, I have looked at NC but DH has a good job here and makes much more than I would as a teacher.

 

[Cindy B]

I've been sending resumes throughout Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland, Camden, Burlington, and Ocean Counties. If I have to move to one of these areas, I wouldn't be opposed. Since my family is here, I don't want to go too far out of South Jersey, but at this point, I'm anxious for a job.

CindyB, what school district are you in?

I sub in Cherry Hill. Unfortunately those social studies positiions were filled. Just keep looking. There may be some social studies retirements.

 

[AuburnJen92]

there will be many openings in south florida this coming year, you might want to take a look down here...

i know our school district actually had an exchange program with India this year to get the science and math teachers they needed because they were so short.

 

[chip 'n dale rule]

That is sooooo true. Here in Western NC, we have a real shortage because either people don't want to live in the mountains or the cost of living in some of the counties can be a little high. That said, it is beautiful here, and my county, Buncombe, has one of the best school districts in the state and the southeast. We were just named one of the top 25 places in the country for an education.
Anyway, here's a link to a teacher fair they are having here in May. Maybe it will help someone here get a job. http://www.wresa.org/JobFair2008/home.htm

GOOD LUCK!

Do teachers even make a liveable wage in this area? Beginning teacher salaries there are almost $5,000 less a year than what they are here in Western PA and from what I've seen home prices are close to double what they are here.