Hi all, I thought I would ask your opinion on my current situation. Ok, I cannot find a teaching job. NOT due to lack of effort, I have lots of resumes out and I have had some interviews. Unfortunately, this area is so political and the market is saturated. At first, I thought that maybe it was because I am doing an alternative certification....even though I have actually done as much as possible, the rest cannot be statisfied until I am actually hired. But, I did take some grad classes (not required, but I am more ahead now) and I have experience with students with SEVERE behavioral and emotional problems. NOT one of my interviewers has had a problem with me being alternate, as they all liked my background and cover letter. The problem is, there is always someone who knows someone more connected. I have come in second once and really close the other times. So, I know I have done my best. I really cannot see myself doing this anymore, though. It seems like it is impossible. I had an interview recently that was extremely intense. Two weeks later, I heard someone was hired in this district, no interview at all, mom works there and she got the job. This has happened more than once. Teachers are also being laid-off here, too. So...I am thinking about riding out the summer, temping and praying for that interview. But at the end, if nothing has happened, I am thinking about getting a job somewhere that provides tuition assistance so I can get my Masters. Now, I do not want to get it in Education. Because I have met too many people who have this and cannot find jobs. So, I am thinking, if I cannot teach, how about getting a Master's in Social Work or some kind of counseling where I can still help kids (or at least people). Maybe even Speech Pathology. I do know that I am absolutely certain that I must work with people. You can't put me in a cubicle all day and leave me alone....although at this point.... Anyway, these fields seem pretty open. But there are no colleges near me that offer these degrees, so I will have to do this online. I took my grad classes online, but did NOT like it. Why? This group work thing. Do all online colleges make you work in groups for your final projects? Both times, my groups were awful. These are supposed to be adults, yet they did not care. After waiting to the last minute, I wound up getting permission to do it alone, although it was 3x the work. One of my team members was too busy on her boat to worry about the project. The other one had a woman who did not know we had a project. She saw it, but thought that it meant something else...I am all for group work, but online seems ridiculous to me. I have also heard there is an online college where you can work at your own pace? Anyone heard of that? I know lots of people get their Masters online. How do you know if the school will be accepted/looked favorably upon by a potential employer? I see SO many schools but how do you pick? Do employers take a Masters seriously if it was completed online? I am sorry if that is a bad question, but I am trying to be so careful. I am thinking that I will apply for jobs in nonprofit or medical settings, once I make the decision. Maybe even in a school, doing clerical work or something. Those are really hard to find, though. If anyone could give me some insight onto online/Masters I would appreciate it. Also, do you like my Plan B? THANKS!!!!!!!
I am also considering the online option. I am looking at the University of West Alabama- but am not sure if this would work. My principal wants me to write up a proposal to get permission to use my planning period for practicum/internship. I'm not sure exactly how to do that....
I took two online courses. The amount of work was twice the amount I would have done if I had been in a class. I spent about 20 hours a week on the work. I did get A's, but it was very time-consuming. I don't think I'd want to do it again. I think as long as the university you choose is accredited an employer will accept your online degree. Online universities seem to be fairly common these days. I'm wondering if there is some way they can tell, in fact. Would it show on your transcripts?
This sounds like the things I experienced! Fully credentialed, I subbed for teachers who hadn't even passed their subject matter test! They didn't even interview. Both of them had serious political family connections in the district I worked in. And this was after the law passed for no emergency credentials in the classroom. They just hired them as interns. This district also had so many credentialed subs but the crazy thing was, they would hire for long-term positions subs who weren't even in teaching programs! A sub has a 30-Day credential, so what the district would do is keep renewing the position after 30 days so the uncredentialed subs could stay in the classroom. I know I wasn't equipped to teach without my teaching classes. I thought about this, too! Have you talked with any social workers about what their job is like? I have a friend who is a social worker, though, and she is really strapped when it comes to being able to "make a difference." I think teachers are in a great position to impact childrens' lives and I like that. Have you tried looking in other districts? That's what I would do. The one you're looking in just doesn't sound like the right one for you, or you'd have been hired I think. After ignoring this suggestion for two years from people I knew, I finally did this. And the district I'm in now is so much more concerned about the students. This district wanted to know how I felt about students and parents "how will you help a child who's been unsuccessful" "how will you encourage diversity", "we believe parents are an integral part of a child's educational success, how will you work with the parent..."; the other asked questions that anyone with a credential ought to know, "how will you set up your reading groups", "how will you teach this", it was like they were saying, "impress me." After my interview at this district, the principal said, "You're a great match for this district and I think you're going to be very happy here." She was right. It was all a matter of fit .
Anyalee, Are you going to talk with your principal again and see what you need to do? GOOD LUCK!!!!: Eduk8r, I know what you mean about the online courses-mine were A LOT of work, too. Papers, projects, essays, etc. It was definitely double the work. I am still not sure what I am going to do. I have sent out over 100 resumes ( a lot of those were to the same schools.) I send out within a 45 minute radius. I have sent to private schools (they are getting over 100 resumes for each job opening), small schools and city schools. One interview I had, the school received 650 resumes for 3 openings. There are hundreds of teachers being laid off here. 3 districts near me. Supposedly, some of them can get re-hired this summer, but not all. So, they are all looking now. The job fairs have hundreds, if not close to 1000, people attending. So, when a rare job comes up, many times, politically-connected people get it. I know of quite a few of those people who got jobs with no interviews. I cannot compete with them. I have a really good connection, but he retired, and so did his connections. He has tried helping me, but there are people who have connections presently in the district, such as the one whose mom works there . My cover letter and resume have been proofed and proofed and proofed. I have had a handful of interviews. I came in 2nd at one for a great private school-the principal actually told me she was giving it to someone with a relative in the district. That was a good job, too! The problem is definitely way too many teachers in a market with few jobs. I keep meeting more and more people who have their credentials and cannot find work. My friend went to a seminar and talked with about 20 who have been looking for years. Some have their Masters and still nothing. I am not sure about the social work. I know I always see ads for these jobs. But, I just met a friend of a friend-she has her degree, but she is having a hard time finding a "good job." She wasnt referring to salary, she said that there are a lot of very stressful, not so nice jobs that are available, but few good ones as those are very competitive. I really have concluded that New Jersey has a horrible job market. I know a lot of people looking for work and they cannot find anything, either. People are actually leaving the state. My husband does have a good job, tough, but good and he spent years trying for it. It is going to be a long summer for me!!!! But I made the deadline, so at the end, I have to figure out something. Thanks for listening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy you are in a good district that appreciates you!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, my gosh!!! Hey, I said many times that I would give it "3 more months"--glad I hung in there. I have this rule, if I'm not sure about a decision, I probably shouldn't make it yet, so I just leave it alone and wait to see. Plus, I met a lot of teachers who told me it had taken them years to get a contract, also. I want you to know, it was a total of four years that I waited to get this job! And about 6 interviews with the first district. They'd be "perfect" interviews with lots of compliments, but I still wasn't selected. The one thing that got me through was, although I did want a contract, I was praying that it would be where I would have a lot of support and where I was supposed to be. I didn't just want to work anywhere! So, even though it hurt to be rejected over and over again I figured that it was because I wasn't where I was supposed to be yet. Hang in there.
don't give up! I don't know if this will give you any comfort, but I was in your shoes last year. I applied to 80 positions & recieved 5 interviews. I got only one of the jobs I applied for. This was a couple of weeks after I had given up and started working for a bank. The principal called me during work one day and told me the news. I couldn't stop crying- I was SO relieved! Then about a week later I recieved another offer from a neighboring school district. Don't give up- if you are willing to move, then I would get out there hand delivering resumes or whatever you need to do to get remembered. A lot of jobs are not filled until just before school starts. It is sad that a lot of districts aren't willing to hire fresh new teachers to change the system. Maybe that is part of the reason that the turn over is SO high. Your first year will be very tough, however- I would rather be a teacher than a sub. I remember almost crying when I was subbing in someone else's room and I wished I had my own!
Thank you both so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think that the reason I am so discouraged now is because so MANY teachers are being laid-off in my county. So, now they are all going to be job-hunting. I know schools are not replacing a lot of teachers due to these budgets. I had NO idea it was this bad until I started going to job fairs and saw so many people there. But when you hear of a school getting 1000 resumes, you feel pretty bad. There is no shortage here, even the Maths and Sciences seem to be having more and more applicants. I am not totally giving up, but if a good non-teaching offer comes up, I am taking it because I need to at this point. That will hurt a whole lot...I feel like no matter what, in my heart I will always be a teacher. Thank you again.
Come on over here! The weather's nicer. No, seriously though, you could check out the internet for jobs. In CA, all the districts are on www.edjoin.org. It's how I got this contract so it does work. And...things change fast...it's darkest before the dawn...the tide's always lowest at the turn...and all that sort of thing.
