So, I've been dutifully filling out applications for the area and then noticed one of them, Adline has a link for interviews, clicking on it I realized.....I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM DOING! What does it mean I have to fill out an interview packet, show up to a screening interview in person and if I cannot go to a panel interview I can youtube a lesson???? Don't principals there call you if they want to hire you? If you are out of state, does that mean you are out of luck? Grrrr, why does the process for every district have to be different? Other jobs you see the add, apply according to the instructions and hope for an interview, with teaching jobs there are so many hoops to jump trough, confusing processes, it is not wonder some districts are still hundreds of teachers short this close to the start of the school year.
Many districts Skype the interviews out of state, and personally, I love the idea of being able to wow them with a youtube lesson video that you can edit and get just the way you want it. I can guarantee that the live demo lessons never have a rewind button, much as we would like to take back the last two minutes of lecture. I would at least broach the subject of a Skype or video screening interview - it will show that you are tech compatible and not adverse to using it. If you are adverse to it, well, I've got nothing, sorry.
Which would be great if they didn't require that I be there in person in four days to be at a mass screening interview date, for ten minutes! It seems everyone has to do that part, it is only AFTER that that an online or phone interview is possible, at least I think....because it is soo confusing.
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Chill tonight, and then make some morning phone calls tomorrow to inquire about alternate screening interviews. I would assure them that should the interviews become more serious, you will certainly put yourself on a plane to make a personal appearance, assuring both parties opportunities to ask and be asked questions. It might not fly, but it might. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I used to work in Aldine for a decade! You need to call the human resources office and speak to someone directly. They hire a ton of people from out of state, so I'm sure they've encountered applicants with your issues. Just call and say, can you help me with...
I did have a P from Aldine email me, even though I had never applied there. They are probably still short on teachers. Screening interviews are pretty quick, no more than 30 mins, I would guess. I did one for another nearby district. Its just with an HR person, not principal (at least at that district, anyways). Then it looks like if you cant go to a panel interview you can record yourself doing a demo on youtube and sending it in. Bottom line, fill out the applications and see if anyone calls, then explain your situation. I think trainings for most area schools begins in a week or so. (I accepted a job with a charter school that actually starts a week before the public schools)
I can do that, I have found a bunch more jobs here in MI, but most are Social Studies, and I would perfer to teach Special Education. (I am a good Social Studies teacher, but I am a great SPED teacher) So I think I will do that tomorrow.....the general HR number shall do, right?
Good Luck! My best friend from college had her first teaching job in the Aldine ISD. She was hired about six years ago and hired from an interview at a job fair at the college we attended in Ohio. If I remember right they guaranteed her a job but didn't tell her at what school. I think she flew down there for a few days then to interview at individual schools and was hired that way. That was a few years ago so obviously things change.
I would also reach out to the principals at the schools you are interested in in that area and tell them you will be in town for the screening interview on this date and see about setting up an interview with them or touring the school, etc., Anything to show that you are serious about moving there and interested in them and their school.
Just FYI, Aldine is a very tough district to work in. It is very urban and low SES. It is not for everyone. They have a lot of openings because it is tough to get teachers to work there or stay once they are hired.
I cannot travel there at all, not unless I get a job. We are tapped out for travelling great distance to interviews, as we have done that quite a bit this summer already. So I call and say I can't be there for the screening interviews? Just call HR or to the schools where I jobs I applied to are? Still confused here.....
Call HR first! Let them tell you the protocol. You need to probably do this ASAP! Staff development starts in a week!
I was looking at Aldine as well. I actually did not apply because there was no way that I could afford to fly out for just a screening interview. I've been applying from California. I've flown out to Texas twice for tests/job fairs and that's the best my budget could afford. I was just hired in a different district in the Houston area and I am moving in a few days. I have had 7 phone interview/Skype interviews (w/3 job offers) this summer and turned down a few interviews. I made sure to note in my cover letter that I am out of state and am willing to pay for my relocation expenses. I know that I missed out on some opportunities because I did not move before I got a job, but a lot of districts were understanding.
Well I didn't think to add to my cover letter about paying for relocation expenses, maybe I should have. I have only applied to two districts in Texas so far, Adeline and Houston proper. Other than them sending out automatic surveys to my references, I have heard from neither. I will call Adline Monday and let them know I couldn't get there for screening interviews, but I doubt it will do me any good.
You never know, it may help. The last time I checked, Aldine still had many openings so they may be a little more flexible now. Like someone else said, they have hired a lot of people from out of state.
I would apply in Conroe ISD and Spring ISD. Exxon Mobil is moving their headquarters to the Woodlands (about 45 mins outside of Houston) and there is expected to be a huge population surge in that area.
Congrats to the move to the Houston area! I could not think of another place I would want to live. If you need help or have questions about the city just ask!
wldywall - You mentioned some jobs in MI for SS. Go for it. Some of my kids best teachers are the ones with special ed backgrounds teaching regular subjects!
None of those districts even opened the email. Adline called today, I believe it was the high school and asked me to go to an interview in two hours......in Houston! I told them in the cover letter I wasn't in the state, and I told them that on the phone when they called. The secretary just said the principal didn't like to do phone interviews and she would talk to her and call me back. That was at 2pm my time......I'm still waiting.
Aldine's interview dates is what's making me pause. For regular applicants not nurses, principals or bilingual there was today and the next HR interview is 8/27. That's too much of a gap for me. I want to get a move on things and praying I get hired well before then or at least on a 2nd interview by then not just the preliminary one. How's it going with references? The whole "reference surveys will be immediately sent out" is scaring me. I haven't told my job I'm looking yet and I'd rather they get a reference from them after they interview me. It'll just make things awkward because this is the time people do start leaving and I want some kind of hope...an interview, phone call before sending my employer a survey to fill out. I just don't want to have that conversation with them right now if they aren't even looking at my application yet. One district says an automatic reference will be sent to the provided reference if the email given is valid. Can I get an interview first before you tell my employer I'm thinking about leaving. And if I don't get a job this semester I'm staying at my job and I hate awkwardness.
Oh, I only noticed they sent out surveys to my references, not my previous employers. Yikes, that makes things hard for you.
There are plenty of schools out there that will do Skype or phone interviews. Just keep at it! Texas has a lot of charter schools as well. The pay is slightly less, but still decent.
Just be careful about charter schools. I know of two local ones who closed after not being able to pay their teachers for months. But for every horror story, there are just as many successful charters. Just do a little research before signing a contract.
True. Harmony Science Academy, Yes Prep, and KIPP, are the largest of the charter schools in the Houston area. I have worked for one of these and never had problems with pay, there were many other issues though. It was great to get my jump into teaching and then had experience to move to a public school.
Well I have an interview will Adline today at 1:30' can't say as I'm too happy about it. I've worked in low sec schools before, and most of that districts schools also had serious gang problems. Last day of school first year, teachers were on lockdown for hours after the students went home due to a 300 student riot in the streets surrounding school. Also they spent a lot of time trying to prove every white teacher racist. What is Adline really like?
It's Aldine, not Adline, so make sure you call it by the right name during your interview! (About 75 years ago, the area was the last place you could get off the train and eat before continuing a long journey, and the conductor used to say, "All Dine!" to remind people to get some food. It was shortened to Aldine, pronounced "all-dean".) I've lived in or around Aldine my entire life--graduating from Aldine HS and then teaching at one of the other high schools. I love it dearly, even though it does have a reputation as a "tough area". To be sure, your students will mainly come from low income homes in high crime neighborhoods. Some will be in gangs. But... kids are kids. The vast majority of the students want to learn and want to be in school. They are sometimes overshadowed by the very loud, angry, frustrating 10% who demand a lot of attention and resources. If you have a good principal, he or she will effectively manage that 10%, and if you are a good teacher, you will teach that 90% that remains in spite of all of the gaps in their education, their hunger, their fear, their hopelessness... It's not easy teaching in Aldine, but those students deserve someone who is committed, passionate, well educated and willing to stand by them as they face an upheal battle. If you're that person, then apply for the job. If not, then don't.
I really hate auto correct.....that said, I wouldn't have applied if I wasn't sure I could handle the population. But then I got to thinking, the worst part of working at the low SEC school I worked at before was the idea from the higher ups that because I was white I was damaging to to the students. No matter what else happened, it was the fact that I was white, therefore racist that followed me all three years. Every teacher in that district has to take anti-racist training. No matter that I am ethnically jewish, or grew up desperatly poor and therefore could relate on that level. If you are white you are racist. That is what I am worried about most. Oh, and the kids who dare smoke pot in my classroom (and yes that happened once, when a sub was there, and they called him back, several times.) I just dont' want to work in a district that is like that horror district. So maybe I am being unfair......
I work in a "good district" in the area, and we had a kid last year in another building do drugs openly in the library. It happens everywhere if the administration allows it... You have to interview the principal as much as they interview you in these situations. Ask them how they handle difficult students who are repeat offenders of serious offenses. I posted a news story at the end of the year last year on this forum about a subsititute who was violently pushed to the ground by a student in one Aldine school. Ask the principal how he would have handled that situation, and what his school does to promote respect for teachers and subsititues. At this point in my career, I don't play around in interviews. I want to make sure the principal is just as qualified to do his job as I am to do mine... I will also say that in that building where the incident occurred, the principal retired. They have someone new now...
Since you're a former Aldine employee you know the ins and outs so would you explain their hiring process to me? Now school starts the August 25 but they only have a date scheduled for an HR pre-screening interview August 27. That makes no sense. The one before that was the 4th. I know schools want to be sure they're picking the best candidate for each school but that's kind of a lack of consistency for the students isn't it? Are they just calling on every sub long term and other available to take over the classes until teachers until their year teacher finally gets around to be hired at the end of September? I'd think they'd be getting a move on things interviewing fully this week and the next 2 weeks. It just seems so odd to me I can't find another district in the area with that much of a gap on prescreening dates. The others just don't advertise the dates but I can't imagine there's that big a gap. Development days are usually the week before. Is that to weed out ACP candidates. I don't know the logistics but that doesn't count towards 2 semesters of an internship in an ACP I don't think.
I never did the screening interview, they have just been calling me. Maybe email the principals of the schools you are interested in directly?
I do not know their current process at all! I haven't worked for them in 8 years, and I was originally hired by them in 1996! I'm sure things are very different now...
So, anyone ever gave a principal set up a phone interview then never call? 50 mins late and counting, when can I reasonably give up waiting?
I'm glad you got a job since it was getting a little crazy applying here. I just got a call from HISD (so apparently my Haberman/TeacherFit answers we on the ball ) but I'm terrified of the demo lesson. I'm thankful I got an offer with a non-demo district but I still kinda want to interview anyway. I was sure I bombed the math assessment but I guess not.
