I am in my early 40's and became certified to teach in 2012. I have been a paraprofessional working with special ed. for 3 years and this last year I was a title 1 aide. If you are a principal or teacher that interviews and hires, is this a big red flag to not hire me as a teacher? My own district has passed me up many times to hire other people in and out of the district. At the end of this school year, I really thought I would get a position, but the principle decided she wanted to hire teachers with experience, of course not all of them had experience. I am trying to figure out where I stand and if I should prepare to not be a teacher. This will be my 5th year as an aide, and I really don't want to go back to that school. I would rather go to another school, but all I can do is apply and hope something works in my favor one of these days.
Have you applied in other districts? It seems as though you've been pigeon-holed and your P doesn't want to lose you as a para, or doesn't think you can handle your own classroom. It's hard to know which. Have you asked your P why you haven't been hired as a teacher? I'd apply to every school in commuting distance.
[QUOTE="thewife,.[/QUOTE] Forties is young! I would pass-up a 23-year old for a 40-year old any day of the week, if all I had to go on was age. I don't think you have anything to worry about. There are PLENTY of teachers well into their 60s and 70s still teaching. Just make sure you're qualified in every other way. Good luck
Reevaluate your resume, making sure it sounds current. If you haven't changed it since you first started looking, it may be sounding and reading as a little tired and boring. Same goes for your cover letter. Similarly, double check your references, and see if there are more willing current ones to be had. Sometimes, when it has been a long search, the references get tired of answering the questions, so the enthusiasm may be lacking. Update those LORs, too, if possible. Bringing your resume five years forward to current employment gives you a chance to highlight PD, experiences, and expertise that was not on the original resume. If it has been a long search, I will always recommend the updated, fresh resume and everything that goes with it. In the fairness of full disclosure, I have mine written - they tweak until I am happy, so they earn their money, and I get the resume that makes me smile every time I read it.
I'm in early 40s and got y credential in 2011. I don't think age has anything to do with it, in fact, as a poster just said, you have more life experience in your 40s compared to your 20s, so that is a plus. I think you should apply to other schools / districts. Maybe your school sees you as a para, and can't see beyond that. AS if they've seen you in this position and can't imagine you as a teacher. You need a fresh start, and I'm sure you will land something. It sounds like you would have great references from your current job.
At our school we refer to aides as "the help." Some do their jobs/some are lazy. No one really thinks of them as that intelligent or competent at running a classroom. That is the perception you will have to overcome.
I hope this is not the norm! In my building and district, every staff member is valued and treated with respect.
How unfortunate. Our students would suffer greatly without our support staff; they are valuable members of our school community who are treated with the same respect as every other staff member. They are able to provide some of the one-on-one support that teachers just aren't able to do in a large class. Here, the path to a contract teaching position begins with subbing--is that a possibility for you? Having that experience may help to beef up your resume. Don't give up!
[QUOTE="Milsey, Some do their jobs/some are lazy. No one really thinks of them as that intelligent or competent at running a classroom. [/QUOTE] I am LAUGHING OUT LOUD at that one, Milsey! LOL I started off as a "para-educator" (a glorified term for teacher's aide), worked in Special Ed., and it was downright IMPOSSIBLE to be lazy, because most of the student's required one-on-one assistance, and they were bouncing off the walls! I was exhausted by the time I got home! There must be lazy para-educator's, for sure, but I can't say I've seen too many of them, but I HAVE SEEN TAs who worked harder than the teacher! In fact, in some cases, it was the TEACHER who sat down and did nothing while THE HELP did all the work.
This is unfortunate. When I worked as a para, a few teachers looked at me like I wasn't good enough to even say hi to them in passing. They felt pretty salty when they realized that I had a Master's degree and was more qualified than many of them!
Yes, that was how it was as a student teacher, some teachers were very rude and condescending. I have a PhD from an ivy league school, it was a career change :0
This is just plain rude. Perhaps if you treated your paras as an important part of your classroom, things would improve.
Of course! Sorry, I totally misread your post--obviously not enough caffeine this morning! Better pour another cup!
I know the feeling...after baseball today, I go back to set up the room and get my teaching schedule tomorrow.
I became a teacher in my late 40's. I too was a para before going back to school f/t to earn my cert. Prior classroom job experience, being a dad, grown adult with life experiences, all worked to my advantage ONCE I looked beyond my big district I had worked for as a para and sub. Politics and preferences play a role. Many P's like to fill vacancies with their friends. My daughter worked as a para in the same big district. She was one of the few with a BA in a social services field. She was highly respected by several admins and teachers. She applied/interviewed for 16 higher paying positions. She was politely passed over each time in favor of outsiders or current staff. She had to leave too.
