Any jobs out there for teachers? Who is hiring? And is it only in hard-to-fill slots?
Who is still hiring teachers this year? (AJC file)
A reader sent me these questions about teaching jobs in Georgia, which I decided to post as most of you are far better equipped to respond.
The AJC has reported that some systems are hiring, including Gwinnett, which is bringing in 530 new teachers for the upcoming school year. However, the AJC notes in its news story that Gwinnett has already filled 359 of the 530 jobs, including some through an annual spring job fair that concentrates on recruitment of teachers in math, science and special needs. But the system is still encouraging applicants with those qualifications to apply as jobs remain in those hard-to-fill areas
Here are the reader’s questions:
I recently have moved out of GA, but I still try to keep up with some of the news. I have a good number of friends who have either graduated from university with teaching degrees or will be very shortly who are encountering difficulties with finding a teaching position.
Can you provide some insight (maybe with a blog post) into the hiring situation for teachers? I’ve heard that large systems like Cobb and Gwinnett are hiring a large number of teachers and yet my friends have not found any openings to apply for, nor have they gotten any responses. In particular, I was looking to see if you could answer the following questions:
- How competitive is the market right now?
- Are school systems, due to lower/smaller budgets, looking to hire graduates with Bachelor’s degrees rather than Master’s level graduates because they cost less?
- In line with that, is the best advice now to go ahead and try to get experience either as a private tutor or some sort of teaching experience rather than extend schooling and going for a master’s degree? I feel like many are misguided in thinking that if they get a master’s degree they will be guaranteed a job.
- What advice is there for upcoming graduates and recent graduates to get the much needed experience to land a teaching job?
I hope you are able to address these issues, as I think there are plenty of people interested in the current hiring situation at Georgia public schools. Thanks, and I look forward to your responses.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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107 comments Add your comment
long time educator
July 25th, 2011
7:21 pm
thomas,
Each district chooses how teachers are hired and assigned. The larger the district, the more likely they are hired and assigned by the district. There is probably a good argument both ways, but I chose a system where I was hired by the principal of a specific school and I would not be transferred to another school without my consent. When we had all the lay-offs, transferring was one of the alternatives offered to teachers who were quallified for other positions. As an administrator, hiring at the school level makes you more responsible for the folks you hire; they are more loyal and if you choose poorly, it is your problem and not someone else’s. From a county perspective, it might be more fair to students to redistribute the best teachers to serve the most needy students, but it is logistically impractical. If they are that good, the teachers will have the option to teach in another county or school where the working conditions are better. Because the burn-out rate is higher in challenging schools, the idea of “combat pay” for a few years might attract some better teachers to tough it out, but it is a hard sell.
whityiu
July 25th, 2011
7:49 pm
I am actually the reader who e-mailed Maureen for these answers. I think the commenters who addressed the questions offered some good information. As I ponder more about the current hiring situation for teachers, I’ve come up with some other points worth mentioning:
– Subbing has been brought up as a good way to “get your foot in the door”, and I also agree with this. However, it has been pointed out to me that subbing is sporadic and requires an “on-call” schedule. How can people make a living without a steady job? Being a sub also means you cannot work another job because you can’t just leave your other job to sub in a classroom. Is this a problem people have encountered?
– I understand that budgeting is a major issue. Is there some way for programs like TeachForAmerica to look into changing their program to get as many people into schools. It will require work with school systems & schools themselves, but would it even be that bad to have 2-3 TeachForAmerica candidates in a single classroom to give underprivileged children more contact with educators and a better learning experience?
MS Principal
July 25th, 2011
7:56 pm
As a current principal, I can tell you that we are not hiring as many as we used to because the economy has slowed the incredible growth that was impossible to keep pace with over the decade leading up to the 08 recession we are still mired in. I am able to be much more selective in my hiring now that things have slowed down. However, there are many applicants for limited positions. I have hired 2 positions this year and had over 200 applications for each position. All of those 200 applicants were highly qualified for the specific position. Three years ago, we spent most of our time trying to figure out if we could get people qualified in the right areas if they could teach well and had experience.
All that being said, my advice to folks looking for jobs focuses on three things:
1. Make sure your cover letter talks about why you want to work at the specific place you are applying to, i.e. What makes Jones High School a place you want to work? Do some research and mention test scores, public credibility, challenging socioeconomic groups, or whatever drew you to that school. Principals can’t stand reading the same cover letter about how you are a people person and you are a life-long learner and how you differentiate instruction. Talk about the place you want to work and are applying to and then in one paragraph how you might fit in to the school.
2. If you get an interview, don’t tell me that you want to work at my school because it is close to your house or a better commute or because you live in the area. I want you to want to be at my school because of who we are, not how much we pay or how much we save you on gas. Again, do you research on the school.
3. Sending a resume and cover letter through the mail, as well as doing the online applications, are essential. This makes you stand out. More importantly
4. If you can make a connection with anyone at the school be it a parent, employee, teachers, custodian, whoever, and they can mention your name to the hiring official, it helps.
Incredulous
July 25th, 2011
8:18 pm
The perfect example of the status quo in action. No mention of qualifications or proven ability. I’d like to believe that administrators would have the managerial skills to interview and base their decision on merit. Perhaps I am asking too much.
Ole Guy
July 25th, 2011
8:20 pm
Cobb Teacher, should I be elated or smugly pleased to see that you read my posts, notwithstanding the fact that you find my views to be condescending toward teachers? The sad reality, Teach, is that life is not always peaches and cream. The “crosses” you, the teacher corps, silently bear are both of your own making and are made all-the-worse by your apparent willingness to bow to the whims of (what I have euphamistically called) your masters. Now you may not like my use of grammer, my spelling, nor any of the minitue which appears to fog your focus on the primary issue; believe it or not, what appears to be teacher bashing notwithstanding, I”M IN YOUR CORNER. While I have no school-aged kids, I am keenly aware of the impact upon the world which this younger generation will soon be responsible, and I am equally (and painfully) aware that the quality of that impact starts with YOU. While you appear to feel that my remarks are “not very nice”, they do, nonetheless, speak VOLUMES of the current status of both the teacher corps and of YOUR profession.
Your blogs, and those of your fellow teachers, appear to rest upon the belief/the hope that someone else, perhaps the winds of public sympathy, will somehow “make things right”/will, overnight, remove the scourges of student/parental apathy; of clueless administrators/legislators and…PRESTO, the fairy godmother of quality educational reform will descend upon classrooms everywhere while YOU, the teacher corps, has merely to wait for good things to happen. NEWS FLASH, TEACH: there ain’t no magic foo foo dust nor special handshakes which will become the salvation of YOUR careers; of YOUR profession. You want I should make a point, Teach? Here it is…YOU, the teacher corps, has to do the dirty work. YOU, the teacher corps, through your passive acceptance of what the educational community has become, are responsible for any-and-all “reform”. Through your passive acceptance, YOU have emboldened those, who have neither insight nor understanding of YOUR issues, to allow the educational process to lapse into a state of mediocrity. IT IS UP TO YOU, AND YOU ALONE, TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
Call me brusk, brazen or bullshot, but the simple fact remains…that “tea and crumpet” organization to which you belong has done absolutely nothing for you. Get organized, get a collective voice, and get together with your fellow teachers and figure out how you’re gonna make the educational system, once again, an outfit that actually prepares kids for the mean ole world.
DeKalbEdukated
July 25th, 2011
9:04 pm
@ Ole Guy
I suggest you look up “Raze DeKalb’s Education Ghetto” by one William Blackwood. Best thing Maureen has published in a very long time. There are people in our profession with balls. Think it changes anything? DeKalb, for example, just goes from horrible to even worse.
Maureen Downey
July 25th, 2011
9:22 pm
@DeKalbEdukated, Is Dr. Blackwood teaching this year in DeKalb? I need to find out if he stayed with the system.
Maureen
Ole Guy
July 25th, 2011
10:46 pm
Edukated, indeed I did look up the aformentioned story. Half way through the article, it was all I could could do to keep from vomiting!
Let me tell you something, Edukated, about MY profession. I, to, must answer to many whose views, in one way or another, differ largely from mine. We all know that “de boss is de boss”, however, both operational necessity and “hangar diplomacy”…that which you euphamistically refer to as professional balls…must often over-ride “de bossman”. Is there post-operational yelling and screaming? You bet there is! Are there threats to one degree or another? You bet there are! Have you ever been a “boss”? Well I have. It’s forever a learning process; left unchallenged…left in a void of manageriel/supervisory “challenges”…the “boss” will never learn how to manage direct and lead. Left in this void, where underlings dare not question, only two outcomes will be possible: You will have an absolute monarchy (rule by one)/oligarchy (rule by a few) and absolute chaos will eventually be the order of the day. The SMART leader will learn to LISTEN to the men (gender neutral), EARN their respect, and issue smart directives. Anything else only leads to eventual anarchy.
The key, here, is simply this: EVERYONE has the (unwritten) responsibility of providing some sort of feedback. In the absents of this “feedback”, those, whose responsibilities include administrative/manageriel functions, have no basis upon which to manage wisely. Left unchallenged, those “at the top” have allowed themselves the luxury of laziness, of “rudderless management” whose only objctive is “operational convenience”/doing what’s easy rather than what’s right. All this has been propogated by a work force, the teacher corps, too timid; too “afraid of the big bad wolf” to provide that collective feedback.
Look, I’m not simply talking out of a text book; every profession/every vocation/every course of human endeavor has experienced labor/management strife. Like a defibrilating heart, there was always much movement, much thrashing about, and either eventual organizational death or recussitation and eventual growth…not mere survival (which one senses within the words of those teachers who share their thoughts) but real growth.
Sure I read the article to which you refer…wanna know what I think? IT’S A DAMN TRAGEDY! Everyone knows the educational ship is not just afire, it’s ablaze, yet no one seems interested in taking corrective action/everyone is too damn concerned with personal issues of survival (whopee! I was re-hired…oh thank-you sir, may I…?)
My generation was able to receive, what we felt at the time, an ok education. We learned our ABC’s our 123’s and went about our ways. We learned how to read, think and, yes…learn some more. Despite all the crap and turmoil of our mis-spent youths, I think we left some rather impressive footprints upon those of our fathers.
Are today’s teachers going to ensure that those footprints don’t simply disappear in the winds of time?
William Casey
July 25th, 2011
11:06 pm
@ THOMAS, RE– moving teachers around. There are many reasons for a teacher remaining in the same school. You just don’t know them. I’d bet you’ve never been in a school since childhood, at least.
Cobb Teacher 2
July 26th, 2011
12:00 am
@Ole Guy
You clearly didn’t read my post as I pointed out that good teachers aren’t sitting around waiting for someone to change something. They are creating and teaching! Read the entire post!
thomas
July 26th, 2011
10:09 am
@ Already Sheared,
“public servants” — like legislatures, police, firefighters, etc. Degrading, perhaps???
“What if they like where they are and want to stay there? It doesn’t matter?” Just like any other jobs. Just because you like where you are doesn’t mean that’s where you can serve the entity (schools, businesses, government, or anything) the best – or where you can thrive the most. No one has the “right” to stay at a job. You get hired by a district, then the district is your worksite, not a particular school building. If you don’t want to be moved, then, quit, but you will have moved yourself from what you like anyway.
thomas
July 26th, 2011
10:11 am
@ long time educator,
Well, the loyalty to an administrator shouldn’t be the most important criteria, should it? Besides, what’s the average tenure of a principal at a school?
thomas
July 26th, 2011
10:13 am
@ William Casey,
Well, I haven’t been to a school since the summer break started, but I have been working with groups of teachers over the summer. So, tell me some good reasons for teachers to stay at the same school for a very long time (say anything more than 10 years)???
thomas
July 26th, 2011
10:17 am
@ Incredulous,
A building administrator sees his/her building. A district-level administrator sees the needs of the whole district – which must include the needs of individual school building. Often times the decisions an upper level people have to make do not make lower level people happy, but they must take care of the health of the whole organization. The building level administrtors who can get the most out of who they have are the ones we really need.
AlreadySheared
July 26th, 2011
10:36 am
@thomas
Got the “public servants” part. What does “count-level” mean?
AlreadySheared
July 26th, 2011
10:39 am
Maybe “count-level” is like somewhere between earl-level and duke-level?
thomas
July 26th, 2011
10:48 am
OK, so there is a missing “y” – in GA, at least in most systems, “county” = “district”. If you are hired by the Cobb County School, your workplace is schools in Cobb County, not just a particular building.
Ole Guy
July 26th, 2011
11:09 am
Teach, I read everything in every post to which I respond. I also “read” between the lines; stated intentions, good thoughts notwithstanding, many of your professional contemporaries seem to “talk up” a good game plan. However, as we all know, talk…and the written word both ring hollow when they preceed inaction.
Look Teach, I realize that when one goes into the teaching field, one wishes to do nothing but teach. In the ideal world, this would be fine. However, when the same woes appear, day after day…year after year, one has to wonder just exactly what has been DONE, as opposed to…thought over. Creating and teaching are fine things. These are the things you signed up for; the things you, as a teacher, are destined to do.
In case you have been in a state of denial, Teach, your professional “fort” is/has been under attack…the attack of a pc world gone awry. Our government, under the misguided notion that they are actually helping (govt lie #1: I’m from the government and I’m here to help), tosses out a maze of tripwires, known as NCLB, for the educational community to become entangled while trying to perform the function of preparing younger generations. Parents, educationaly unqualified legislators, and just about anybody who feels they know something that trained and educated teachers do not seem to freel free to further entangle the classroom teacher. When the educational process (from the observation of the non-educational community) turns into a circus, WHO catches hell? And all you can say is “Oh, we’re doing good things, creating and teaching”.
Teach, I certainly do not wish to come across as a mean ole cantankerous sob who has nothing to do but bash teachers. I READ the comments; I UNDERSTAND the frustrations; I also understand that a hell of a lot more than teacher job satisfaction is at stake here. You, the teacher corps, are free to go on pretending that all is well; that things will, by “social osmosis”, improve.
I’m 65; I’ve seen a lot of good “shot” and a lot of bad “shot”. I expect to be around for at least a few more years; through the good graces of fortune, province…AND a good education, I, by choice, continue to “contribute footprints”. When I finally decide to “park the aircraft and tie down for good”, I want these kids to be prepared to not only “continue the march”, but to improve on what I’ve (and MY generation) has left behind. I want them to right the wrongs and, in the process, learn from their own wrongs (just as…I would like to think…we did). You dig what I’m sayin, Teach?
Now stop complaining and take command of your profession.
AlreadySheared
July 26th, 2011
11:10 am
Seriously
1) I truly didn’t know what you meant the first time – “county-level” makes complete sense in the context of your original post.
2) I am, I suppose, a “corporate-level” employee of a corporation whose operations span the entire developed world. Despite this, my company does not have a “my way or the highway” mentality that could potentially move me anywhere on the planet. They treat me as a professional, value my work, and don’t want me to leave (at least today).
The mindset you exhibit is appropriate for the military, where service members are bound by law to serve where their superiors order them to. It is not appropriate for professional civilians.
Digger
July 26th, 2011
11:20 am
Hope I don’t ramble incoherently when I get old.
Ole Guy
July 26th, 2011
11:31 am
Dig, I suppose there will alwaysbe people who have difficulty following any but the simplest arguements…you must be a product of the current educational system. Better get with the program, Dig, or is your life’s ambition to be a candidate for the Darwin Award?
Digger
July 26th, 2011
11:40 am
It’s ‘arguments’. Hope I don’t get Alzheimers either.
DeKalbEdukated
July 26th, 2011
3:35 pm
Maureen, I think doc B had to go somewhere else. The principal tried to have him fired from what we heard.
Peaches Tee
July 26th, 2011
3:42 pm
Solving the problems in education is not a simple issue anymore, many people and issues are involved in the decision making. Don’t rely on what’s being read and interpret on blogs, TV, and newspapers. As a taxpayer, you can have an appointment to visit schools to see for yourself. Remember to visit many different schools, if you would like to see how school’s environment differs. Parents, teachers, students, educators, businesses, and governments are responsible for the education of our children.
Those of you looking for employment, it’s hard. One time, I heard there will always be jobs for teachers. The economy has affected everyone. I remember yearly raises were frozen when the economy was bad, but I never heard of furlough days being taken in the matter it was done. Educational organizations allowed it to happen without fighting for the teachers. Money has been wasted in education and the consequences are being felt. It’s sad that young people are graduating from college to teach and can’t find a job.
Title1Educator
July 26th, 2011
3:58 pm
From what I’ve read in the AJC recently, the market this summer is not as dire as it was for me last year after I left my job with a Metro district and sought a new school. As my mother told me, “you only need one job!”, so it’s best to stay positive and focus on creating good PR for yourself. So, here’s my advice to new grads and job seekers:
1) In lieu of formal classroom experience, list all related paid and unpaid educational experiences. For me, I’d done SAT tutoring, volunteer work, computer instruction, mentoring, children’s theater and even babysitting. Make sure that one or more of your professional references can speak to your experience with kids or as a teacher. Also, many schools look for teachers to head extracurricular activities and sports. In your resume or cover letter, let them know if you’ve cheered, coached, led an academic debate team, etc.
2) Also, new teachers should bring their portfolio to every job fair or interview. If your program didn’t insist that you create one, take this time to do it. It’ll impress even If they just glance at it.
3) Be prepared for your interviews. Bring extra copies of your resume, sample lesson plans, your portfolio. DO NOT ask the school to photocopy for you on an interview. If you’ve taught before, give an example of your best day or best lesson. Talk about how you relate to parents or see their role. Make sure you understand and can communicate the development issues of the age range you’re applying to teach.
4) Know your GA curriculum standards and elements. Even if your administrator was credentialed in your subject, they rarely know them as well as new and current teachers since the standards are relatively new. Make sure that, whatever your age or experience, your expertise is obvious.
5) Create demo lessons. As a secondary teacher with two certifications, I have more than four demos that I’ve created and delivered in the past for middle and high school interviews. Practice and time yours, making sure that you gather all the materials needed to deliver it a rocking demonstration. On the actual day, treat the experience as an actual graded lesson and set up the environment like you were just hired.
6) Use social media and networking to stay informed about any possible vacancies and then act quickly.
7) Ask for help. Get assistance with your cover letter and resume to point out your assets and refine your wording. Even if you’re an accomplished writer, it’s good to get a fresh set of eyes before you press send or seal that envelope.
9) Think like an entrepreneur and be strategic and proactive. I created an Excel database for public, private and charter schools in the metro area that interested me. I used it to track correspondence, email addresses, administrators’ names, interview dates, etc.
10) Most importantly, don’t wait for positions to be listed on websites. Neither my first job (out-of-state) nor my current job were listed as vacancies; I just contacted the principals. Apply online and follow up with decision makers. Find email and snail-mail addresses to send your cover letter and resume. Follow up with phone calls and be extremely charming in every call or correspondence. Don’t forget to send thank you notes for any interviews; remember that administrators talk frequently and share info.
Cobb Teacher 2
July 26th, 2011
5:57 pm
@Ole Guy,
Please point out where I was complaining. I don’t see a single complaint in any of my posts. And while I know you would love to think that your generation had it all together (all generations do as they get older), that is far from true. I recently read an article written by an economist on the issue of retirement. Two startling facts came from that article. 1. Nearly 50% of people 65 and older rely on Social Security for over 90% of their income. 2. Over 50% of people 65 and older are in the unfortunate position of having to support their adult children on a regular basis. Not just with an emergency, but with monthly expenses. You can dismiss that and say that those adult children are lazy, and I’m sure in some cases that is true. However, it speaks more to your generation’s lack of parenting, which became far more liberal in the 1960’s. This isn’t too say that I don’t value my parents’ generation, it’s just pointing out some of the holes in the level of success that they frequently claim.
Cobb Teacher 2
July 26th, 2011
6:13 pm
@Ole Guy,
And yes, I’m well aware of the negative forces in eduation. It’s also true that those most affected by those negative forces probably have good reason to be under the microscope. Here is how I know this. It’s pretty easy to know where you stand with administrator, and that’s by looking at how much time they are spending in your classroom. In my case, my principal was in my room a handful of times last year. One of for my annual observation. Her other visits always included guests to our building. She wasn’t the type to pat you on the back, tell you that you were doing a good job, or even talk to you unless she had a reason to do so. My point is, yes, we are in a tough spot right now. BUT, the successful, proven teacher is still left alone to do the job without much intervention.
Ole Guy
July 26th, 2011
7:06 pm
Teach, I think you just may be straying into the realm of the superflous. While your facts, unfortunately, hold water, as it were, I fail to understand the point of your bringing this to light. Just to satisfy any “concerns” you may have, I have yet to apply for these benefits. My earned income generally hits the max somewhere between the 1st and 2nd quarters, so by receiving benefits, I would have to forego a sizeable portion for at least 6 months out of each year.As long as I am fortunate to be in the position I currently enjoy, I really see no point in accepting benefits which I will have to return.
Everyone’s situation is different, however, IF my adult kids were to ask for help, I would be more-than pleased to help. IF, on the other hand, that help were to take on the form of perpetual support, I would probably have to be an ogre (as much as it may pain me) and give em the boot. Every situation, of course, is different; it is probably unrealistic to issue a blanket response to that one.
You’re absolutely right, Teach…as time goes by, “the fish get bigger and bigger”; we tend to view the past with rose goggles (unless your in a bar, in which case the “visions” are through beer goggles…but that’s another sea story for another day, n’est pas?!). My generation, in no way, “had it together”. However, for good or not for good, that generation had the guts, the fortitude, to question that which did not appear to be right AND to do something about it. As we grew into middle age, we managed a few good thing and, along the way, made a lot of mistakes. All lthe while, I believe we had, within us, a modicum of respect and discipline which translated into the right things. In all fairness, most of my professional life has been conducted within highly-regulated environments where too much deviation from proceedural protocol was likely to be met with a degree of disdain.
Teach, the levels of success we often claim to have attained, like those fish, often tend to become larger than life. My one and only sure claim is the fact that I’m here. As with my father’s generation; as with my generation; as with the current generation, we witnessed mans’ inhumanity toward man at an early age. That experience tended to become a catalyst within many; unfortunately, a scourge and a demon for many. The bottom line is…WE”RE HERE. I like to think we’ve all contributed, in some form or fashion, and in one degree or another. Life is full of adversity at every corner; our successes…and our failures…are not necessarily a derivative of our schooling alone;our jobs alone, or any benchmark we assign ourselves, but rather, how we handle adversity.
This, Teach, is the crux of my concerns over the current educational systems. We will not subject the younger generation to the demands which the educational system was/is intended to do…for fear of running afoul of those pc gods. We have pumped up a generation with minimum demands, little in the way of expectation, next to nothing in the way of consequence for failure to meet minimum standards AND inflated false achievements.
When you read of me, or any concerned citizen, speak of your profession in less-than flattering terms, do not take these personally. When one observes (what can only be interpreted as) complaints from the teacher corps, you must accept the fact that YOU, personally, are a part of that group, and YOU, personally, must be prepared to take these comments in the constructive tones they were intended, NOT cheap shots to you or your integrity. I know you must receive a lot of these reactions; unfortunately, that is a cross which you, by default of being a member of the teaching profession, must bear. Yours is no easy task, made less so by an educational environment which has become poisoned by those pc gods…ONLY YOU CAN CLEAR THE AIR.
Godspeed, Teach
Ole Gal
July 26th, 2011
7:52 pm
@ Ole Guy. Your posts are way too long and full of self-indulgent asides. Digger is right: you ramble. You don’t have any experience in teaching, yet you’re full of nonsensical advice for those who do. You note that you’re 65, and “My generation was able to receive, what we felt at the time, an ok education. We learned our ABC’s our 123’s…”
Those days have little or no relevance to education and society today. I’m 71 and a former teacher, though not in K-12, and would not BEGIN to presume to tell the educators on this blog anything except to remember the children. Read the extremely informative blog entries here, learn about a whole different environment and generation than ours, and be short-winded.
long time educator
July 26th, 2011
8:20 pm
The reason it is hard to assign teachers wherever YOU want, and I agree that some systems do it, is that the really good ones can honestly teach whever THEY want, and you could run a great teacher out of your system. I work for a system where you are hired by a specific school, but throughout my career in this system, I have moved around some because I wanted to or because I wanted a particular position. Really good teachers are hard to find and If you are good enough, you can almost work wherever you want.
long time educator
July 26th, 2011
8:21 pm
The 8:20 post should have been addressed to Thomas. Sorry.
Cobb Teacher 2
July 26th, 2011
8:41 pm
Thank you, Ole Gal. I think your advice is best and is at the heart of our profession. You are correct to say that today’s classroom is a vastly different place, mainly due to technology. I have reached a point where most every lesson involves the SMART board, ELMO, computer, or some other form of technology…and I teach first grade! If you want to be in the teaching profession today, you must be willing to embrace the all of those things and be willing to learn how to use new devices as they come along. Even our lesson plans are posted online. Still, the paper/pencil ways of yesterday still hold relevance today. While many don’t agree, I still believe firmly in memorizing basic math facts, proper handwriting technique, and spelling instruction.
@Ole Guy: The reason I brought up facts about your generation is because you mentioned “MY generation” above. I agree with many of your concerns about how education is being handled today. We agree on more than you realize. I was simply trying to make a point that not all teachers are expecting the mimimum or giving into the “PC gods” as you stated above. While teachers in general are getting a very bad rap, there are so many out there who are doing amazing things with students.
@Title1Educator
July 26th, 2011
8:49 pm
Thanks, your post was very helpful!
good teacher
July 27th, 2011
7:54 am
@ long time educator,
A part of school administrators’ responsibilities IS to nurture good teachers – that means help beginning, perhaps not-so-great-as-yet teachers to progress toward good teachers. If those stuck up, full-of-pride “good” teachers want to leave, let them. No teachers is ever as good as they think they are. They are ALL replaceable.
long time educator
July 27th, 2011
8:05 am
Good teacher,
Public schools should not be a “jobs program” for adults that need to be nurtured; it should be about getting the very best teachers for our children. As an administrator, you have to work with what you have and certainly I have mentored beginning teachers, but given a choice, give me a veteran any day. All teachers are not equal. If you are really good at your job, why should you not be proud and use it as a bargaining chip to improve your working conditions? All other professionals do. We cannot bargain for more money based on the system as it is; but we can improve our working conditions.
Cobb Teacher 2
July 27th, 2011
11:55 am
@Long time educator,
You are exactly right. We hang on to way too many teachers who are not showing growth and do very little in the way of professional development. I’m all for working with teachers who need a little extra help, but eventually we must do everything possible to make sure the teacher at the front of every classroom is there for the right reasons and fully qualified to deliver the best education.
Another problem I see in schools and have personally experienced is the constant shuffling of teachers within a building. Principals move teachers around for reasons unknown or reasons that have nothing to do with the strengths of the teacher, for example, to break up cliques on a team. I had this happen to me a few years ago, and I was placed in a grade level that really didn’t play to my strengths as an educator. There is so much shuffling in my building that I don’t see teachers becoming proficient in their grade level. It does not benefit the students when teachers are always having to learn a new curriculum as opposed to perfecting their skills in teaching that curriculum.
good teacher
July 27th, 2011
2:16 pm
I guess I see a part of the problem – too many administrators who think like you. In fact, your thinking isn’t any different from those “education reformers” in the Congress and the state houses who want to fire “bad teachers” and replace them with “good ones.” You either have a very low standard for “good” teachers to make that work, or you just don’t have enough teachers. A profession which does not consider it as a part of its own responsibility to nurture its junior member will face only one future – extinction. Maybe education was the profession that already have gone through that process and we just don’t really have professionals anymore…
unemployed teacher
July 27th, 2011
10:21 pm
Wow. There is some great advice here. Thanks to everyone who shared something productive!
Does anyone know about the possibility of receiving unemployment for a teacher who was nonrenewed? What if the teacher was told their contract wouldn’t be renewed, and then submitted a letter of resignation (and that’s the “official” reason for separation)?
Happy to be Back!!!
July 27th, 2011
11:25 pm
I worked in Cobb for 3 years, my contract was not renewed in 2010 because of the RIF and due to the fact that I was a non-tenured employee. I spent this past year getting my Master’s Degree, obtaining my Gifted Endorsement and becoming highly qualified in Middle Grades Language Arts, Science and Reading, I was originally certified in SS grades 6-12. I also became certified in General Curriculum Special Education. I did everything possible to make myself the most marketable educator I could be. I was just hired in June to teach 7th grade science. I will be teaching at a Title 1 school that did not make AYP. I know it is going to be a challenge, but I am really happy and excited to be re-entering the teaching field. I’ve known my whole life I wanted to be a teacher, I’m hoping that the current atmosphere is temporary. I also want to be optimistic, it doesn’t do well to constantly be a “glass half empty” type of person. My advice to people who are still job searching, 1. Be persistent, but not overly annoying, send your resume and cover letter by e-mail, if you don’t hear anything, send it again through the postal mail, this way the administrator knows you are serious and has something tangible to know you by. 2. Research your school if you get an interview, nothing shows an administrator you are serious about educating their students then knowing certain aspects about their school 3 Be professional, speak and dress like you want to be perceived and treated. Good Luck to all of you.
Title1Educator
July 28th, 2011
3:01 pm
@ unemployed teacher “Does anyone know about the possibility of receiving unemployment for a teacher who was nonrenewed?”
As far as I know, you can’t get unemployment if you decided to resign a position, but if you were officially nonrenewed, that’s equivalent to being fired and you can get unemployment.
On the other hand, if you want to teach this year, many principals are desperate to fill open slots at this point and you can probably find a new position. Just recognize that you’ll have to fight that stigma and certainly address it if you’re given a personal interview. Some online applications ask if you’ve resigned due to possible non-renewal and the process stops there. Others (like Dekalb), charters and private schools don’t. If you’re willing to work at a Title 1 school or travel, you’ll find something.
Ole Guy
July 28th, 2011
3:15 pm
Cobb Teach, we are in complete agreement. Many of the issues under discussion are of grave concern, both to the education community and to the general public. I become extremely (expressing it charitably) upset when I sense a reluctance, on the part of educators, to step outside the safety zone and do something about the woes which seem to permeat your profession. After all, we, the public, have a tremendous stake in the product you deliver.
Ole Gal, your remarks are well-received. However, coming from a person of your apparent experience and (presumably) foresight, I am extremely doubtful as to your wisdom. In reading (and re-reading) your remarks of 26 July, 1952 hrs, you seem to feel that “those days (presumably, the 60’s) have no relavance to the educational camp of today”. Well, Gal, you are right on target…for the wrong reason. Are you suggesting that the educational camp/the twisted mess which passes for 21st Century education, is just fine and should not even think of emulating the education systems of the mid-20th Century, where 4th graders knew the mysteries of multiplication. division and even their fractional counterparts? Where high school grads, with the exceptional gpa which HOPE scholars pretend to possess, actually made grade at the collegiate levels?
If you, or anyone else, become bored with my “long-winded” posts, that, Mam, is TOO DAMN BAD! If Dig, or any other idiot, cannot maintain focus on the serious issues which we are supposed to be discussing… and become bogged down in the “flyspeck” issues of spelling errors…and not simply tossing out gibrish remarks, that to, is TOO DAMN BAD!
Gal, if these are truly your feelings, that the educational community is just fine and need not take a page or two from a period of time when education actually meant something, than you should not embarrass yourself or the period during which you received your schooling, for they were, perhaps, the greatest times of educational thought. Standards were expected to be met, and discipline was more than a dirty word.
If you wish to continue responding to my “long-winded”prose, I suggest you first think about what you wish to convey. Considering your background, I expect a hell of a lot better than the “Dick and Jane/See Spot Run” comments I see.
Have a good day, Mam.
Bob
July 29th, 2011
8:11 am
grad grind, the TAPP program is wonderful. It gives people who did not take college education courses the opportunity to receive certification via alternative avenues. A TAPP Candidate must secure employment on their own; however, before being admitted to the program. The various agencies who administer TAPP will not place you in a position. I know numerous people who are “born teachers” who have entered the profession through the program.
Mam
July 29th, 2011
8:14 am
mam
noun
1. a member of a Mayan people of southwestern Guatemala
2. a Mayan language spoken by the Mam
ma’am /mæm, mɑm; unstressed məm/ Show Spelled
[mam, mahm; unstressed muhm] Show IPA
–noun
1. madam ( def. 1 ) .
2. (in Britain) a term used in addressing the queen or a royal princess.
Been Through the Process
July 29th, 2011
10:15 am
I did the teaching job hunt this summer and was fortunate enough to find a position. I entered the teaching field five years ago through the TAPP program. For those of you trying to do that today, I fear it is a lost cause unless you’re in a subject the school simply can’t fill (maybe special ed, math, science or spanish). It costs the schools money to put somebody in the TAPP program and there is no guarantee that they will finish the program or be certain to pass the GACE. With the glut of experienced candidates on the market, the principals see no need to take a chance on somebody who would have to use the TAPP program.
For recent graduates who are certified, I’d recommend that you look at one of those above subjects and think about studying for and taking the GACE to get certified in one of those subjects. Frankly, unless you are extraordinary lucky or have a good connection, you probably are not going to get hired by a school because they are being inundated by resumes from teachers with several years of teaching experience. You’re best hope would be to get certified in an area with low supply by passing the GACE in one of those needs areas. You can always transfer back to your college degree area of focus once you’re entrenched in a school.
For those who do have teaching experience, you are going up against a deep and experienced field of candidates who also want that job. When I got my first interview, the guy who was following me had driven up from Selma, Alabama that morning to Atlanta and he had been teaching at the community-college level. So don’t just rely on your resume even if it’s strong. Things you need to have on your resume if you can at all: 1. Emphasize positive test scores (compare to the local RESA or the state average) 2. Emphasize coaching/sponsoring roles (even non-school related if needed)
Here’s the process I followed to find a job. Every weekday morning I checked the websites of the school systems I was interested in for job postings. I also checked TeachGeorgia. When I found a posting that I was interested in, I would find out and write down the school’s address, phone # and position available. Then, call up the school and ask who the hiring principal for that position is. Then, ask the receptionist who the secretary for that principal is. Write those down since you might apply to over a hundred schools (I did) and you don’t want to forget. You could also ask her if you could get that principal’s e-mail address. If they don’t give it, it’s pretty easy to find online but almost every receptionist will freely tell you the above items. Thank her politely, then end the phone call.
Send your resume off to the principal via e-mail including your cover letter. You can also mail it if you want. Then, call back up, ask to speak to the secretary (by name, obviously). When you get ahold of her, tell her that you’d like to set up an interview for that position. She’ll tell you that they’re going through the resumes that have been submitted and that they’ll get back to you. Go ahead and sell her briefly (we’re talking 20 seconds or less) and emphasize that you have already e-mailed your resume to the principal. Thank her politely, then end the conversation.
Next day, call them back up and speak to the secretary again. Ask her if the principal’s had a chance to look at your resume and once again ask to set up and appointment to interview.
After three days, I’d ease up because by that time she’s mentioned your name to the principal. They just might not be interested but at the least they’ll know you really want that job and they’ll have looked at your resume instead of losing in the multitude.
I hope this helps somebody secure an interview.
Ga/Al certified
July 29th, 2011
10:56 am
I have 5 years experience in teaching Biology, Advanced Biology, Physical Science. I have not found a teaching job in Georgia YET. I have been on a few interviews and havent heard anything back. I find it very rude for them to respond whether or not you get the job or ot. I never heard anything from Cobb County schools, and I applied for serveral positions. Gwinnett say they are hiring for alot of science, well I havent seen that many. Alot of schools are looking for the SCIENCE certification- well yea that means you can teach ALL sciences, just because you passed the test. BUT if a person has a BIOLOGY degree and gets the SCIENCE certification that doesnt mean, thast he or she should be teaching Chemistry, Physical science etc…..Thats why they have a BIOLOGY certification, so you can teach ALL the LIFE Sciences, especially if your degree is just Biology.
Its really hard out there, I have been traveling back and forth to Alabama to work!!!!!
In the Middle
July 29th, 2011
12:19 pm
@Newly rehired: which system are you working for? I have a relative who was non renewed and still is jobless….all reviews are favorable, not a negative word.
@unemployed teacher: Make your case to the unemployment office; you likely will receive unemployment; I know many who did.
Rob
July 29th, 2011
12:31 pm
This is the way it is for most people. Not just the “educators” or “teachers.” Try finding a job as an engineer with a master’s degree and 15yrs experience. Good luck with that venture as well.
atlfunlver
July 29th, 2011
1:18 pm
Any system that adds an administrator before teacher need to give up
Bean Counter
July 29th, 2011
2:39 pm
@Ole Guy – My mother, a teacher at the time, helped to recall the entire tyrranical school board where she worked in the 70’s. Can you imagine what would have happened if she FAILED??? She would never have gotten another job in this state again. She even protested outside the Board of Education prior to the recall. Her face was all over the local news. If I remember correctly, the teachers even went on strike until the B of Ed was ousted. Her actions might have been a little extreme, but at the time, they helped a LOT of teachers keep their jobs and ENJOY teaching. The county’s test scores improved, and they were able to recruit more fantastic teachers in the following years. Is this the kind of thing you’re suggesting, Ole Guy? Or maybe you’re rallying for teacher unions? Just curious…I have my feelings (good and bad) about both.
By the way, both of my parents retired from teaching because they couldn’t take the politics of it anymore. They were both OUTSTANDING teachers who truly cared about kids. If they’d been allowed to continue to have input about how their subjects were taught, they’d probably still be teaching well into their 60’s.
pj
July 29th, 2011
3:36 pm
Bean Counter, my impression of Ole Guy was also that he was rallying for teacher unions in Georgia.