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Say “Yes” Before Being Asked
More often we are hearing new graduates express concern that with the
national budget cuts the job market for teachers has become very competitive and
that their dream job may be no more than a dream. They are also concerned that
if they are fortunate enough to get a job, they will be expected to do
additional tasks along with classroom teaching.
New teachers seem to think that wearing many hats is a result of the state of
the economy, but it’s not unusual for administrators to ask teachers to perform
extra duties.
Prospective teachers are encouraged to ask about expectations during the
interview. This might alleviate some of the anxiety early on.
Cast a Wide Net
The larger the geographic area you are willing to explore, the more
opportunities are available to you. You must focus on your strengths and provide
specific examples of the attributes you have that schools want. You’ll have
this information once you’ve completed your research on school districts.
The New vs. The Old
Prospective teachers and experienced teachers are all worried with the
uncertainty of how budgets dictate the HR hiring. Although school administrators
are influenced by their budget, they do not compromise when it comes down to
hiring the most qualified teacher to go into the classroom. They all agree that
hiring the teacher who will provide the best education for the students is the
ultimate goal.
It is necessary for candidates to set themselves apart from one another by
showing results from their work and teaching experience. Tell how your ideas
were incorporated into a curriculum during your student teaching. Tell how you
plan to align yourself with the school district’s standards.
Good communication of your experience and skills will certainly demonstrate
your ability to interact and connect with your students. The better your present
yourself as the caring and competent team player that you are, the more you’ll
stand out from the rest. Make sure that your references describe those
attributes as well.
The bottom-line is that you will work hard for all students.
Information to Gather on a School District
- Demographics of the district – geographic boundaries, size of the
district, student enrollment, class size, grade levels served, number of
teachers employed.
- Mission statement.
- Districtwide goals and plans for the future.
- Instructional programs and learning objectives for its students.
- Professional development programs.
- Student achievement in reading, math and science.
- Special honors or recognition by state or federal agencies for academic
excellence.
- Key personnel.
- Parent involvement.
- Mentoring programs for new teachers.
- Teacher union involvement and professional organizations.
- District challenges (e.g. budget constraints, staff reductions, meeting
learning standards, physical plant).
- Salary schedule.
- Residency requirement.
How to Research a School District
- Conduct internet research for information about the school district,
administrators and community.
- Contact the National Public School Locator for information on public
schools and school districts in the country. Web address is www.nces.ed.gov/ccd/school-search/.
- Contact your State Education Department for demographic data and related
information.
- Go to the district office and request school district fact sheets,
calendar of events, board meeting schedule and related data.
- Drive through the district in effort to learn more about the students’
socio-economic environments and available resources such as libraries.
- Schedule an appointment to visit a school. Talk with teachers and
administrators.
- Attend PTA meetings, school board meetings and school related activities
within the district.
- Talk with parents of children who attend school in the district.
This article originally appeared in our
partner publication, Teachers of Color Magazine (www.teachersofcolor.com)
and appears here by permission. Please do not reproduce further
without obtaining permission from the source. |
What Prospective Teachers Should Know
