This past weekend I went to a career fair back home in
Wisconsin. I thought it was good practice talking to districts and recruiters,
but other than that it wasn’t super productive since most districts were not
focusing on hiring elementary teachers this early, and they wanted to spend
most of their time talking to secondary teachers or special education teachers.
However, while I was at the job fair I noticed there were not a lot of very
young teachers (just out of college or 1-2 years of experience) compared to
teachers that had a lot more experience. I know that school districts hire
teachers with a wide variety of experience every year, but it made me more
self-conscious/nervous about finding a job for next year.
I know that I will put a lot of effort and caring into
teaching my students, but I also know that as a first year teacher that I’m
going to make a lot of mistakes. While all teachers go through that at some
point, I’m having a hard time working on selling myself as the best candidate
for a teaching job, when I don’t think that I’m necessarily the best candidate
for that job. I don’t believe that I’m going to be a bad teacher, but I also
know that there is a lot I don’t know and that I have a lot of areas that need
improvement, which will come with experience.
Is anyone else a little anxious about finding a teaching
job, when we are competing with candidates who have more experience that we do?
How do you reassure yourself that this is something that every teacher goes
through at some point?
Honestly, in NY, unless it is a charter school or private school, no one will hire you without experience or masters! Its frustrating because I feel like after student teaching, I am capable of having my own classroom. And, you are too! We work so hard as Vanderbilt students and have such great experiences from our student teaching placements. When you are interviewing or talking to schools, just play up your experience and everything you have learned/ done. I go into interviews nervous that I will not know what to say. However, I find it comes so naturally to talk about everything I have been doing for the past 4 years.
ReplyDeleteHeather, you make a really good point! It is easy to worry about being hired as a first-year teacher when you think about the fact that many teachers who might be applying for similar positions have a few or many years of experience under their belts. However, Dana also makes a valid point—we do have a lot of experience teaching, even it we haven’t yet had a classroom of our own. Also, play up the fact that you have received your license from Peabody!! Compared to many other universities with education programs, we have have the opportunity to have far more experiences in the classroom. My best friend who is majoring in Elementary Ed. at UNC did her very first practicum in a classroom first semester senior year! Your potential employers should know that you have been in many classrooms in many grades at a large variety of schools.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, during interviews, I have found that potential employers respond positively to my honesty about being a first-year teacher. When that comes up, embrace it! You are a first year teacher, and in many ways that is something special that you can bring to their team—you are still excited to grow and learn as a teacher, you’re not stuck in any ways, you’re flexible and willing to try new things, and you have all the best practices and theories of education fresh in your mind. If you sell the first-year teacher card in that way, employers will see your inexperience in a new light.
I'm getting a little worried about getting my NJ license. The process is a little crazy and I have to finish the teacher prep program here before I can even apply. I feel like that will put me so far behind when applying. I started filling out applications and have been trying to collect letters of recommendation and the resources I need to successfully fill them out.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Mary-Lloyd 100%. I think we are all getting anxious and worried for no reason. We are coming from an amazing prep program and have had so much experience in the classroom. We are entering the work force with more than double the amount of most new teachers. Any school would be lucky to have one of us work for them right out of college... we're fabulous :).
The thing I try to tell myself whenever I get worried about not having experience is that we typically have more research knowledge than seasoned teachers. Imagine trying to read as many articles as you did last semester during student teaching! It is hard to write lesson plans and keep on top of all of the new trends in education. Granted, teachers get some of that research through PLCs and PD days, but college students typically read a great deal more. We have a fresh perspective and new ideas! Play that up...and tell the interviewers how excited you are to learn more from experts! Collaboration is key in any school, and I find that you need teachers at both ends of the spectrum to be successful. We're just providing one side. :)
ReplyDeleteThat being said, today's job fair was a struggle. I was exhausted after presenting myself over and over again to a variety of schools. And none of the schools I wanted (20% or more ELs) were conducting interviews except for the one I had already interviewed at earlier this week. Most of the APs and principals didn't even really talk to me--they let me say my spiel, took my resume, and said it was nice to meet me and they'd hopefully let me know if openings came up. I was so frustrated that today seemed like a stone wall. I know that having my resume in the principals' hands helps in the future, but right now it seems like I am no closer to my own classroom than yesterday. I know I should not be worried since I was assured to work in Metro next year, but I still feel anxious.