I know - it is November. I am an inconsistent blogger. It is the first time I feel like I can take a breathe since school started. Yes - I have a real job. I am officially a teacher.
All summer I applied to every job posted. I interviewed 7 times and just missed out every time. It was so depressing and frustrating to keep interviewing and not getting the job. Not knowing what they wanted, not knowing what I could do different to get the job.
Then 36 hours before school started I got a call. Would I be willing to start the first day of school with a new 2nd grade class. YES! But - because of the time, it wouldn't officially be my class. The school would have to go through the whole posting job, interviewing, screening and hiring. I would be starting as a long term sub for the first few weeks, with no guarantee of getting the job.
I spent the next day putting together my first class. Pulling out items I have gathered over the past few years. Things I have saved or purchased in anticipation of having my own class some day. Pulling out all my children's old books.
I think in some ways, just having one day to get my class ready and get ready for the first day of school was a blessing, because I had no chance to get nervous, or over think things.
The first day was so exciting. My class was everything I hoped for and more. I started with only 19 students. Because they split the other two classes and added one, my class was small.
It was almost 3 weeks into school, when I had become so attached to this group of kids I couldn't imagine leaving them, that I interviewed for the job. I finally felt like I did OK in an interview. I got the job!
I have been running every since. Start of school, curriculum night, conferences... it has been a whirl wind of activity. I have loved every minute of it.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Books to Read
One thing that this year of teaching has done for me is that it has really helped me with my classroom management skills. I was ok during student teaching, but I was nervous, insecure, afraid of alienating the students... the list goes on. As a sub, or guest teacher, you can't afford to have weak classroom management skills. It makes your day exhausting.
I am big on studying a problem to death when faced with one. Mine this past year was, ' How on Earth am I going to do this?'
I read a TON of books. The two I found my helpful were " Substitute teaching from A to Z' By Barbara Pressman and
Advice one year out
Well I have finished my first year subbing. I admit, when school started, and I didn't have a job I was CRUSHED. I thought I was a failure. I was terrified of subbing. I have my own memories of subs, and have heard horror stories from my own kids. Could I do it?
My husband had been unemployed for about 6 months at that point, which in a way was good because it pushed me to sub as much as I could. It forced me to get over my fear in order to take care of my family.
Our state was experiencing severe budget cutbacks and few districts had even opened up their sub pools so it was tough to even get onto sub lists. I contacted the substitute coordinators at my 3 closest districts, and all districts I had either volunteered in, done an internship or student teaching in. All three told me I could get a principal to override it and recommend me for the sub pool and I was in.
I subbed 155 days our 180 last year. I didn't get entered into the sub pool for the first district I worked until 10 days into school. There were only 5 days that I wanted to work but couldn't find a job.
How did I work so much? How did I get my foot in the door? Networking. I printed up business cards, and flyers with my picture on it. I hate pictures of myself, so this was a huge step for me, but one I think helped. I started with teachers I know. Teachers I had volunteered in class for, teachers my kids had, teachers at where I student taught. I contacted everyone I know.
Next, I stalked the substitute online service. Some districts do have a phone call service, but you only get that call if a)someone has requested you b)someone has put you on their favorites list c) they have found no one else. The phone can be a very lonely companion for a sub starting out. When you stalk the sub site, hitting refresh every 20 seconds, you can catch a job between calls, if it a phone service district, or catch it as it pops first pops up. At first I would look, think, bite nails -- can I do this? and by the time I decided yes - poof -- it was gone. Snapped up by some other sub. I needed the jobs so desperately that I took anything at first.
I think that willingness to take anything is a key to success. You get your foot in the door.
Once in the school , make sure you are VERY nice to the school secretary. She can be your key to a year full of jobs. She can also put you on the black list. Make sure you introduce yourself to EVERYONE! The classes on either side, people in the breakroom, teachers at the copy machine, principal. Pass out your cards like you are entering a drawing for a free lunch. You are.
Flyers -- I have heard mixed feedback on the flyers. Some don't think they are professional. Mine has my picture on it. I feel like this helped put a name to a face. People could see it and think , "hmmmm... I have seen her around. She must be ok. I'll call her." I had several people mention the flyers when they contacted me. It just depends on your comfort level.
At the end of the day always leave the classroom better than it was when you got there. Do whatever you can to make the teachers life easier. Write a nice letter telling them what happened during the day. Try to stay positive. No one wants to come back to a list of complaints after a day off.
Lastly - when you next come to that school, seek out the people you have subbed for, say hi, introduce yourself. Ask them something about their students, their curriculum, compliment something you liked about their classroom. This is how you get added to their favorites list and get that first chance at the next job.
Good Luck!
My husband had been unemployed for about 6 months at that point, which in a way was good because it pushed me to sub as much as I could. It forced me to get over my fear in order to take care of my family.
Our state was experiencing severe budget cutbacks and few districts had even opened up their sub pools so it was tough to even get onto sub lists. I contacted the substitute coordinators at my 3 closest districts, and all districts I had either volunteered in, done an internship or student teaching in. All three told me I could get a principal to override it and recommend me for the sub pool and I was in.
I subbed 155 days our 180 last year. I didn't get entered into the sub pool for the first district I worked until 10 days into school. There were only 5 days that I wanted to work but couldn't find a job.
How did I work so much? How did I get my foot in the door? Networking. I printed up business cards, and flyers with my picture on it. I hate pictures of myself, so this was a huge step for me, but one I think helped. I started with teachers I know. Teachers I had volunteered in class for, teachers my kids had, teachers at where I student taught. I contacted everyone I know.
Next, I stalked the substitute online service. Some districts do have a phone call service, but you only get that call if a)someone has requested you b)someone has put you on their favorites list c) they have found no one else. The phone can be a very lonely companion for a sub starting out. When you stalk the sub site, hitting refresh every 20 seconds, you can catch a job between calls, if it a phone service district, or catch it as it pops first pops up. At first I would look, think, bite nails -- can I do this? and by the time I decided yes - poof -- it was gone. Snapped up by some other sub. I needed the jobs so desperately that I took anything at first.
I think that willingness to take anything is a key to success. You get your foot in the door.
Once in the school , make sure you are VERY nice to the school secretary. She can be your key to a year full of jobs. She can also put you on the black list. Make sure you introduce yourself to EVERYONE! The classes on either side, people in the breakroom, teachers at the copy machine, principal. Pass out your cards like you are entering a drawing for a free lunch. You are.
Flyers -- I have heard mixed feedback on the flyers. Some don't think they are professional. Mine has my picture on it. I feel like this helped put a name to a face. People could see it and think , "hmmmm... I have seen her around. She must be ok. I'll call her." I had several people mention the flyers when they contacted me. It just depends on your comfort level.
At the end of the day always leave the classroom better than it was when you got there. Do whatever you can to make the teachers life easier. Write a nice letter telling them what happened during the day. Try to stay positive. No one wants to come back to a list of complaints after a day off.
Lastly - when you next come to that school, seek out the people you have subbed for, say hi, introduce yourself. Ask them something about their students, their curriculum, compliment something you liked about their classroom. This is how you get added to their favorites list and get that first chance at the next job.
Good Luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
