Where to start

[jmelperez]

I just found out that I passed my exam for certification 4-8 and now am in the process of looking for my first teaching job. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to look for in a school? You just never know until you get in there how things really are.

[hweber]

Where are you looking jmelperez? Get a good resume together, one that is exciting and a bit out of the ordinary, but not too far out there. Get a portfolio together of your accomplishments thus far. Did you student teach?
If you get an interview, look up the school, town, and area on-line. The internet is a wealth of information.

[JBBallard]

Hweber is right about getting to know the school you're interviewing for when you begin job hunting. I had several interviews with different school districts, and each one asked what I already knew about their school or district and if I agreed with their missions. I was also asked how I could be beneficial in each distrcit or school, so be prepared and knowledgable about the school or district you interview with.

As far as getting to know the school, the experts on any school is its faculty and staff. Talk to other teachers and even the custodial staff to get the lowdown on how the school you're interested in operates. This will give you an opportunity to hear some of the pros and cons about the school. Parents are also valuable when it comes to learning about a school or district.

Good luck!

[merrynl]

If applicable, it may be helpful to know why the last person left. I found out later that I'm the 5th Earth Science teacher the school had in 3 years. They had a teacher retire after 30+ years and then have a string of teachers who left or were fired. Some for poor teaching, some for personal reasons. My interview had a lot to do with following the curriculum and state standards, classroom management, and teaching philosophy.

[hweber]

wow merrynl that is amazing. Learn something about the community too. Prepare yourself to know why you would be a good fit for a district. Look at the school website and any teacher websites. This will give you a feel for what they teach, how they communicate with parents and the community. Also, look at the state education site and look at the state report cards. If the school is not excellent or continuous improvement, and you interview, state some innovative ideas how you think you can help bring up scores (willing to tutor after school, start a book club, science club, writing club, poetry club, etc).

[Boxcar]

Congradulations on passing your exam!

[jmelperez]

Thanks for the info! I am going through an alternative cert. program and did not student teach in college. I have been working on my master's in school psychology and decided that I wanted to teach, so here I am! I currently work at an elementary school I absolutely love, but there are no openings. I have applied for other districts in my area (Austin, TX) but needed some feedback from those more experienced :) Thanks!