OT: Teachers of Boneyard...Back to School Time

[Hey Adrien!]

Same here for a Spanish teacher and school counselor.

 

[husky429]

I'm back in CT after being a budget cut in MA.. Furious to the point that I made every effort this summer to move into the curriculum sphere, radio, marketing, college admin.. Literally anything.. Applied to 20 positions - 5 no's and completely ignored by 15. After 16 years in the classroom my resume / cover letters are strong. I expected at least a conversation. People told me to expect that, I just couldn't believe it with my background.. I was wrong.

So, year 17 begins in a 7th grade ELA classroom.. Looks like i'll be on the varsity hoops staff at the high school in district, so at least there's a path back to the CIAC here. Sigh. 7th grade...

The job hunt is incredibly demoralizing. Best of luck.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Respectfully disagree. Most industries have a lot of connections between employers whether that be some type of affiliation, movement of employees in one direction, or the other, or likely, both college or professional, organization, connections, etc... Hiring decisions are often influenced by what happens in the margins, quick, telephone calls, etc.

Always a bad play, in my view to be anything other than as gracious as possible, when leaving a job. You never know who knows whom, and you never know when your paths will cross again professionally.

Understood, but I’m not saying give everyone the middle finger as you walk out. I’m saying, if you have a better opportunity that fits your career goals, the thought of “but what will my company do without me?” should never enter your mind.

But yes, burning bridges is always a bad move.

 

[CL82]

Understood, but I’m not saying give everyone the middle finger as you walk out. I’m saying, if you have a better opportunity that fits your career goals, the thought of “but what will my company do without me?” should never enter your mind.

But yes, burning bridges is always a bad move.

Agreed.

The phrase "You want notice? I gotcha notice right here!!" should also probably be avoided.

 

[SCNCHuskie]

My “back to school” post will be a little bizarre.

Two years ago, I quit my job to walk the Appalachian Trail, and then spent the summer in Europe.

Upon my return, I applied for a teaching job in the Carolinas and during the interview I kept explaining I will take the job if they understand that on April 26, I am quitting because I have an addiction. During the process the looks on their faces was priceless whenever I mentioned “addiction.” However, I don’t know if they felt it was inappropriate to ask what the addiction was because no one asked me until the very end when they couldn’t take it anymore and the topic came up. I inform them that I was addicted to following Bruce Springsteen around the world and I was leaving for Europe on April 26. Surprisingly, they offered me the job.

Toward the end of last year, they offered me a job for this upcoming year as long as I would commit to August. I explained August did not work for me. They stated, “OK, how about September? I said that it also did not work for me, but I will try them in October.

Therefore, for the first time in a long time, the school year has started, and I haven’t even considered going back into the classroom. With Bruce going back to Europe next summer, maybe I’ll shoot for next year to find a school. Maybe.

 

[MrP]

I work at the school the New York Post (I know, I know) called “the most violent high school in America”.

This year we are implementing Yondr pouches to secure students’ phones. Anyone have any experience with them in schools? Did it help?

 

[OEBulldog]

After 20+ yrs in sales…….starting a new career this Monday as an educator in MA. I’ll be the assistant in a business department while I get my teaching license this fall. Then I’ll be joining the business department as a teacher in the spring.

Question? I have an undergrad from UConn Business but need to work on the Master in Ed. Did anyone do the 11 month program at UConn? Trying to decide if it would be worth going full time to get it out of the way.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

After 20+ yrs in sales…….starting a new career this Monday as an educator in MA. I’ll be the assistant in a business department while I get my teaching license this fall. Then I’ll be joining the business department as a teacher in the spring.

Question? I have an undergrad from UConn Business but need to work on the Master in Ed. Did anyone do the 11 month program at UConn? Trying to decide if it would be worth going full time to get it out of the way.

Congrats on your first year of teaching!

I didn't do it at UConn, but I did a tuition-free 11 month program at Bridgeport where I interned at a high school during the school day and took night classes at their satellite branch in Stamford. Obviously, the days were long, but I'm very grateful I was able to both get an internship and finish my Master's without taking on any more student debt and all within a fifteen minute drive home.

 

[husky429]

After 20+ yrs in sales…….starting a new career this Monday as an educator in MA. I’ll be the assistant in a business department while I get my teaching license this fall. Then I’ll be joining the business department as a teacher in the spring.

Question? I have an undergrad from UConn Business but need to work on the Master in Ed. Did anyone do the 11 month program at UConn? Trying to decide if it would be worth going full time to get it out of the way.

Congrats and welcome!

If I'm you, I'd check reciprocity between UConn and Mass... Mass has some funny rules with that but idk exactly.

Overall though, I'd really recommend getting into the cheapest teacher cert program you can. UConn isn't going to offer a better education than Central or any other cheaper directional state school. And no one really cares where you got your degree for teaching.

I'd check our ARC too if it works for you.

 

[Minicoop69]

I work at the school the New York Post (I know, I know) called “the most violent high school in America”.

This year we are implementing Yondr pouches to secure students’ phones. Anyone have any experience with them in schools? Did it help?

I have heard that those pouches are not really worth it. There are work arounds with other magnets to allow students to open them when they shouldn't.

Indiana passed a law late last school year for this new school year where all electronic devices must not be used during instruction. So my school is collecting all devices at the beginning of each period in those pocket holders that hang near the door. Kids haven't pushed back at all and it is going really well so far. Been in school for 2 weeks so far.

 

[M.S.G.]

I work at the school the New York Post (I know, I know) called “the most violent high school in America”.

This year we are implementing Yondr pouches to secure students’ phones. Anyone have any experience with them in schools? Did it help?

God bless you.

We did YONDR pouches last year, rural high school.

It was magical. At first. I was so taken aback by how many kids were actually looking at me.

So for the top and middle students, worked like a charm - but the lower / behavioral kids turned it into a game, all the behaviors like: revolving door the the bathroom, became just beyond annoying.

 

[M.S.G.]

Congrats and welcome!

If I'm you, I'd check reciprocity between UConn and Mass... Mass has some funny rules with that but idk exactly.

Overall though, I'd really recommend getting into the cheapest teacher cert program you can. UConn isn't going to offer a better education than Central or any other cheaper directional state school. And no one really cares where you got your degree for teaching.

I'd check our ARC too if it works for you.

Little to no reciprocity in MA.. All they basically recognize is: you are a teacher there but not here.

I took all the tests and passed them on the first try, except just take the SEI course, the rules for EL students are mindbending. If you just do the course for that it negates the test.

Mind you, I did all of that, and now I teach in CT again.

 

[MrP]

I have heard that those pouches are not really worth it. There are work arounds with other magnets to allow students to open them when they shouldn't.

Indiana passed a law late last school year for this new school year where all electronic devices must not be used during instruction. So my school is collecting all devices at the beginning of each period in those pocket holders that hang near the door. Kids haven't pushed back at all and it is going really well so far. Been in school for 2 weeks so far.

Glad it’s working out but I wouldn’t want to be in a position where I’m responsible for 20-30 $1,000+ devices several times per day. I can think of a million scenarios where that could go badly.

 

[History Geek]

After 20+ yrs in sales…….starting a new career this Monday as an educator in MA. I’ll be the assistant in a business department while I get my teaching license this fall. Then I’ll be joining the business department as a teacher in the spring.

Question? I have an undergrad from UConn Business but need to work on the Master in Ed. Did anyone do the 11 month program at UConn? Trying to decide if it would be worth going full time to get it out of the way.

Welcome to the profession! I am a midlife crisis career change person myself. About to start Year 18. Perfect fit for me.

 

[JB75]

We started with teacher meetings on the 21st— kids start the 26th— full week off the bat —way too early. It’s only August —-what happened to the good old days of starting after Labor Day ? Seems like it gets earlier and earlier every year. I’m still in summer mode lol. Well, at least football starting up soon.

 

[husky429]

Glad it’s working out but I wouldn’t want to be in a position where I’m responsible for 20-30 $1,000+ devices several times per day. I can think of a million scenarios where that could go badly.

This has been my feeling too. Our policy is that phones get confiscated, a dean brings it to the office and we have a locking cabinet where they get labeled with name/number, etc.

I like that better because none of the responsibility is on the teacher. Teachers already have too much to do, and giving them 15,000+ worth of electronic equipment to organize while having 25 kids in a classroom feels like a step too much.

 

[98Uconn]

My daughter graduated this spring and is starting her first job tomorrow. She’s teaching 1st grade autistic support. It’s exactly what she wanted, but I’m terrified that she’s going to definitely have some tough days until she finds her groove.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

My daughter graduated this spring and is starting her first job tomorrow. She’s teaching 1st grade autistic support. It’s exactly what she wanted, but I’m terrified that she’s going to definitely have some tough days until she finds her groove.

She will have tough days, but it’s all part of the job. She’ll be mentally exhausted, as the brain is making so many decisions in a short amount of time…all of that will pass as she gets reps.

What’s important now is for your daughter to make connections at work and “find your tribe” of teachers, even if it’s just one, where you can speak your mind freely and just get stuff off your chest. Most teachers are very empathetic and will help your daughter with support, advice or just an ear to listen to. One small recommendation of that: no matter how busy she is, find time away from your desk…I literally take a meditation break in my car in whatever prep period I have that is closest to lunch. Also, there’s a group of eight of us that eat together and just shoot the breeze unhinged.

Honestly, between that and just finding stuff that’ll help keep her work/life balance in check (whether it’s exercise, calming hobbies, friends, pets, time outside) is super important too.

If the first year is rough for her, the second year will be less strenuous and the third even less so. Usually by Year 4, a teacher is a “veteran” and that “muscle memory” becomes more automatic by reacting more rather than overthinking.

 

[lange10]

My daughter graduated this spring and is starting her first job tomorrow. She’s teaching 1st grade autistic support. It’s exactly what she wanted, but I’m terrified that she’s going to definitely have some tough days until she finds her groove.

Just be there to listen and offer words of encouragement as much as possible. For some, finding the groove takes more than that first year, and that's totally okay.

My first day as a teacher in 2018 I left school in tears. I couldn't believe what I had gotten myself into. Called my dad to tell him that I made a big mistake as I broke down in the car. Fast forward to now and I'm set to begin my 7th year this fall and I still love my job. The hard days are HARD, but the good days far outweigh the bad and it's the best gig in the world. You can't convince me otherwise.

Best of luck to your daughter!!

 

[NJHoops]

My daughter graduated this spring and is starting her first job tomorrow. She’s teaching 1st grade autistic support. It’s exactly what she wanted, but I’m terrified that she’s going to definitely have some tough days until she finds her groove.

I’m a school psych who works with preschoolers, so she basically has the next step for a lot of my students. I hope she has some great, experienced paras in her clasroom (the good ones are life changing!) and that she works well with them. Ten years from now she’ll look back and likely cringe at some of what she did her first year (I know I do), but it’s all part of the process. Find willing mentors, enjoy the kids, try to keep up with paperwork, and celebrate every win! Good luck to her!

 

[98Uconn]

Thank you all for the input and advice to pass along to my daughter.

 

[husky429]

My daughter graduated this spring and is starting her first job tomorrow. She’s teaching 1st grade autistic support. It’s exactly what she wanted, but I’m terrified that she’s going to definitely have some tough days until she finds her groove.

Along with the other advice, have her look up "5 stages of a teacher's first year."

It helps folks to know "oh, what I'm feeling is totally normally" even when it monumentally sucks at times.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Ten years from now she’ll look back and likely cringe at some of what she did her first year (I know I do), but it’s all part of the process.

Great point.

Although there was a ton of stress, my internship at Stamford High was essential to me having an easeful career once I became a full-time teacher, but the first two/three months there were awful.

Basically, I was a warm body that did whatever the school needed. I had the intentions of being w/ the department I was under, but I was basically a building sub. I'll always remember the first Friday...a few minutes before the last period, this little freshman, no bigger than 110 lbs, walked up to me and said how would you feel if I beat the **** out of you right now? As a general pacifist who grew up in a mostly protective suburban childhood and had no real physical battles under my belt, I was flabbergasted and nervously responded a meek Well [name of kid], I don't think I'd like that and then I started to brainstorm worst-case "what ifs" maybe, if he comes at me, I can just keep him down before more help comes in until the bell rang and class was dismissed. Basically, he was just screwing with me and was best classified as "initiation". Once the kids got to know me, they realized I was harmless, but I get it, not many kids have a 22-year-old glorified sub with literally no experience. Even one day, while walking the hallways, I got asked for a hall pass by the teacher on duty and I responded I work here and he responded but who do you work for? Strange times. By the time it was December, that's when I started to relax and it began to get fun. Basketball speaking, it was a blast watching Stamford Boys' host Trinity Catholic (RIP) and beating them in OT. Top-two favorite CT HS game I've ever watched.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Little to no reciprocity in MA.. All they basically recognize is: you are a teacher there but not here.

I took all the tests and passed them on the first try, except just take the SEI course, the rules for EL students are mindbending. If you just do the course for that it negates the test.

Mind you, I did all of that, and now I teach in CT again.

My daughter just started at SCSU and is going to be a SPED teacher.

She was discouraged from almost all other teachers going to college in Mass. because it isn’t a praxis state.

I find it odd that many teachers say they can’t I d jobs, but there is a lot of open positions that never get filled. Maybe it is the district. I know city schools have an awful time getting staff.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Thanks to all our teachers out there! Now I know why many of our BY regulars post so much over the summer. Sister-in-law is a teacher and I have to hear the whining and complaining about the “end of summer” every year while I’m lucky to get 1-2 weeks off in an entire year. I can’t empathize with the end of your months long vacations, but good luck this year and thanks for all you do for the kids. Hoping this will be a more “normal” year with regards to Covid.

You wanna pay for the extra 8 weeks of salary it would cost your district (that's a big taxpayer burden, people don't always stop to consider). What? You thought the educators were gonna work another 40 days for free, for the same salaries they already are making?