outook for teachers for the upcoming year? (San Antonio, Austin: 2013, teaching jobs)

[dijos]

I have read some past threads talking about budget cuts and what have you. Is the market loosening up some for someone who would need to get certified? for that matter, can someone explain the process for a degree holder without any experience?

[centralaustinite]

If you are not a Texas certified teacher and you only have a BA/BS degree, then your only option in public school districts is to substitute teach. Private schools do not require a teaching certificate but they will want teaching experience.

Most school districts are still tightening their belts, and when they do hire they have MANY experienced, certified, degreed teachers to chose from.

[CptnRn]

The state is replacing some but not all of the funding they cut two years ago. The schools won their lawsuit against the state but it is still unclear what the state is going to do about it. Not much so far.

UPDATE 2-Texas judge rules against state's school finance system | Reuters

[sheaday]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

If you are not a Texas certified teacher and you only have a BA/BS degree, then your only option in public school districts is to substitute teach. Private schools do not require a teaching certificate but they will want teaching experience.

Most school districts are still tightening their belts, and when they do hire they have MANY experienced, certified, degreed teachers to chose from.

If you have a bachelors (or masters) degree, you can enroll in a private teaching certification course such as Texas Teachers or Region 12. There are many programs out there that are certified by the state- including some that are all online.

I could go on and on all day about this- but here is my experience. I enrolled in one of these programs (which adhere to state regulations and guidelines)- but I could not get a teaching job. I was trying to make the career switch from product mgmt in tech (where thankfully I still am) to teaching. I had experience substitute teaching and tutoring in the past.

Basically they take a down payment of ~$500, you attend Saturday or night classes taught by real teachers (including top teachers and principals from Eanes and Lake Travis ISD). You do some more coursework online and then you have to do "teaching" as in tutoring, subbing for about 40 or 50hrs, I can't remember, but it wasnt much.

Then you take the state exams to get certified. And then you sit and hope and wish and pray that you get a teaching job....see where I'm going with this?

I'm def not calling these programs a fraud, but if you want to teach in Austin where there aren't many jobs available, doing one of these programs will not work. If you wanted to teach in Elgin, or San Antonio, or Temple or places people aren't flocking to, then you'll have more of a chance.

I was lucky in the fact that I already had a career and the extra time to go through the program and $500 to waste. But many of my classmates were unemployed and thought that this would be the answer since teaching jobs used to be "so easy" to get back in the day. I remember all the billboards begging people to be a teacher 7, 8 years ago. I still keep in touch with some of my classmates- NONE of them got teaching jobs. The only one who was somewhat successful got a 20 hrs a week part time job tutoring math at a middle school off Rundberg. That's another thing- if you want a teaching job, you need to teach Math, Science, be Bilingual, or teach in the hood. Don't think you can be a 1st grade teacher and teach all the wonderful, well mannered, parent involved children in Westlake. These programs will have you thinking that in a few months you'll be able to compete for jobs at top schools.

Long story short- if you want to be a teacher, enroll in UT or Texas State for a couple years and go through the proper program. You still won't be guaranteed a teaching job but at least you'll have the proper background and experience.

...what was I thinking back then? haha

[RooCeleste]

I'm not a teacher but knowing how government systems work, I'd almost be tempted to take an aide or clerical job in a school district where you could get your name and work ethic known, and then hopefully move into a teacher's job when one opened up. It is definitely that way in other parts of state government, so I don't know why it wouldn't work in teaching too.

[blackbunneh]

I don't know what next year will hold, but I know someone who went through the alternative cert course, and she has spent the past couple of years as a paraeducator. She told me that other paras she works with are also certified but were unable to find teaching positions.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by RooCeleste

I'm not a teacher but knowing how government systems work, I'd almost be tempted to take an aide or clerical job in a school district where you could get your name and work ethic known, and then hopefully move into a teacher's job when one opened up. It is definitely that way in other parts of state government, so I don't know why it wouldn't work in teaching too.

Sounds good, but when school districts had to cut back, those were the first areas they cut.

[HappyTexan]

The further rural you go the better your chances.

[Acuda]

The lower socio-economic status you go the better the chances. But all these new teachers don't want to cut their teeth in a tougher school. They want the top schools in RRISD, Eanes, PISD, LISD, etc. Shoot, my wife's school had over 25 new teachers this year alone, and 5 who quit during the year. There are positions to be found, it just may be in some rougher schools. Her school is a tough one to begin at, but if you want into the profession...get in, get experience and move on. If you didn't do your student teaching at one of the more desirable schools, the chances of getting hired before an experienced teacher are slim.

[CptnRn]

It is my understanding that there are lots of teaching jobs in Texas for those qualified in ESL and special education. Especially in the less popular parts of the state, such as the Rio Grande Valley. But with ESL and special education qualifications you can probably find work in any city that you want.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/27168838-post41.html