Starting teacher-moving

[albinoazian]

Credentialing is more of a pain here than any other state. Many states you get a Master's in Education for the same work with the 5th year and BTSA. As far as San Jose area, you might catch break with their teacher housing programs. Homes were so expensive they were losing teachers left and right. Santa Clara, for example, has a subsidized condo community for teachers. Otherwise, it will be hard to live without roommates.

[hawaiianpenguin]

Hi! I may be moving to the inland empire this year and I have 2 years of el. ed teaching experience. I have contacted several principals, but several have mentioned the CLAD. What is the CLAD? Do I need it before getting a job or can I get a job and then get it? What are good districts? How can I find them? What is the best way to communicate with districts as I am in IL? Do you have any suggestions or advice for me?

Originally Posted by Nanseev

I don't know much about the area you're looking at as I'm in the Inland Empire area (northeast of San Diego), but keep in mind that if you only have your undergraduate degree, you may want to think about being around an area that has upper graduate degree opportunities.

My husband also went through the credentialing process (was a Massachusetts teacher), but it was a bit more "taxing" for him because his degree was in education, not a specific language...and I think there was an issue because his degree was from 5 or 10 years ago....

Try to look in areas that have new home construction. More houses = more families = more schools = need for teachers.

Good luck with your search!

[jmiz]

I am going through the same thing! I am certified in English 7-12 and Reading 5-12. I have a B.S. and a M.Ed. As long as you hold a valid certificate in your current state, and have completed student teaching, you should be able to apply for a 5-yr preliminary credential. You can apply directly to the commission for a preliminary. I have applied to a lot of schools, and have a number of interviews coming up. Don't let not having a CA credential stop you from applying! Also, ELL (english language learners) and ELL (or some variation) certificates are required, but you can apply for an emergency one once you get hired, and then complete any coursework or testing for a non emergency one afterwards.

Another bit of helpful advice, not all jobs are on edjoin! check out a map on google or yahoo, and then type in the same of the town you might want to live/work into a google search. for example, I was looking in the Corona area so I typed in 'Corona, CA schools'. This will bring up local schools and from there you can go directly to their websites and HR dept. pages. I found this to be more helpful than just searching on edjoin alone.

I hope that info helps! Good luck!

[notmeofficer]

Originally Posted by hanewahr

I really appreciate all the advice! Thank you all so much. I have been looking on edjoin and will continue keeping my eye out.

Good place for jobs.. be careful of the locations... the Bay area usually means a ghetto school and hardened children.. visit before you commit.. it is so different here from where you are coming from you definitely need some face time on the ground before you commit to moving. California living in general will be a definite change for you... it isnt all zuma beach or Beverly hills... if you just want a paycheck and quality of life isnt a consideration then come on down.If you like American culture you arent going to find it in San Jose... and spanglish will be your language spoken... I imagine from Wi your a nice peachy faced Anglo American... you'll be hitting a sea of black and brown.. and they ARENT going to like your culture.. you'll learn the ways of gangsta rap


I think I should be so blunt so you aren't culture shocked.. My wife is multi subject credentialed.CLAD etc etc and has taught in L.A, orange County and the Bay area.. and finally sub'd here in Redding Ca. (middle and high school)

I believe the public education system in California is seriously ill.. New teachers last an average of two years, if that... the schools are full of wanna be gangsters and children with huge family issues.. the family is broken here in California and all the ideology and signing bonuses wont fix it...
thats the bad part... PLEASE be careful where you work and what contract you sign... the teachers union will take a chunk and as a new teacher you will feel unrepresented

the good,, well if there is a good we haven't found it,, but there may be a rural school where the children aren't thugsters and actually still want to learn

My wife did the ghetto schools and like me as a policeman paid her dues... I went to her classes when I was courting her (in Antioch CA) and I believe firmly that, like the rest of society, 5-10 percent of the students shouldn't be there because they are a negative influence on all the rest.( and are lil thugster criminals) Be ready to experience burnout and frustration.. all the best laid teaching plans your head has been filled with will probably end up in the trash and youll be reduced to "management by crisis".. some learning will occur... but those moments will be fleeting... (this applies to middle and high school,, younger students may not be as hardened... yet)
Remember this is California.. text messaging.. cell phones in the classroom.. principles who shuffle like a Las Vegas card deck from school to school..(remember the no child left behind fiasco???) There is little backup of the teachers with student discipline issues by administration...goofy policies.. no matter what any slick tied smooth talking administrator will tell you...

In my time in my wife's classroom (and she was well liked by the students) I found it exhausting ... I barely received respect only because I had a uniform and a gun.. yes that bad... and I was wishing I could be "chattin" with some of the lil darlins on the hood of a radio car with handcuffs on.. were there some great kids.. yes.. but they were few and far between
My wife is a very calm person but the two weeks I was at her school I heard other teachers losing it on a regular basis.. screaming at the kids (and the kids screaming back)
Does this stop you from teaching.. of course not.. but go in eyes wide open and have a parachute and a backup plan
Remember..,. California schools are pumping out teachers left and right... there must be a reason for this.. where are they all going and how long are they lasting?

You'll see....if this doesn't scare you... it should

good luck

cam