Thinking About Teaching in Buffalo or Rochester! (New York, Amherst: violent crime, houses)

[James9283]

Hello, young first year teacher in Michigan here wanting to relocate in the Western New York area! I was wondering if anyone has any insight on these two cities, the teaching job market for middle school or high school social studies, or perhaps going from a provisional Michigan certificate to a New York cerificate. Are there any growing areas in or around these two metro areas or the teaching market in Western New York as competitive as here? Please reply with any comments!

[I'minformed2]

The fastest growing town in Western NY with a good school district that would probably have a lot of teaching possissions is Webster, an eastern suburb of Rochester that's right on Lake Ontario. The best school district in the region, which is also in a growing town, is Pittsford-Mendon. Pittsford is an affluent suburb just southeast of Rochester. I'm not as familiar with the Buffalo area, so I can't really help you there. I've heard good things about Orchard Park and East Aurora though.

[Lax]

both areas are extremely competitive. I had friends in the area with masters degrees that could only get sub jobs. Western NY seems to produce many teachers from the local colleges so there is a large talent pool that schools can choose from.

[James9283]

There is a simular problem in Michigan with having a masters degree and trying to land a teaching poistion becuase this requires the school district to pay them much more than a "less educated" teacher. I can understand that the teaching market is competitive in Western New York but this is the case for the entire state of Michigan. On a lighter note do know anything about obtianing New York certification if you are already certified in Michigan? I was also wondering if being New York certified is something I should do proir to apllying for a teachign position? Please help

[dinge1977]

James, after NCLB, certification in different states is a little tricky. This link should help. In Buffalo, the school climate depends on what kind of district you would like to work in. If you're into urban education, check out Niagara Falls, Lockport, Buffalo, Lackawanna, and Depew. The "best" schools in the county? Clarence, Williamsville, Amherst, Orchard Park, Frontier, and Iroquois. I love Cleveland Hill, which gives you the best of both worlds.

http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/...tpathway.htm#6

[puff5655]

I am from the Buffalo area, and persuing a teaching job in the city. New York has (supposively) the best teacher preparation programs in the country- they are the strictist with requirements and such, so you might have a very hard time meeting those requirements.

The area is extremely competitive because we have LOADS of schools around here spitting out teacher candidates who all want to stay in the area, and are all highly qualified. My aunt moved here 10 years ago with a masters in elementary special education and is yet to find a secure teaching job. She has given up this year and now works at a job she hates at home depot.

You really have to have something special about you to even get an interview around here. I've heard of positions that received over 50 applications. Personally, I'm going to NYC for my student teaching so I will have that urban center education on my resume which should look good.

Unemployment here is high. I don't mean to be discouraging, but many people who want to stay here are forced to move south for a job unwillingly. Even if you managed to get a job here, that would just mean one more of us locals would have to look elsewhere

If you are interested, look into North or South Carolina. They are in desperate needs of teachers and give amazing benefits and bonuses.

Can I ask why you are interested in this area? I mean, I am in love with our beautiful city and the people (and our Bills and Sabres!) but to outsiders I didn't think it was that attractive. We have major violent crime issues, unemployment, and we are often viewed as a decaying city.. we have more abandoned houses than any other large city, and big budget issues too. New York also has super high taxes.

Hope this is helpful and not too depressing!!

[James9283]

Yes, I am interested in Buffalo becuase my sister has just moved there after getting a really good Eng. job. I am not discouraged by crime or old buildings because you have to understand that I have grown up a simular size city here in Michigan with ten times the problems(Flint). I am convinced that the job market here is actually worse for teachers becuase jobs here recieve well over 200 applications on average. For instance, my roomate applied for a job at the premier high school in this area and they recieved over 1800 applications. You just cannot let things like this slow you down becuase although both Michigan and New York might be very tough for new teachers, people do get hired all the time and I am sure that there will be several job openings in area! My question is the step or steps needed to becoming "New York certified" if you are certifed in another state, does anyone know??

[I'minformed2]

Originally Posted by puff5655

I am from the Buffalo area, and persuing a teaching job in the city. New York has (supposively) the best teacher preparation programs in the country- they are the strictist with requirements and such, so you might have a very hard time meeting those requirements.

The area is extremely competitive because we have LOADS of schools around here spitting out teacher candidates who all want to stay in the area, and are all highly qualified. My aunt moved here 10 years ago with a masters in elementary special education and is yet to find a secure teaching job. She has given up this year and now works at a job she hates at home depot.

You really have to have something special about you to even get an interview around here. I've heard of positions that received over 50 applications. Personally, I'm going to NYC for my student teaching so I will have that urban center education on my resume which should look good.

Unemployment here is high. I don't mean to be discouraging, but many people who want to stay here are forced to move south for a job unwillingly. Even if you managed to get a job here, that would just mean one more of us locals would have to look elsewhere

If you are interested, look into North or South Carolina. They are in desperate needs of teachers and give amazing benefits and bonuses.

Can I ask why you are interested in this area? I mean, I am in love with our beautiful city and the people (and our Bills and Sabres!) but to outsiders I didn't think it was that attractive. We have major violent crime issues, unemployment, and we are often viewed as a decaying city.. we have more abandoned houses than any other large city, and big budget issues too. New York also has super high taxes.

Hope this is helpful and not too depressing!!

I've been to Buffalo many times.... Buffalo is practicaly a utopian metropolis compared to detroit. I don't know where you heard that Buffalo has the most abandoned housing....but there is NO WAY it has more than Detroit, St. Louis, New Orleans (even before Katrina). I have to say that while I think the people of WNY are it's best asset (friendliest and most down to earth you can find) they are just too negative. WAY moreso in Buffalo than in Rochester where I'm from.

[James9283]

This is good to here becuase this was more of the impression that I got of these two cities!

[lisanyfl12]

Michigan and New York are extremely hard to get jobs in. There are no jobs in all of NY state. There are hundreds and hundreds of applicants for each postion there is. To get NY certification information you should go to the nysed website. If you do not want to search forever for a job it is much easier to move down south. The carolinas and florida have plenty of jobs. Actually in my school in florida almost all the teachers are either from New York, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, or Jersey. It might suck to move but it sure beats subbing for years when you can have your own classroom. Last year was my first year looking in NY and I went to job fairs where i met people who have been searching for 4 years still not being able to find a job. New York is th ebest in the nation and I will always love it but it is not worth the struggle in searching. I have a 3 teacher certifications and my masters and I bet next year I still won't get a job in NY.