update on teaching in Hawaii (Honolulu: new home, transfer, middle schools)

[i <3 math]

For anyone interested, here is the process and timeline I went through to get a teaching job in Hawaii. I am certified in elementary education, secondary mathematics, and gifted education with 10 years of classroom experience. Jobs are filled with applicants in this order: current DOE employees who want to transfer, Hawaii certified teachers who live in Hawaii, Hawaii certified teachers who live on the mainland (that's me), everyone else. Math, my area of certification, is a shortage area. I wanted to teach high school on the Leeward side.

1. Late March-flew to L.A. for a face to face initial interview
2. Early April-applied for and received Hawaii teaching certificate
3. April-June-waited and waited and waited...stalked this forum and asked questions
4. June 15-first phone interview with a middle school in Honolulu
5. June 18-25-about 7 more phone interviews with one high school outside of Honolulu and the others middle schools in Honolulu who needed 7th grade math teachers (what are those 7th graders doing to those teachers?) lol
6. June 25-first offer to teach 7th grade math from a middle school in Honolulu. Math is a double block all year long, so I will only be teaching 3 classes.
7. June 26-I accepted the offer!
8. July 11-flying one way to Oahu to find housing and a vehicle. I will stay with friends and my hubby and son will fly out 2 weeks later.
9. July 24-first day for teachers
10. July 30-first day for students

I plan on bringing my 7th grade son to school with me. I know his Math teacher will rock! I also plan to supplement his education GREATLY because it is a low performing school in an area with a low socio-economic status. I home schooled our older children for 5 years so this is not new to me. Thankfully he will be in my class for a double block so I can give him (and other bright students) advanced work. Students get out of school so early (1:30 and 2:30 )that he will be able to work after school and still have plenty of time to be a kid.

Thank you all for the information and support on this forum! I will try to keep you posted and maybe even contribute to the forum after I get the lay of the land.

[Christina Sue Barajaki]

Aloha,
there are so many cheap used bikes in Hale Manoa Dorm, find them))

[HiloDiver]

Originally Posted by Christina Sue Barajaki

Aloha,
there are so many cheap used bikes in Hale Manoa Dorm, find them))

What a strange response. First time poster, too.

[Growing_gaines]

Thanks so much for your post! I am beginning the search for information that it sounds like you've been navigating for a while. This post is very helpful. I'm personally trying to decide if I should finish my secondary education degree mainland, or just take the dive and head out to Oahu to finish my degree. Thanks again.

[hungrykoalas]

Thanks for posting about your journey! I am an elementary school teacher from CA with my preliminary 5 year credential. I will be moving to Oahu for my husbands job and am in the process of applying to Hawaii DOE. Seeing as it is a few months into the school year, what do you think my chances are for getting hired? I'm thinking the best I can do is get a long term substitute gig and wait for the next school year to roll around. If that's the case, would I be better off applying to charter or private schools? Thanks in advance!

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by hungrykoalas

If that's the case, would I be better off applying to charter or private schools? Thanks in advance!

Why not just go ahead and apply to both charter and private schools, and then take it from there when you get an offer(s)?

[tygmusic]

Mahalo's to I love Math-

really helped my search. have taught music off and on in between a professional music career and am currently finishing my A.A. in hopes of getting on with the DOE to teach music and/or elementary students.

this was of great help - hoping your finding Hawai'i to be a wonderful new home and settling in.

aloha pumehana