Am I crazy? I want to be a teacher in Chicago (Springfield: find a job, middle school)

[cosamo]

...an elementary school teacher.

I'm thinking of applying to masters programs for elementary teaching in Chicago. I know Northwestern has one and so does UIC. But I keep hearing that it's pretty much impossible to find a job as an elementary school teacher. Am I setting myself up for unemployment? I would like to teach either in CPS and nearby suburban area schools. Charter schools are also an option too....

[thePR]

You can get a job in Chicago fairly easily. Now getting a job at a good school is a different story.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Maybe we need more good teachers in the bad schools?

What a nice thought if a teachers true intentions were to teach
not just the privileged but someone with a mind that needs a little extra
push

For the original poster i say go for it, wish there were more like you!

[edsg25]

it would be hard to argue that there is a gap between the quality of education in CPS and the quality of education in suburban schools taken as an aggregate.

But the reality of our current era is that ALL public schools suffer from the ills of society and even in some of the "best" suburban schools, kids are unprepared and unruly. Our economic realities have taken an enormous toll on our most vulnerable, our kids; and they do take the social ills created to the classroom with them, where you will play either Mom or Dad along with Teacher. Teacher burn out can exist on the North Shore, just as it does in the inner city.

One always needs to think about the career path of being a public teacher today. You have to understand that you will wear a target on your forehead; there are conservative forces across the nation that are attempting to turn you into an endangered species. Blue Illinois escapes some of the worst of it when compared to red states. But it's here, too.

Pensions are in question. Collective bargaining is, too. And vouchers and privitazation hangs over everybody's head.

You may have guessed I'm a teacher (retired one). Am i encouraging people not to join the ranks? Certainly not. We are in desperate need for good teachers, even though the system itself is broken and one's ability to be allowed to just plain teach is compromised by endless testing and conformity of curriculum and those activities that support it.

I only suggest this: know what you're getting it.

And if you are comfortable with it, welcome aboard. And good luck. You will need it.

[chet everett]

As a former teacher I agree with some of the above comments.

The fact is that teachers are not valued by the political leaders except when it comes to their sheep-like ability to allow the unions to throw money at candidates that seem intent on having an underclass that depends upon bloated government. Though some would argue that is just politics, I would instead argue that is where the problems start...

I would discourage anyone that has not already achieved tenure in a desirable district from obtaining a Masters -- financially it does not make much sense and educationally you are better off earning the Masters after you have the background to decide if a specializiation makes sense -- there is a dire need for folks with the skills to be principals and such, as well as folks that get specialist designation in reading, ESL, special ed and other areas of more technical expertise.

Chicago's worst schools won't be turned around by ever an army of dedicated teachers. They need to be rethought. If you get assigned to such a school it does little else beside harden your view of humanity. Better to try and get assigned to a school with at least some bright spots, the need and benefit for both teachers and students is more balanced. If you don't know about Teach for America and similar programs those are the best way to ensure that at least some element of the school is trying to get fresh people into the classroom.

Finally, when it comes to salary and total compensation the reality is that dedicated teachers that are smart enough to take advantage of opportunities to advance can be compensated to a level that makes a comfortable living and nice retirement at least as secure as similar private sector employment. It starts be fully understanding the lanes and steps that few people that run the union care to deal with, but believe me when the folks that run CPS retirement system (which is separately funded / independent from other Stste of Illinois retirement systems) set their mind to it there is NO WAY that money paid in won't go toward retirees. They waste a lot of ink scaring folks about "threats" but they have tens of thousands of reasons not to allow anyone to mess with the system and two weaselly men (Mike Madigan and John Cullerton) who hold all the power...if / when they leave office things might change, but with smart leadership they could get better.

[Jandur]

My friends Fiance is a CPS teacher. She teaches Spanish to kids in middle school. From what she says it isn't to hard to find a CPS job, but you might end up teach in a school in a bad area. She said that the teachers usually don't get bothered or harassed though.

Take that for what its worth.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Isnt it hard to get a job anyplace these days
let alone a teaching job

Just curious are cps jobs plentiful?

If they are that would really surprise me

[Gunner0325]

Originally Posted by edsg25

One always needs to think about the career path of being a public teacher today. You have to understand that you will wear a target on your forehead; there are conservative forces across the nation that are attempting to turn you into an endangered species. Blue Illinois escapes some of the worst of it when compared to red states. But it's here, too.

Pensions are in question. Collective bargaining is, too. And vouchers and privitazation hangs over everybody's head.

This is so true. My wife is a teacher and is actually going to Springfield today with a bunch of other teachers to talk about the pension funds and such. Illinois is so broke that they borrowed Billions against the teachers retirement funds but teachers still have to pay their union dues and the rates are actually going up. And they aren't guaranteed the pensions are even going to be there when they retire. This is the first year I have seen my wife on the verge of quitting because of all the politics and BS surrounded around Illinois. That along with the no child left behind and the expectations , it's just rediculous. Not saying other jobs aren't stressful, just talking about teaching in Illinois here

[nikitakolata]

Originally Posted by cosamo

...an elementary school teacher.

I'm thinking of applying to masters programs for elementary teaching in Chicago. I know Northwestern has one and so does UIC. But I keep hearing that it's pretty much impossible to find a job as an elementary school teacher. Am I setting myself up for unemployment? I would like to teach either in CPS and nearby suburban area schools. Charter schools are also an option too....

I would highly recommend getting certified as a special ed teacher. My sister teaches special ed at the middle school level now. She went to a good school (U of I in Champaign), had a great GPA and got a good student teaching assignment. But, that wasn't enough to get her a job once she graduated. She worked as a teachers aid while she got her specialization and now she has her own classroom. She even made it through several rounds of layoffs specifically because they need a certain number of special ed teachers.

If you can, I would get a job as a teacher's aid while you get your masters degree. That will give you some good experience for your resume, contacts at at least one school, and a chance to really see what a teacher's day to day life is like and make sure you'll enjoy it before you spend the money for the whole masters degree (in case you hate it or something).

[nikitakolata]

Originally Posted by Gunner0325

This is so true. My wife is a teacher and is actually going to Springfield today with a bunch of other teachers to talk about the pension funds and such. Illinois is so broke that they borrowed Billions against the teachers retirement funds but teachers still have to pay their union dues and the rates are actually going up. And they aren't guaranteed the pensions are even going to be there when they retire. This is the first year I have seen my wife on the verge of quitting because of all the politics and BS surrounded around Illinois. That along with the no child left behind and the expectations , it's just rediculous. Not saying other jobs aren't stressful, just talking about teaching in Illinois here

Yeah, all the politics involved in teaching make it pretty ridiculous. My sister (the teacher) hates the union. She is a good teacher and she knows it. Her students like her, their parents like her, and her colleagues and principal like her. She doesn't see much point in belonging to the union and is already very jaded about it after only a couple years... it sure seems to be doing a lot more to line certain pockets and protect bad teachers from being fired than it does to help good teachers and promote quality education and student interests.