Teacher relocating to Dallas/Austin or SA from Chicago (Houston: sales, home)

[collestat]

I'm 32 SWM, currently living outside of Chicago in Naperville. I've been working in technical sales for about 8 years and recently got my alternative certification for teaching in Texas. I unfortunately didn't secure a job prior to the school year and am now looking at just relocating and working as a sub and hoping to find a perm. sub job that could lead to a full time gig. Worst case scenario, I'm going to fall back on my sales experience and try to find a job there that pays till next summer rolls around and I can work on teaching again.

I was originally looking at Dallas, but then read a lot about Austin and San Antonio. I know Dallas schools are paying around 40+ to start now and was curious about Austin and SA.

Pertinent information: I'd like to find a place that has a decent nightlife. Being single, I still enjoy going out once or twice a week. Also, I'm not bilingual and while I know this is a hindrance in teaching, I want to go where there is the best chance of that not being an issue. Lastly, if I have to fall back on sales (technical outside sales) where would I have the best opportunity at finding a good job?

Thanks for the help!

[FarNorthDallas]

What do you teach?

[loves2read]

there are no teachers I know that go out once or twice a week during teaching year
they are all too busy
even my daughter who taught elementary in AISD before she moved to FL was hard pressed to find time during the week to do more than just got out for dinner--there was no partying...
I don't know what you teach but frankly I wonder how well you teach
and then I re-read your post and saw that you have alt-cert and apparently all done on-line since you are living in Chicago area
I think you will have a very difficult time even getting sub work
there are some districts that have already closed their sub lists to new applicants
most districts require you to take an orientation class before you get on the list--now that school has started there may not be any more until after January--you would have to check each district to find out
many districts in north TX area pay well over 40K a year--it is a very desireable area with lots of competition as I guess you found out
someone with no experience and an alt-cert degree is going to have an uphill climb

[GayleTX]

If you want to party (other than the PTA get-acquainted tea or the faculty Christmas party), you probably would not enjoy teaching. All the teachers I know don't get home til 6-7 pm and then they bring work home with them....weekends are for lesson plans and laundry. Right now, there is a surplus of teachers in Texas and alt certs are not even considered unless you possibly have a 'connection' in a desperate district.

[miokie]

I taught school for 10 years; I'll give a hearty AMEN to those who said teaching and midweek nightlife don't mix. No way.

Re job openings for teachers, the school district in my Dallas-area town had 80+ job openings for this school year and something like 3000 applicants, IIRC. That included paraprofessional as well as teaching jobs.
I saw similar statistics for other DFW school districts.

[JS1]

Originally Posted by loves2read

there are no teachers I know that go out once or twice a week during teaching year
they are all too busy
even my daughter who taught elementary in AISD before she moved to FL was hard pressed to find time during the week to do more than just got out for dinner--there was no partying...
I don't know what you teach but frankly I wonder how well you teach
and then I re-read your post and saw that you have alt-cert and apparently all done on-line since you are living in Chicago area
...

you're rude

[miokie]

Originally Posted by JS1

you're rude

No, just real, IMO.

[loves2read]

the poster called himself a teacher and yet he has probably not spent as much as an entire week in a classroom--and truth to tell he probably hasn't spent any time in one as a teacher

he is not a teacher because in TX to actually complete the alt-cert program you have to TEACH for a year--he may have gone though some company's program and even passed some of the state's tests via computer but he is NOT a teacher until he has actually gotten hired, taught for a year, and been deemed worthy of completing the certification program...some people do all that and DON'T get the final part of the certification--

so far in this certification program he is akin to a driver with a learner's permit...and that person has more hours behind the wheel of a car than he has in the front of a classroom

many, many ALT cert programs think they can teach someone to teach simply by having them sitting behind a key-board or in a classroom lecture situation going over methodology and talking points--that does not prepare anyone to teach--even people who eventually become good/great teachers...

the belief that it does exists totally in the minds of those taking money from the people who want the certification and in the minds of the state legislature who voted for this law that opens teaching to basically anyone with a college degree in anything who is willing to spend the money for those classes...and the people who own those companies are making a mint...without making any money-back guarantee that the people who pay the money will get a job to complete the final/most important part of the process...

[sweethearttx]

Some of these responses are so rude!

I know plenty of teachers who still have a nightlife once or twice a week. I actually met a couple of teachers once who out and out partied a night or two during the week, but I gather they were likely not very effective teachers if they were out until the wee hours getting wasted. It all depends on how organized you are and how you manage your time. Maybe you work long hours but so do people in corporate America. Everyone has to take a break to eat! Geez! Besides, one of the teacher friends I know taught herself to not take work home, except for things she can do quickly in front of the TV or perhaps some lesson plans on the weekends.

I have not heard that there was a surplus of teachers in Texas, I still hear there are shortages. I do agree that some districts have totally stopped accepting applications for substitute teachers, as another poster said. And I do know a lot of people have turned to it in this economy, but there are still a lot of job openings in various districts. The smaller ones, obviously not, but the bigger ones (Dallas, Houston, etc.) yes, there are still openings. Shortages here are in math, science, foreign languages, and bilingual teaching. And also for secondary grades (4-8 and 8-12). Apparently there are no shortages at the EC-4 level.

I'm about to go get my certification and try to secure a job, perhaps in January as a replacement teacher. And yes I am doing alternative certification most likely. I don't think anything fully prepares teachers for the classroom, whether you do it the alternative way or the traditional way. But I say...if you have a desire to teach, then that is most important. You will figure out the rest as you go and you can always ask for help.

What did you get your certification in? Are you looking to secure an internship or have you already done some sort of field experience (student teaching, other) and you are fully certified?

I may do bilingual certification just to improve my chances, or maybe Spanish. I really want to teach English Language Arts/Reading or Spanish (I have a degree in English with a minor in Spanish). The program I was looking at - iTeachTexas - you can pay for and watch classroom videos to fulfill your field experience requirements. I may do that so I can still try to look for some kind of job in the meantime, but then be able to get my full certification and hopefully put myself in a better position to get a teaching job.

[sweethearttx]

Oh by the way, I'm about to relocate from Dallas to Houston. HISD pays about $45k to start, some surrounding districts pay a bit less. I don't know about Austin or San Antonio.