Teaching Job Prospects with Lateral Entry

[k3worker]

Originally Posted by goodbyesnow

This. I LOVED teaching, loved the kids, but that was only a fraction of what I did. When I started teaching (in another state) I loved it. Then it slowly went from actually teaching to testing, numbers, no child left behind, and here it is even more about testing, paperwork, data.

Special ed in Wake does do lateral entry, but honestly, I came from a tough district with experience and found the teaching expectations and conditions here gruesome. I can't imagine going into that with no teacher training or experience.

We had a new hire TA who took the TA position until a real teaching position opened up. THE AP kept trying to talk her into going into special ed instead. She spent time in my resource room, saw what I was expected to do, and said, "NO WAY!"

Since my wife teaches special ed, this is very illuminating and helpful as my family thinks about what we'll do if my opportunity in the Triangle materializes. Thank you for sharing a few words about your experience. While I should know soon if I'll have this opportunity, I'm starting to fear that a nice improvement in my employment situation would be offset many times over by a significant regression in my wife's. Her current job is hardly a cakewalk, and of course it has much of the focus on testing and numbers you mentioned. That said, working conditions here still appear to be leaps and bounds better than what she would likely face in NC.

[Stagemomma]

Your chances of being hired via lateral entry? Zilch. Zip. Zero. Why would they hire you when they have plenty of applicants with an actual certification?

And honestly? I came from a state where all new teachers were required to get a Master's Degree within three years of their initial licensure. Here in NC? very few teachers need Master's Degrees, and few bother to pursue it. The difference in the quality of teaching is astonishing. I don't know why ANYONE would want to teach when they were underqualified. There is no way you can learn enough with a bachelors to teach effectively. If you want to teach, don't mess around. Get a Master's in Teaching.

Teach for America is a viable option...they provide the training...not a master's degree, but there is training and support. Only available in certain areas of NC.

[MaxtheRoadWarrior]

Originally Posted by k3worker

Since my wife teaches special ed, this is very illuminating and helpful as my family thinks about what we'll do if my opportunity in the Triangle materializes. Thank you for sharing a few words about your experience. While I should know soon if I'll have this opportunity, I'm starting to fear that a nice improvement in my employment situation would be offset many times over by a significant regression in my wife's. Her current job is hardly a cakewalk, and of course it has much of the focus on testing and numbers you mentioned. That said, working conditions here still appear to be leaps and bounds better than what she would likely face in NC.

I feel terrible, because I think we are playing chicken little a bit here, but as I said before, as a teacher in the state, I highly advise against moving in, even in Wake County. This is doubly true if you are currently in an area/state with greater protections and job satisfaction.

Now, given what I said above, I also want to give a glimmer of hope. Wake County IS one of the best school systems in the state, and if you get into a decent school with a decent principal, it could be a wonderful experience. Understand also that there are a ludicrous number of applicants every year for only a handful of positions, and internal hiring seems to be the popular trend in Wake and much of the surrounding area. Thus why myself and my wife, despite being well-qualified and experienced, currently live in Wake County but work in one of the many surrounding counties.

The question is: are you willing to gamble?

Edit:

Originally Posted by Stagemomma

Your chances of being hired via lateral entry? Zilch. Zip. Zero. Why would they hire you when they have plenty of applicants with an actual certification?

And honestly? I came from a state where all new teachers were required to get a Master's Degree within three years of their initial licensure. Here in NC? very few teachers need Master's Degrees, and few bother to pursue it. The difference in the quality of teaching is astonishing. I don't know why ANYONE would want to teach when they were underqualified. There is no way you can learn enough with a bachelors to teach effectively. If you want to teach, don't mess around. Get a Master's in Teaching.

Teach for America is a viable option...they provide the training...not a master's degree, but there is training and support. Only available in certain areas of NC.

As for this. I agree with some parts and disagree with others.

1. Lateral entry chances are pretty abysmal.
2. Though very few teachers in NC are expected to get a master's degree, it is usually expected by administration and lack of one will likely put you further down on a list of applicants.
3. Despite the above, if you are going to be in North Carolina, I would advise against getting a Master's until we see that the legislature is willing to reward you financially. That is, unless you find a master's program willing to pay most, if not all, of your costs (unlikely)
4. North Carolina's struggles in the quality of teaching are hardly a consequence of few master's degrees. As a current teacher some of the most inept and ineffective teaching comes from my coworkers with master's degrees. More importantly, by all means experience the thrill of a master's in education... but the coursework pales in comparison to other Master's degrees (Sorry if anyone reading this has an M.Ed, but you know it is true.)

[goodbyesnow]

Originally Posted by k3worker

Since my wife teaches special ed, this is very illuminating and helpful as my family thinks about what we'll do if my opportunity in the Triangle materializes. Thank you for sharing a few words about your experience. While I should know soon if I'll have this opportunity, I'm starting to fear that a nice improvement in my employment situation would be offset many times over by a significant regression in my wife's. Her current job is hardly a cakewalk, and of course it has much of the focus on testing and numbers you mentioned. That said, working conditions here still appear to be leaps and bounds better than what she would likely face in NC.

Well, your wife can always do what I did, and quit!