Getting Hired as a Teacher, Explained
The teaching hiring process is a tricky endeavor but the right education and resources will help make the process smooth.
Getting hired as a teacher can be a real challenge. You've got to jump through a lot of hoops just to get noticed. You apply for jobs, fill out forms, and do interviews, but that's just the beginning. Schools want to make sure they're getting the best of the best, so they often look at your classwork and your experience with students.
Two Future Teachers Describe Their Processes
With teaching being a very competitive field, it is important to be knowledgeable in your profession and understand the hiring process. Bradley University is one of the leading universities for education and does a spectacular job preparing its students. Two future teachers Taylor Catton and McKenna Taylor tell us a little bit about how Bradley has helped them in their transition into the teaching field.
These two students have been working hard for the last 4 years to pursue their lifelong dream of becoming a grade school teacher. Taylor Catton explains the excitement he has as he steps into a new stage of life. McKenna Taylor tells us why she wants to be a teacher and what steps she has to take to be hired.
“I feel very prepared to teach in a school classroom, I took several classes that have helped me along the way,” said Taylor. “It was ETE 345, the class that helped me with classroom management. I learned a lot in that class, you get a good feel for it as an observer watching professionals handle their business in such a mannerly way.”
How does Bradley University help?
Bradley University is one of the top schools when it comes to setting up their future educators for success. The classes that they offer, such as ETE 345 are a great introduction to the real-world challenges that teachers face. These classes help break down certain situations that you may face in a classroom such as unruly students, parent disagreements, and disagreements with coworkers. Being able to experience these challenges in a controlled setting will better prepare these young aspiring teachers for the interviewing process as well.
During the interview process for teaching jobs, a lot of the questions that are asked are about how to go about handling specific challenges you would face in the classroom. Since students have already gained a lot of knowledge on these topics, Bradley has prepared them to tackle interviews with ease and think quickly on their feet.
Student teaching is another major milestone that students must accomplish in order to get hired as a teacher. Student teaching is as close as someone can get to a real-life classroom without being a real teacher. The experience gained is extremely important in order to understand a real-life classroom and get your teaching license. Catton told us about his experience in student teaching.
“It was an absolute blast and I am super grateful for the program I was put in. Bradley was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The university has done everything for me, it has made me super confident as a young teacher.”
The hiring process out of college can be a rocky adventure. Taylor explains what had to happen in order for him to be put in the best situation possible for the rest of his long career ahead.
“I plan to go down and teach in South Carolina. In a middle high school in a small town outside of Columbia. It was an interesting experience being hired so far away from home. Every state has a different process but luckily enough for me, Illinois’ website is the same as a lot of other states so my resume and my degree can transfer over to other states with no problem.”
What Else To Pay Attention To
Finding the best possible fit is one of the most important things when getting hired as a teacher. Even if you are still on the fence about where you want to go and what district you want to be a part of, it is important to find somewhere that has a family-oriented value. Another future teacher from the Peoria area is Tyrese Johnson. When asked about what he looks for in a school when getting hired he said, “I just want my future home to feel like family. I want to want to come into work and enjoy the people that I will be working with every single day”. When getting interviewed and hired, it is important to ask the right questions as well in order to get a feel for the values of the schools.
Some example questions you can ask are “How close are all teachers to one another?” or “What is the one thing that you value the most as a school”. These questions will hopefully expose the true intentions of the administration and the other teachers. Being in the right environment will only help you grow as a person and as well as grow in your career to become the best teacher you can be.
Being a teacher isn't easy, but it is worth it. After applying, interviewing, and student teaching, finally getting a job feels like a dream come true, but the journey doesn't end there. Once you're in the classroom, that's when the real work begins. You have the opportunity to teach and guide young minds every day. It won't always be smooth, but overcoming challenges is part of the job. And the most rewarding part is seeing your students learn and grow because of your efforts. So, if you've ever wanted to be a teacher, don't let the tough process discourage you. With hard work and dedication, you can make a meaningful impact on the lives of your students.