Advice on finding a teaching job

[lilr3]

Hello everyone!

I am currently a teacher in Pennsylvania, and am looking for a teaching job in Hawaii so that we can move back there. I work for a large, urban district that requires a "family connection" to get in as well. Most parents are uninvolved, many teachers feel beaten down (though not all of us), and there is much pressure from the top to do more with less for more and more students, so many aspects of the Hawaii school system are familiar to me, although I am sure that there are unique differences as well. Our students all wear uniforms here, and that seems to be helpful in classroom behavior issues, though not a cure-all.

I am planning a trip in October, and will complete the initial screening interview then. I have already applied online, and am completing the paperwork now for a Hawaii teaching license. I have already taken all of the required Praxis tests when I got my PA certification, it is just a matter of getting all of the right forms to the right people.

I am certified in Elementary (k-6), Mid-Level Math (7-9), and Mid-Level Science (7-9). By May, I will be finished with my masters degree and have Reading Specialist certification as well.

For those who have been there and done that, what would you recommend as a next step. Should I try to contact schools directly? Send resumes to the principals? I would not move without a job lined up before hand. Do they make hiring decisions towards the end of the school year, or do they wait until the beginning of the next school year, and then hire teachers (by the way, that is the custom here, wait till school starts)? For Hawaii certification, the web site recommends not sending the application fee until after you have the Praxis result... I have tried calling to ask whether they meant until after I know if I passed, or if I should wait until after their office has received the results (I have only gotten a circle of voice mails)? Any other thoughts you have or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[scrivener]

Re: Advice on finding a teaching job

Should I try to contact schools directly?

Private schools, yes. Public schools, no. You'll only be told to apply directly with the DOE, which you've done.

Do they make hiring decisions towards the end of the school year, or do they wait until the beginning of the next school year, and then hire teachers (by the way, that is the custom here, wait till school starts)?

It depends. A lot of people get jobs in the middle of the year because when teachers here are eligible for retirement, a whole BUNCH of them take it immediately, completed school year or no. Usually, though, brand-new teachers aren't hired until near the end of summer, and sometimes not until after the school year has begun. Everything in the public schools depends on enrollment, so the schools often don't know how many teachers they need until they see who actually shows up when school begins.

On the other hand, if you have your license and are willing to teach where there's an opening, you'd be in the first or second tier for hiring. So get that license.

For Hawaii certification, the web site recommends not sending the application fee until after you have the Praxis result... I have tried calling to ask whether they meant until after I know if I passed, or if I should wait until after their office has received the results (I have only gotten a circle of voice mails)? Any other thoughts you have or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

How do you know what you got if you haven't received your scores yet? Hawaii requires (for secondary) the content mastery, pedagogy, and PLT, but I'm guessing you already know that.

If you're open to teaching in private schools, of which Hawaii has more than any other state (per capita), you'll have to contact schools directly. I highly recommend keeping an eye on the HAIS website (there's a page for open positions), but keep in mind that enrollment is down all over the state (my own school is down about 20%, and we've cut two teacher positions and an administrative position) and positions might be scarce. However, one never knows.

Let me know if you have any other questions. And good luck!

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Advice on finding a teaching job

It depends. A lot of people get jobs in the middle of the year because when teachers here are eligible for retirement, a whole BUNCH of them take it immediately, completed school year or no.

"Middle of the year?" If by that, you mean ending of the calendar year (which occurs during the "middle" of the school year), then yes. Many teachers and administrators do retire at the end of December for tax reasons.

Usually, though, brand-new teachers aren't hired until near the end of summer, and sometimes not until after the school year has begun. Everything in the public schools depends on enrollment, so the schools often don't know how many teachers they need until they see who actually shows up when school begins.

There's also the matter of teaching positions that are "viced." IOW, these jobs are reserved for people who have the choice of returning to a teaching position at a certain school if pursuing another career opportunity (i.e. state/district resource teaching, administration) does not work out, and the deadline on the vice may not occur until just as the next school year begins. In this way, some DOE classroom positions (such as the more sought-after ones in the Honolulu District) become open to "new" applicants at the start of the new school year, rather than the pool of tenured/probationary teachers who have been displaced from their previous school or those veterans who were simply looking to transfer to another school during the summer.

[lilr3]

Re: Advice on finding a teaching job

How do you know what you got if you haven't received your scores yet?

I took the Praxis II tests in early 2007 - Hawaii requires the same tests, but each state has their own cut-off scores. I have the score reports in hand, but Hawaii wants a form that is filled out by the PA DOE stating my scores. That is why I had the question about when to submit the certificate fee. I have no idea how long it will take the state of PA to process the request and then send it on to Hawaii.

Thank you for all the info, and I will check out the web site.

[scrivener]

Re: Advice on finding a teaching job

"Middle of the year?" If by that, you mean ending of the calendar year (which occurs during the "middle" of the school year), then yes. Many teachers and administrators do retire at the end of December for tax reasons.

Ah, sorry. When I talk about teaching, "year" means school year. I say "calendar year" if that's what I mean. And I know a ridiculous number of teachers who retired as soon as they became eligible for retirement, one in the middle of September! The feeling of so many long-time DOE teachers is that they don't owe their schools anything after their long years of service. While I agree with that in fact, I disagree with this particular expression of that sentiment, 'though I haven't been in their position and therefore try not to be judgmental.

I have the score reports in hand, but Hawaii wants a form that is filled out by the PA DOE stating my scores. That is why I had the question about when to submit the certificate fee. I have no idea how long it will take the state of PA to process the request and then send it on to Hawaii.

If your scores are over the passing line, I'd just send the payment. They probably provide that warning because of the hassle it can be for people who submit their money and then don't have the passing scores.

[lilr3]

Re: Advice on finding a teaching job

Thanks for all of the advice - I have been doing some more research about public vs. private schools, and I am curious about your thoughts either way.

• Is it worth the lower pay, to have more support and resources for your students?
• Can you make it on private school pay?
• Are the public schools really as bad as people make them out to be?
• What about benefits, health insurance, retirement?
• Can you spread your pay out over the summer?

[Barry]

Re: Advice on finding a teaching job

Don't know if this will be much help. Our private schools are your public schools. Yes ! teachers get paid during the summer. They are only allowed to retire in July as the new term starts in September.