Think about what questions the other interviews have been focusing on and strengthen your answers. While I have been interviewing people (I am a principal) I focus on 3 major areas. There use of Data (test scores and the info they provide to help improve student achievement and curriculum); Discipline (Guided Discipline) and Differentiated Instruction (making sure all students are receiving the help they need)…mix in the fact that you believe all students can learn despite their parents, home life, socio-economic issues, handicaps or anything else and you will land a job.

Well, dont get discouraged. Many school systems do not make decisions until later in summer. If you dont get a job right off, you can probably substitute and earn a fairly good living. If you dont get a job close to you, do not despair. There are teaching jobs all over the country. Accredited teachers are leaving the ranks because the education system is no longer about teaching. It’s about meeting “goals” that have nothing to do with real education. So jobs are more abundant. Hang in there. You’ll get a job. Let’s just hope that you are strong enough to be a teacher. Because teaching has become a political issue. And teachers’ budgets are diminished. I find it amazing that the people entrusted with the future of our youth are going into their careers without support, financially and ethically, from the government. And they are expected to subsidize the government to ensure quality education. It’s truly pathetic.

I was told at many interviews that they only hire teachers who had worked as a substitute in the past. I suppose it was to make sure you had some “real” experience. I did some subbing for a few years (learned a lot!!!); and than landed a wonderful job where I stayed for five years. Now at home with my own little ones.

My recommendation is if you don’t get a position for next year, get on all the local sub lists. Talk to everyone (including custodial workers) – you never know who is friends with the hiring committee. Good luck

Search on line to see if there are any teaching job fairs. I went to one and was hired on my third interview. I think you get ten interviews in one day with the schools of your choice.

When going for an interview make sure you are dressed appropriately. Bring a portfolio of work you have done, lesson plans, student work, pictures, materials you have created. Its also great when you talk about key phrases in education. Granted these change all the time but differentiated instruction is always a big one.

Good luck!

Hi! I am in the same boat you are! I just graduated and have had 4 interviews, but no job yet. I’ve applied at many schools but have never heard anything back from them. It is getting to be discouraging. I wish you the best of luck in finding a job!!!

I have 2 years experience as a classroom teacher and 2 years as an aid, and 2 years as a substitute and a long term substitute. It is very VERY discouraging. All I can tell you is to not give up. You might be able to find a classroom position for this fall (Florida, California, Tennessee, lots of places but the Northeast), but you may not. You may just have to get some kind of position to “get your foot in the door” whether that’s substituting or as an aid.

Don’t lose hope! The country needs good teachers like us!!

don’t get discouraged until 2 weeks after school starts.

some teachers do not resign until after Aug 1 so they won’t have to go without health benefits during the summer or their spouse does not get transfer orders until then

after school starts it takes about 2-4 weeks for school population to settle down with transfers in and out changing class rosters almost daily and some teachers are hired after that to teach in schools where the actual enrollment is more than the predicted enrollment

sometimes a school does not add a teacher until after registration days in early Aug.

and right now, our principals are on vacation for the next two weeks and are not interviewing for staffing until then

keep checking the websites of the districts for posted openings and keep trying

with a teacher shortage, you should be able to find a job

good luck

Test scores, test scores, test scores and I don’t mean yours. Sadly everyone is focused on student test scores. What you need to be able to do is interpret the test scores of your students & adjust your instruction to help each child make adequate yearly progress. Which means that even though everyone is not ready for third grade work you need to be a miracle worker & get everyone ready for the fourth grade by the end of the year.

If you can tell how you would go about doing this it will really improve your chances.

Remember every child can learn, you have something to teach every child. They may not all learn at the same speed or the same ways, but you need to be able to adjust for that. As soon as you get that figured out, you get a new group of kids.

You just have to keep going to interviews and be yourself and show them what you know. The right job will come along for you. When I left the classroom and went on administrative interviews it took me 13 to get a job BUT it was the right job for me and I loved it. Dont get discouraged it will all work out for you!