This CNN story struck us as relevant and worth reading, for a number of reasons. Among them, this fact: ” Almost 80% of high school students who concentrated on career and technical studies pursued some type of postsecondary education within two years of finishing high school, the U.S. Department of Education reported in 2011.”

That’s good to keep in mind: that a student might not go on to college directly after high school but that doesn’t mean he or she will never go. Some students might be much more ready for the college experience after accumulating some life experience - where it’s working, volunteering, serving in the military or traveling. It’s just a reminder that education is not a one-size-fits-all situation.

-DM 

Just returned from a visit to this event, where CA high school students’ virtual businesses compete against each other - cool thing is, some of these virtual businesses also have an alternate life as actual businesses. Inspiring to see students with business and communications skills on full display.

I continue to be blown away by the sheer number (and variety) of books, websites and apps devoted to every tiny corner of our education system. In this case, “The EDU Edge” promises to “prepare you to succeed at the teacher interview.”

This fascinates me. Is there a need for such a service? I started teaching in 2001, when I taught my very first Freshman Composition course at San Francisco State University. I had to interview for the position (a group-style interview in which I fielded questions from eight senior faculty members in the department), and before my interview, I relied on information from friends who had been through the process before me in order to prepare for my time in the hot seat. 

I have had the unique experience of going through two teacher training programs: The first was a certificate program in Teaching Post-Secondary Composition, a certificate I earned while pursuing my M.A. in English Lit. at SFSU. The second was the California Preliminary Single-Subject Teaching Credential in English/Language Arts, which I also earned from San Francisco State. In both programs, I developed relationships with my peers that resulted in collaborative work not only on the curriculum we developed for our classes, but also on preparation for interviews for teaching jobs.

During my training to teach writing, I was co-chair of the Composition and Reading Association for Future Teachers (CRAFT), a graduate student organization devoted to fostering collaboration and mentoring to develop best practices among students preparing to teach reading and writing. CRAFT put on several events, one of which was a “Career Night,” in which a panel of SFSU alumni offered information about the process of applying to—and landing jobs within—the California Community College system. The panel members shared interview questions they were asked, tips on compiling the paperwork applicants need to provide during the application process (e.g. transcripts, letters of rec), and insight into the different tasks an interview committee might ask an interviewee to perform during the interview time slot (often these involved grading a paper and writing a short, timed essay about one’s teaching philosophy or how to differentiate instruction). These events not only provided a space for attendees to become better informed on the job search process, they allowed for current and future teachers to connect with one another and develop important relationships. It was at the first of these career nights that I secured three mentors in particular who provided invaluable insight and guidance as I went “on the market” for jobs. 

So I suppose I am skeptical that a book of “resources” can prepare people for interviews as well as a cohort of peers can. Is there a need for books/services such as this? And even if you don’t develop close relationships with people in your own teacher preparation program, there are so many potential friends and mentors to turn to on Twitter or Ning or Tumblr or any number of other free Internet communities. And to me, at least, that’s what serves teachers best—a community where they can share their triumphs, get advice on how to handle their struggles, and have friends to turn to who can provide guidance during not just job hunts, but first teaching evaluations, tenure reviews and even conference participation. 

Teachers, where did you turn for advice during the job search? Who were your biggest allies during your first months or years of teaching?