Teachers, please help!

I have my BS in Business and have been working in HR for 4 years. I have always wanted to teach and have begun the process to do so. I'm in NJ and to go through alternate route, you have to take an exam (I did and passed) and submit an application to the county (I did that). But it's like a catch 22 - I am now qualified to interview and accept positions, however, no one will hire me without experience! I can either be a teachers assistant and make 1/2 what I make now....(maybe I can get a 2nd job? ugh!) or I can attend school for my Masters at night for an Ed degree.

Any advice as to who to call , write, etc? What is the proper etiquette in the school systems? How can I start teaching sooner than the next decade!!

I'm so frustrated

Re: Teachers, please help!

Well, I teach on Long Island so I'm not familiar with the alternate route--but the best thing to do is send your resume EVERYWHERE... my first year after student teaching I sent probably upwards of 100 resumes around. Then on interviews, everyone told me that I was nice and everything but I had no experience... it was so frustrating!

Finally, after a spring/summer of interviewing, I finally got a leave replacement position. It was for only one year, but it was for full salary and benefits. If you keep sending resumes out, eventually (hopefully) someone will take notice.

Also, use your business experience as a plus--you can bring real-world experiences into the classroom... are you going to teach business? That is very important, you can tell the kids how it is, not what a textbook says theoretically!

do you know any teachers? Have them talk to their department chairs... it's amazing, at least on Long Island, how many teachers know each other, from conferences, and things like that. I got my current job because the history teacher at my leave replacement school was friends with the history teacher at my current school, and they got to talking... and the rest is history!

Good luck with the search, FM me if you want to talk more or vent or whatever!

Re: Teachers, please help!

My FH is in NY and he had the same problem.

There are a LOT of teachers, and not a lot of jobs. (I'm talking elementary here.)

He student taught in a district, and while he was there, he made it a HUGE point to become buddy buddy with the principals/administration. That student teaching job turned into per diem subbing, which turned into permanent subbing, which then turned into a leave replacement position, which has NOW turned into a classroom for September. --- And this all happened since January.

There IS hope -just kiss some azz! If you "go through a lot" with a district, they'll most likely stick within the district when they're looking to hire.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Re: Teachers, please help!

I'm not familiar with NJ, but did you student teach at all? You can accept positions without student teaching or being in the classroom at all? I know it would be difficult to accept a teaching assistant position for half of what you are making now, but maybe it would be worth it. That's a hard decision. Good luck.