I am currently working as a substitute teacher here in Southern California and looking for a contract for next year.  A year ago I was finishing up my Master's program through the University of Phoenix, I was finally pursuing what I had always wanted to do rather than working at a job I truly didn't like anymore (bankruptcy paralegal for 16 years).  Well I graduated with my Master's degree and I got licensed in Arizona first; it took 6 months for California to issue my credential.  Needless to say I didn't get hired anywhere, I was just put into the substitute pool.  I have learned a lot since becoming a substitute teacher some positive, some negative.  I have learned that no matter how much other work experience you have, people still think you don't really know anything about kids when you are employed as a substitute.  I'm a mom with two kids, a boy and a girl, ages 16 and 12, respectively.  I have also learned to hate the interview questions "what is your educational philosophy?" and "what is your classroom management style?"  I have also learned that no matter how well I do as a substitute, I'm still just viewed as less than human.  I don't think it's a conscious decision by people in general, it's just how it is.  I think its really sad that the only way to get a teaching position is to work as a substitute because your job is not stable, you don't work everyday, your pay is crappy and you don't have any benefits.  I really want to be a fourth grade teacher, I know I'm a great teacher but I also know that I have bills to pay and working part-time as a substitute is incredibly hard.  I have also learned that it takes a lot of mental energy to go to a different school every day and deal with 20-30 different kids, different grade levels, different curricula, all the while trying to keep a smile on my face and knowing I'm still an outsider.  I'm looking through the teaching window with my face pressed up aganst the glass, and I don't know when I will be on the other side looking out.  It might sound like I'm complaining, I'm not, I'm simply stating how I feel.  I wonder sometimes if I made a mistake changing careers but then I think to myself nothing ventured, well you know the rest.  I'm trying to keep my chin up and I'm applying again to the districts in which I'm working as a substitute. I just wonder where it wil all end up.

Yes, all to be teachers need to work as a sub at the specific district before he/she becomes a teacher there. I've been working as a sub for 2 years now and yes there are positive and negative aspects of it. The positive ones would be moving to different schools and meeting new students. The negative ones would be middle schoolers including six graders. Luckily I am single and only use the jobs to pay rent. I'd taken most of the credential courses but most are a joke especially ones that require writing a verbatim teacher/student lesson plan. I just need to decide whether to stick to it and pass my R.I.C.A or go back to whatever I was doing as an undergrad. I think you wasted your money at the University of Phoenix for getting your Master's--you should have gotten it after getting hired. Teachers are like artists/musicians...it takes us a long time to "make it". Don't worry because by 2016 or somewhere in the near future, tenure teachers will retire. The only other way out is to work for a private school. I know most teachers are working in San Bernardino County (east of the 10).

Wanted to make you aware of this week’s launch of portfoliogen.com which represents the much anticipated development of the first absolutely FREE online service for teachers to create their own customized portfolio web pages. Registered users receive their own URL web address allowing them to share their credentials with prospective employers, principals, professors, and peers.

Portfolio Generation was developed by teachers for teachers to allow them to display their skills beyond the conventional paper-based portfolios used today. This free service gives teachers a simple way to create their own professional looking web page without having to be a web developer.

Portfolio Generation is looking forward to allowing school districts to search for qualified teachers who are open to being contacted on the site as well as providing these districts with email alerting when new portfolios meeting their search criteria are created.

Learn more about PORTFOLIO GENERATION by visiting: http://www.portfoliogen.com

Thanks for your consideration.

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Hi,

 

Thanks very much for this comment. It help me to think about my ideals.

 

Tks again and pls keep posting.

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Substitute teacher interview questions

 

Best regards.

I like New Teacher and trying to get a job very much. Thanks for sharing. It's very useful for me.