What Happens When You Finally Get A Teaching

What Happens When You Finally Get A Teaching Job A generic look at what awaits you when you get to work at a school for PAY! Leo Wells, Ed. D. © 2004 Camel Group

Objective: Explore opportunities and realities as a teacher in PK 12 schools

School Culture Those things that make a school unique, that give it its identity

School Culture Activities Policies The “Leadership” What works

School Staff Associate/Assistant Principals Counselors Deans Activities director Athletic director Media center director (librarian)

School Staff Coaches Band, choir, orchestra directors Vocational classes Nurse, visiting teachers

School Staff Other teachers Teacher assistants Custodial, maintenance Secretarial Cafeteria, snacks, books School volunteers

Discipline Use what you’ve learned so far Discipline will largely be left up to YOU to solve

Discipline Strictly follow whatever you are told on discipline referrals Use the “form” WRITE THE ACTUAL WORDS that the student says to you or another student

Discipline What you tell the administrator should be stuff you can document Keep records!

Evaluations: Informal “Walk-thru”s Observations Checklists, rubrics

Evaluations: Formal Evaluation instruments Evaluation tied to salary Tied also to “accountability” Keep records

Testing Achievement tests Special education referrals Aptitude tests Research

Testing Norm-referenced Compares score to a normative sample SAT, GRE, LSAT

Testing Criterion-referenced Scored based on preset criteria: ex. 3 out of 4 items considered passing Brigance Teacher-made test TAKS (TAAS) in Texas

Business Details $alary Generally based on a master contract Local + state funds Supplements based on activities

Business Details Taxes: state, Federal, local, county Social Security, Medicare Annuities Insurance Extra withholding

Business Details United Way School spirit materials Credit union deductions Transportation

Business Details Work days Staff development days Sick leave days Personal days “Snow days”

Health Insurance Plans are in the hundreds Local plan generally pays for individual Employee pays for additional, spouse, children

Health Insurance Health care Dental, vision Prescriptions Generally a co-payment required HMO or PPO

Dealing with “John Q. Public” Folks who have a “stake” in the outcomes of school activity Parents Business community Citizens Seniors

Dealing with Parents Involvement Home problems Conferences

Organizations Teacher Associations Unions

Special Populations Special Education Mental retardation Learning disabilities Speech therapy Hearing Visual impairment Autism

Special Populations Special Education Physical impairments Behavior disorders Homebound instruction

Special Populations Bilingual ESL, ESOL Compensatory education Gifted and Talented

School Leadership School boards Superintendents Principals Department heads “Site-based” teams

School Leadership Integrated team teaching Grade-level team Subject-level team

Politics School board elections Bond elections Local, state, Federal funding Sports

Other wise advice: Keep your grade book in order. Keep it HID from students! Don’t volunteer too much personal information. YOU are the adult in that classroom. BE the adult!