Have had a couple of opportunities vanish before my eyes recently....am wondering if being a single , female elementary teacher with many years experience is the kiss of death this recruiting season? I absolutely understand the pressures schools have to hire couples to fill hard to fill positions and then plugging in the spouse in an open elementary position. However, that does not help me pay my bills, if you know what I mean.
The minuses are listed above, the plusses listed below:
5 years PYP experience
13 years teaching overseas ( most in Elementary classroom, 3 as Reading/Gifted Specialist...)
excellent reviews
resilience, flexibility, etc. ( anyone who teaches overseas and likes it probably has these qualities)
Anyone else experienced this lately? Advice?
single female elementary teacher with 20+ years experience
I think you're probably correct in your initial assumption regarding schools hiring couples first, although you do have very strong credentials. I can certainly understand your frustration.
What do you mean by "vanish?" Have you had any interviews? Are you getting any feedback whatsoever? Did you attend or will you attend any fairs? Are you only expressing interest in a handful of schools?
The only other thing that [i]may[/i] possibly be a negative is your 20 years of experience; from what I gather from other posts on this forum, 20 years does make you a relatively expensive hire for schools since you'd be at the top of the salary scale. At the same time, however, I would think the top schools (that have decent financials) would grab you regardless of where you fall on their salary scales since you obviously have PYP and overseas experience.
Excuse the cliche, but hang in there and keep submitting those applications. All things being equal, you are a very strong candidate, and barring any situations where you're interviewing through Skype in your underwear, you will most likely have a choice of offers.
What do you mean by "vanish?" Have you had any interviews? Are you getting any feedback whatsoever? Did you attend or will you attend any fairs? Are you only expressing interest in a handful of schools?
The only other thing that [i]may[/i] possibly be a negative is your 20 years of experience; from what I gather from other posts on this forum, 20 years does make you a relatively expensive hire for schools since you'd be at the top of the salary scale. At the same time, however, I would think the top schools (that have decent financials) would grab you regardless of where you fall on their salary scales since you obviously have PYP and overseas experience.
Excuse the cliche, but hang in there and keep submitting those applications. All things being equal, you are a very strong candidate, and barring any situations where you're interviewing through Skype in your underwear, you will most likely have a choice of offers.
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shadowjack
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In terms of pay scale, most schools will place you on a step which is definitely not near the top, but is somewhere in the middle. For instance, my former school would put new staff at maximum step 7, and steps went to 18, so there were 11 years to be highly paid (with staff turnover running 50% every two years at this school, few people got even close).
However, understand that as a single elementary teacher you are more likely to be a late hire. If a school needs a math teacher and that teacher has a teaching spouse who can teach elementary, you know that spot will go to the spouse, no question about it.
That said, don't get too down. Keep knocking on doors, button-holing recruiters if you are at the fair, and seeking opportunities in places you had not considered before...
Good luck!
However, understand that as a single elementary teacher you are more likely to be a late hire. If a school needs a math teacher and that teacher has a teaching spouse who can teach elementary, you know that spot will go to the spouse, no question about it.
That said, don't get too down. Keep knocking on doors, button-holing recruiters if you are at the fair, and seeking opportunities in places you had not considered before...
Good luck!
At my current school, I was put on the top step of pay scale from the beginning. I think it just depends.
I am not fixated on going to a "tier 1" school. Would be very happy to take a position at a school with a solid PYP in place, adequate resources, adequate salary, bit of retirement and worldwide health insurance. These are not unrealistic requirements.
I am sure I will get something, not ultra-worried, but have not experienced this "couples preferred" situation for many years. It seems more pronounced this year.
I am not fixated on going to a "tier 1" school. Would be very happy to take a position at a school with a solid PYP in place, adequate resources, adequate salary, bit of retirement and worldwide health insurance. These are not unrealistic requirements.
I am sure I will get something, not ultra-worried, but have not experienced this "couples preferred" situation for many years. It seems more pronounced this year.
It took me quite a while to find a job the last time I went looking. I really think that, more than being a single female, my age and years of experience worked against me. A school can hire a BA with ten years experience for a lot less. Luckily, I found a job in a very desirable location where my experience was valued.
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shadowjack
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Interesting that your school placed you at the top of the pay scale right away. My former school and the school I am going to (both good schools, solid top tier 2) both have a grid and place teachers in the middle of the grid.
What are other's experiences with pay scale at their schools?
That's one reason many international schools love experienced teachers - they don't place them right at the top (unlike schools back home, which place you at the top if you have the experience).
What are other's experiences with pay scale at their schools?
That's one reason many international schools love experienced teachers - they don't place them right at the top (unlike schools back home, which place you at the top if you have the experience).
I was hired at the top of the pay scale at my last two schools; I'm pretty topped out with degrees, certifications, and years of experience.
In my home state, it's extremely rare for a school district to grant a new hire all her years of experience. I was once hired at a Step 6 after 19 years of experience--a 25% cut in pay.
In my home state, it's extremely rare for a school district to grant a new hire all her years of experience. I was once hired at a Step 6 after 19 years of experience--a 25% cut in pay.
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shadowjack
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Wow - in Canada that doesn't happen for your public school experience. If you have done the time, you must declare it. Failure to do so (deceiving or lying to your employer) is grounds for dismissal.
International teaching experience, however, is something different and if you don't declare it, then it won't count.
I wonder what the Tier 1 schools do. Are they full experience or do they put you in at a certain point and you work your way up the pay scale from there.
Anybody?
International teaching experience, however, is something different and if you don't declare it, then it won't count.
I wonder what the Tier 1 schools do. Are they full experience or do they put you in at a certain point and you work your way up the pay scale from there.
Anybody?
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newcounsel
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 10:33 pm
[quote="shadowjack"]Wow - in Canada that doesn't happen for your public school experience. If you have done the time, you must declare it. Failure to do so (deceiving or lying to your employer) is grounds for dismissal.
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Shadowjack, I'm not sure if you were referring to my post re: being hired at a Step 6 instead of 19. It was very clear that I'd been working 19 years already, but, as I said, you rarely get credit for all your years of service when you switch school districts.
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Shadowjack, I'm not sure if you were referring to my post re: being hired at a Step 6 instead of 19. It was very clear that I'd been working 19 years already, but, as I said, you rarely get credit for all your years of service when you switch school districts.
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shadowjack
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Heyteach,
I was. In Canada, if you have 10 years of experience in BC, and you move to Alberta, become certified there, and are hired, you start at 10 on the grid. After 2 years, if you move to the NWT (North West Territories), you would start at 12 on the grid.
So it is different if you switch school districts in the US? Even within the same state?
I was. In Canada, if you have 10 years of experience in BC, and you move to Alberta, become certified there, and are hired, you start at 10 on the grid. After 2 years, if you move to the NWT (North West Territories), you would start at 12 on the grid.
So it is different if you switch school districts in the US? Even within the same state?
Reply
@writer
You may be expensive, but almost all schools have a cap on transferable experience, usually between 5-10 years.
You didnt say where you are applying, but if its top tier schools, the problem is these schools have very low turnover, and at this point even if they do have a primary vacancy they are going to hold it in the event they have another vacancy and need/want a teaching couple.
Even in such a case at lower/middle tier schools hiring a sole primary teacher is a risk that schools dont need to fill. There is still a lot of hiring left to do and school hold onto their primary vacancies as part of a couples package, which really makes a difference when a school has a difficult position to fill.
In all honesty they can wait until summer, step out the school door and throw a rock and hit a primary teacher. Not meaning to offend you, but your best chances are going to appear as the school year closes and a school has a last miute resignation and knows that they just need a primary teacher, that your going to get the most attention.
You may be expensive, but almost all schools have a cap on transferable experience, usually between 5-10 years.
You didnt say where you are applying, but if its top tier schools, the problem is these schools have very low turnover, and at this point even if they do have a primary vacancy they are going to hold it in the event they have another vacancy and need/want a teaching couple.
Even in such a case at lower/middle tier schools hiring a sole primary teacher is a risk that schools dont need to fill. There is still a lot of hiring left to do and school hold onto their primary vacancies as part of a couples package, which really makes a difference when a school has a difficult position to fill.
In all honesty they can wait until summer, step out the school door and throw a rock and hit a primary teacher. Not meaning to offend you, but your best chances are going to appear as the school year closes and a school has a last miute resignation and knows that they just need a primary teacher, that your going to get the most attention.