That's about 4 percent of teaching positions currently vacant.
http://duvalschools.org/Page/9344
I have seen it worse and there are still two weeks before kids arrive. It's also a lot worse in several other districts in the state.
I mention this because teaching is a profession that fewer and fewer people want to go into and Tallahassee's response seems to make things worse and worse for teachers and its not like Duval is really looking out for teaches either.
We'll limp into the school year but at some point if we continue on this course we will reach a tipping point that our schools and children won't be able to recover from.
Anyway, if you are looking for a gig, the hardest but most rewarding gig you will ever have, there are plenty of openings.
http://duvalschools.org/Page/9344
I have seen it worse and there are still two weeks before kids arrive. It's also a lot worse in several other districts in the state.
I mention this because teaching is a profession that fewer and fewer people want to go into and Tallahassee's response seems to make things worse and worse for teachers and its not like Duval is really looking out for teaches either.
We'll limp into the school year but at some point if we continue on this course we will reach a tipping point that our schools and children won't be able to recover from.
Anyway, if you are looking for a gig, the hardest but most rewarding gig you will ever have, there are plenty of openings.
It is more fuel for the coming arguments for virtual instruction. If teachers aren't there to teach, then surely we have no choice but to go virtual. There is no incentive to try to draw in new teachers and to retain talented, experienced teachers when it would be much less expensive to move away from brick and mortar instructional expenses.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, many of the principals seem to wait to the last minute. A friend has applied to so many places, and many of the principals have had the same openings for weeks, hoping for a seeming magic bullet. Well, he has a Masters, is incredibly intelligent, and is committed to working in any school, but principals want experience. They, however, don't understand that experience in Duval is rare. 1/2 of teachers quit in Duval within 5 years; keep up the low pay and difficult conditions and there will be the same issues for years to come.
ReplyDeleteAnd when it comes to virtual instruction, the issue is that so few students actually finish the class requirements because of the online nature. Why waste the money on it when so few will actually get credit for the class?
I agree that it seems that principals in Duval County do not want to take a chance on career changers with no classroom experience. It seems that principals will keep the position open until someone with experience walks in the door. I understand the concept to allow principals to choose their own staff. But if the position is not filled within a reasonable time frame, then the District should interview applicants and assign new teachers to the schools. Afterall, the Superintendent says he has final say over staffing.
ReplyDeleteWhat happens when positions are not filled? Does that result in overcrowding of classrooms? Teachers with overcrowded classes should start pressing their principals about what is being done to fill open positions. Do not accept the answer that, “No qualified applicants have applied.” A qualified applicant is someone who has a Letter of Eligibility and has passed the background check.
I would like to know the number of applicants in the District HR computer system that have never been contacted by principals for an interview.
I am speaking from personal experience. I am a career changer with 8 years military experience, 20 years accounting experience with major corporations and government agencies. I have two Bachelor Degrees. I have a Letter of Eligibility for Math 5-9 and a Letter of Eligibility for Math 6-12. I passed the General Knowledge Math test on the first attempt (only a 50% pass rate for people taking the General Knowledge Math test on the first attempt).
Last summer, 2015, I started to apply for open Math positions in Duval County. I attended the DCPS career fair in June 2015 and spoke with representatives from about 5 different schools. I had also contacted 5 other school principals via email. Nothing. I did receive a call from a school that I had not interviewed with or contacted prior. This school found my name in the District HR computer system. I choose not to interview with that school because it was too far away from where I live. But that was the only school that has contacted me.
I am currently out of the state and will return to Jacksonville in the next few months. Maybe I will try again when I return.
When I worked in the accounting industry, we would never know how a new employee would perform on the job. Some people with impressive resumes did not perform well. Others with little experience on their resumes performed impressively. I assume that is the case with all professions.
I am interested in hearing from readers who have had experience working with career changers or from career changers who would like to give advice to other career changers.
Thanks.
Sorry I had to make a correction: Please post this instead of the previous one:
ReplyDeleteI agree that it seems that principals in Duval County do not want to take a chance on career changers with no classroom experience. It seems that principals will keep the position open until someone with experience walks in the door. I understand the concept to allow principals to choose their own staff. But if the position is not filled within a reasonable time frame, then the District should interview applicants and assign new teachers to the schools. Afterall, the Superintendent says he has final say over staffing.
What happens when positions are not filled? Does that result in overcrowding of classrooms? Teachers with overcrowded classes should start pressing their principals about what is being done to fill open positions. Do not accept the answer that, “No qualified applicants have applied.” A qualified applicant is someone who has a Letter of Eligibility and has passed the background check.
I would like to know the number of applicants in the District HR computer system that have never been contacted by principals for an interview.
I am speaking from personal experience. I am a career changer with 8 years military experience, 20 years accounting experience with major corporations and government agencies. I have two Bachelor Degrees. I have a Letter of Eligibility for Math 5-9 and a Letter of Eligibility for Math 6-12. I passed the Math Subject Area Exam on the first attempt (only a 50% pass rate for people taking the Math Subject Area Exam on the first attempt).
Last summer, 2015, I started to apply for open Math positions in Duval County. I attended the DCPS career fair in June 2015 and spoke with representatives from about 5 different schools. I had also contacted 5 other school principals via email. Nothing. I did receive a call from a school that I had not interviewed with or contacted prior. This school found my name in the District HR computer system. I choose not to interview with that school because it was too far away from where I live. But that was the only school that has contacted me.
I am currently out of the state and will return to Jacksonville in the next few months. Maybe I will try again when I return.
When I worked in the accounting industry, we would never know how a new employee would perform on the job. Some people with impressive resumes did not perform well. Others with little experience on their resumes performed impressively. I assume that is the case with all professions.
I am interested in hearing from readers who have had experience working with career changers or from career changers who would like to give advice to other career changers.
Thanks.
Online virtual schools are akin to the mail order degrees that were pervasive in the 19th and early 20th century.
ReplyDeleteUnless the student can be assessed in a controlled environment the assessment is invalid.
So many students tell me how they cheat by pulling up two screens while testing and look up the answer. I know many who get their older sibling, or friends to take the assessments for them. Some even admit to paying people in college to take the assessments for them.