Teacher for Hire

The following post comes from my anonymous guest blogger. Below this post, you’ll find a list of blogs that are participating in Blogshare 3.0 and you can try to find my post, if you want.

I teach, well, I used to teach.  After a Master's degree in Psychology
and a teacher certification in Social Studies and another in Special
Education; I have found out the hard lesson.  I'm too expensive for
most school districts to afford because of my education.  How ironic
is that?  This summer I have sweated out 10 interviews so far looking
for a teaching job.  You would think I would be able to find at least
one position, and that with my level of experience (I've taught for 9
years) that this would be easy.  School districts don't want to pay
for all this education when they can pay someone about 30,000 dollars
less when they are immediately out of college.  It didn't used to be
this way.  I had a job until this past year and with the advent of
NCLB (No Child Left Behind), I found out that I was not "Highly
Qualified" in Math.

For me to become "Highly Qualified" in Math, I found out that I would
have to take 33 credit hours in a semester to meet the school
district's deadline.  Now working full time and taking classes is kind
of tough, but for me to take 33 credit hours?  That's insanity.  I
told my immediate supervisor that there was no way I could afford the
courses which would total to be 18,000 dollars.  I also told him that
there was no feasible way for me to take that many classes and work
at the same time.  He understood and so I had to resign.  I fulfilled
my obligation working with them on May 28 and I have been looking for
a teaching job since January.

This summer has been heartbreaking.  It's hard to run to interviews at
the drop of the hat and see that you're waiting in line with 10 other
applicants who are equally qualified.  The only thing that seems to
elevate one candidate over another is nepotism or coaching skills.  I
coach soccer and wrestling, which don't happen to be in demand.  It's
also hard to go to interviews once you've had 10 of them and they
always go the same.  Talking about finding a job search with family
doesn't seem to help as they don't understand all of the ins and outs
of education.  They don't understand the politics of education and how
every district supervisor seems to know everyone that you've ever
worked with.  I pray that it will all work out soon.  I even have
random people at church praying for me and hoping that I'll get a
job.  Heck, I'll take less money.  Like I said, this sounds pretty
grim.  Things will work out. 

Or I'll be one of the many, who gets out
of education after it has eaten them alive.