Am I Making a Mistake?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You got this! You can prove yourself to be exciting and young and interesting to these middle schoolers. Who cares that the school is big? You will teach only one room at a time. Now is your time to shine! ⭐️ The kids will love 💕 you! Don’t look back. Just look forward to making it the best year! Be brave! Be bold! Don’t overthink this. Everyone has a first day on a job, a first month, a first year! Fist 👊 bump! Get prepared with your materials now in July.

I tried to get the textbook, at the very least, and apparently, they have a whole new curriculum and no one I have had contact with can tell me anything about it. So, I have been concentrating on all of the other things I will need to get teaching license.

Is it a sixth grade position? If so, you're right that there is a new basal.

K-12 has new standards this year, so there will be changes for all teachers regardless of their tenure.

Yes, 6th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, your first year is going to be HARD no matter where it is. Doubly so because in FCPS your "foot in the door" schools are usually the rougher ones (I assume you are referencing sandburg since there are only a handful of english vacancies). I started my career in one of those type of middle schools, and when I eventually moved to a more middle class school it felt like a vacation. I am grateful I started in the rougher schools though--it made me a much better teacher. I am more compassionate, creative, and engaging because of my time there. My colleagues who always had "easy" schools are less so, because they never had to be.

Do you have your teaching license? Or are you being hired on a provisional certification? If the former, take the job, understand that the first 1-5 years are just really, really challenging no matter what, and then once you feel a little more solid feel free to explore other schools in the county. You'll know the content and have strategies and be ready to experience a new school culture.

If you don't have your license, then I am making the assumption that teaching is a backup plan. You got a masters in English and then didn't know what to do. If that's the case, I'd look at private schools if you pursue teaching, because all the public school stuff while requiring you to take additional licensure coursework is too much.

If you want to chat more, create a throwaway email and I'm happy to reach out with more specifics.

I would highly appreciate that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your alternative option? Is it teaching someplace else? Leaving a different job? No job at all? What position? We can’t answer these questions without knowing your situation.

I just graduated with my MA in English from GMU. The position is for an English teacher. I have never taught before.

Do you have another plan? I have a family member who was an English major and after a few low paying jobs, decided to try teaching middle school. She left after 3 years. She really loved writing and literature and being around kids all day who did not was not what she had in mind. Do you like children? Middle school is a tough age. Give it a try if you actually want to teach and won’t get too frustrated by kids who can’t/wont read or write.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your alternative option? Is it teaching someplace else? Leaving a different job? No job at all? What position? We can’t answer these questions without knowing your situation.

I just graduated with my MA in English from GMU. The position is for an English teacher. I have never taught before.

Do you have another plan? I have a family member who was an English major and after a few low paying jobs, decided to try teaching middle school. She left after 3 years. She really loved writing and literature and being around kids all day who did not was not what she had in mind. Do you like children? Middle school is a tough age. Give it a try if you actually want to teach and won’t get too frustrated by kids who can’t/wont read or write.

I have been applying to tons of other positions that would be more in the realm of what I REALLY want to, which is to design instructional materials for adult ESL or otherwise would make use of my linguistics concentrations/ TESOL Graduate Certificate/ practicum experience, and no bites. Not even an interview.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your alternative option? Is it teaching someplace else? Leaving a different job? No job at all? What position? We can’t answer these questions without knowing your situation.

I just graduated with my MA in English from GMU. The position is for an English teacher. I have never taught before.

Do you have another plan? I have a family member who was an English major and after a few low paying jobs, decided to try teaching middle school. She left after 3 years. She really loved writing and literature and being around kids all day who did not was not what she had in mind. Do you like children? Middle school is a tough age. Give it a try if you actually want to teach and won’t get too frustrated by kids who can’t/wont read or write.

I have been applying to tons of other positions that would be more in the realm of what I REALLY want to, which is to design instructional materials for adult ESL or otherwise would make use of my linguistics concentrations/ TESOL Graduate Certificate/ practicum experience, and no bites. Not even an interview.

You will need a certificate (at minimum) in instructional design to get interviews for those positions. Colleagues who have taught for years still have to take coursework in instructional design before they are granted interviews.

With all due respect, it sounds like teaching is a fall back plan. Middle school + tough school + first year teacher is going to eat you alive if your heart isn't really in it. I would not do it--and I'm a teacher who knows how desperately we need people, but we need people who want to do it for the long haul. You will cry, often, that first year, and if you don't really really really want to be a teacher it isn't worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, your first year is going to be HARD no matter where it is. Doubly so because in FCPS your "foot in the door" schools are usually the rougher ones (I assume you are referencing sandburg since there are only a handful of english vacancies). I started my career in one of those type of middle schools, and when I eventually moved to a more middle class school it felt like a vacation. I am grateful I started in the rougher schools though--it made me a much better teacher. I am more compassionate, creative, and engaging because of my time there. My colleagues who always had "easy" schools are less so, because they never had to be.

Do you have your teaching license? Or are you being hired on a provisional certification? If the former, take the job, understand that the first 1-5 years are just really, really challenging no matter what, and then once you feel a little more solid feel free to explore other schools in the county. You'll know the content and have strategies and be ready to experience a new school culture.

If you don't have your license, then I am making the assumption that teaching is a backup plan. You got a masters in English and then didn't know what to do. If that's the case, I'd look at private schools if you pursue teaching, because all the public school stuff while requiring you to take additional licensure coursework is too much.

If you want to chat more, create a throwaway email and I'm happy to reach out with more specifics.

I would highly appreciate that!

[e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your alternative option? Is it teaching someplace else? Leaving a different job? No job at all? What position? We can’t answer these questions without knowing your situation.

I just graduated with my MA in English from GMU. The position is for an English teacher. I have never taught before.

Do you have another plan? I have a family member who was an English major and after a few low paying jobs, decided to try teaching middle school. She left after 3 years. She really loved writing and literature and being around kids all day who did not was not what she had in mind. Do you like children? Middle school is a tough age. Give it a try if you actually want to teach and won’t get too frustrated by kids who can’t/wont read or write.

I have been applying to tons of other positions that would be more in the realm of what I REALLY want to, which is to design instructional materials for adult ESL or otherwise would make use of my linguistics concentrations/ TESOL Graduate Certificate/ practicum experience, and no bites. Not even an interview.

You will need a certificate (at minimum) in instructional design to get interviews for those positions. Colleagues who have taught for years still have to take coursework in instructional design before they are granted interviews.

With all due respect, it sounds like teaching is a fall back plan. Middle school + tough school + first year teacher is going to eat you alive if your heart isn't really in it. I would not do it--and I'm a teacher who knows how desperately we need people, but we need people who want to do it for the long haul. You will cry, often, that first year, and if you don't really really really want to be a teacher it isn't worth it.

I highly appreciate your input!

[Anonymous]

What about seeking various certifications for specific reading programs and tutoring privately. This would expose you to different curriculum without dealing with all the politics in that school system right now.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever worked in a school? Student teaching? Substitute?
The people on DCUM are generally mean and hate FCPS so I wouldn’t give their comments and validity. However, teaching in general is hard and teaching middle school is only for a very special group of people. The people who love middle school absolutely love it and wouldn’t leave. But everyone else either goes higher or lower. It’s a unique age.

[Anonymous]

With a masters in english you could teach DE at a high school. I would look into that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about seeking various certifications for specific reading programs and tutoring privately. This would expose you to different curriculum without dealing with all the politics in that school system right now.

I have explored getting a reading specialist certificate. I thought I would be more qualified for ESOL or language arts, given my educational background/ experience. I did put out feelers on NextDoor for private tutoring. Only a couple of nibbles, but no takers. Where would you suggest I might offer my services as an independent tutor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever worked in a school? Student teaching? Substitute?
The people on DCUM are generally mean and hate FCPS so I wouldn’t give their comments and validity. However, teaching in general is hard and teaching middle school is only for a very special group of people. The people who love middle school absolutely love it and wouldn’t leave. But everyone else either goes higher or lower. It’s a unique age.

Yes, I performed a practicum at INTO Mason, working with older ELs. I taught Academic English to international students who mostly matriculate into GMU once they complete their program and pass the TOEFL. I enjoyed that a lot. There are not many positions working full-time with adult ESL students that I have found. I do not have a PhD, so that seems to be precluding me from teaching at the collegiate level.

[Anonymous]

I have two friends- both new English teachers in rough schools. Positives- students tell them all the time what a difference they made in their life and schooling. My one friend cries at the end of every year.

Parents aren't as involved until the kid is failing or may not graduate. In other words, less tiger parents reporting you for giving a B to their snowflake.

Challenges - it's hard to motivate the kids. My friends haven't had that much on the way of behavioral issues but more effort in getting kids to not fail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With a masters in english you could teach DE at a high school. I would look into that.

What is DE? I hate to have to ask this, but Google is not being very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Would you consider teaching at a Catholic school? The diocese has some openings.