Needing Some Advice - Haysville,KS

Updated on April 08, 2010
R.D. asks from Haysville, KS
7 answers

Hey ladies I have a work question for you.....I am 22 years old and graduated from college with my degree in Elementary Ed. in December. I was very fortunate to take over the classroom I student taught in as the teacher I worked with was pregnant with twins and is not returning. So I have a job for the remainder of the school year. Unfortunatley, the district I work in is in a hiring freeze and I will most likely not be asked to stay since they have to find people in district to fill the spot. The principal I work for is doing everything he can to get me a contract, but with this economy I'm starting to realize it probably won't happen. This would be the perfect job, because it is my favorite grade to teach and it is five minutes away from my house. I am looking at putting in applications in two other school districts but that's about it. Wichita and the surrounding areas just simply are not filling positions. They are either on a hiring freeze or may possibly have to start terminating positions. I am not being very aggressive in the job hunt because I have a one year old at home. We could afford for me to stay home but here is the tricky part.....we want to have at least one more child in the next two or three years. If we have another child I will almost for sure have to work unless my husband gets a big promotion before that. We would need a bigger house (please no comment on saying I'm being worldly.....we have a two bedroom VERY small house we have already outgrown, trust me, we need a bigger house). I would love to stay home with my kids and possibly just sub until I can find a job, but the problem with that is it's not a very reliable job. I am not paying for a full week of daycare if I only sub one or two times a week....it would not be cost effective at all. We do not have family that live anywhere in the area and none of our friends could watch my daughter last minute like how most sub jobs are. This is frustrating to me because how am I supposed to get hired if I am not out activly working in the schools? I guess I am wanting to hear from others, especially teachers. Would I be better off being aggressive now just out of college with a whole years worth of long-term sub experience (pretty much teaching because I write my own lesson plans and go to IEPS, etc etc). What do you think my chances are compared to if I stay home for five or six years with no working and then try and get a job? Who knows with this economy when schools will start hiring again. I am for sure applying in this district and possibly two others but I am 99% sure that I will not get hired.....all of the classmates I graudated with are without jobs as well, except for the few who got jobs out of state. Any help or advice would be appreciated....sorry this is long and I'm rambling but I just want to know what you think would be the better option here....thanks in advance!

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all the great advice! And Rachel just so you know......I have been teaching in this classroom from the very first day of school. I was only out of this classroom for two weeks right after I graudated and then came back as the long-term sub. The teacher I worked with loved the kids and would have come back to work if I had not been willing to take on the position. The only thing these kids are missing is having two teachers in the classroom. I have never had a problem at all with them and we have the exact same routine from day one. I realize not everyone is this lucky but for the most part teachers try to do right by "our" kids.

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A.A.

answers from Chicago on

A friend of mine is in a similar situation to you. Just graduated and finished her student teaching. She has two kids(in elem school) and another on the way. She is doing substituting. I don't know how that works in Kansas, but here in Chicago it is done online from what I understand. You can go online in the morning (early) on the days you are able to work and see what sub positions are available for the day. Then you can select them. It works great for her because if she has a day where one of the kids is sick or off school, or she just is beat, then she doesn't look for work that day. The pay is not bad...I don't think she gets benefits, but luckily her husband's job covers that. She hasn't been able to get work every day she wanted it, but it hasn't been too bad. Plus it is kind of exciting to have some variety and she doesn't have all the lesson planning and parent teacher stuff that a regular teacher has, so when she gets home she is done for the day! Might be worth looking into-best of luck.

1 mom found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Wichita on

You should check with some of the daycare centers and see if they will work with you on a "drop-in" fee. The Castle daycare here in Wichita does take drop ins and they only charge for 1/2 day or full day as long as there is an opening that day. I used them occasionally and never had a problem getting in. I would go and see the daycare director in person and even if they don't have a policy currently set up, they might be willing to work with you, especially if they know you could be switching to full time later on which would give them more business if your child/children were there full time as well. Regarding looking for work; I'm not in the teaching field but if you plan to work, then I would start looking now. I know the summer school programs are usually needing teachers and they get paid well from what I have heard.

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J.F.

answers from Minneapolis on

I've taught 5 years elementary and have worked 4 years in the education field (2 years for a franchise and 2 years privately). My advice:
1. Hit the beat hard to find a teaching position now. If you are not hired, you are back to square one. I wouldn't chance NOT trying. You are a step ahead of some of your previous classmates.
2. If you are not hired, look at working at tutoring companies in your area, even over the summer. Some pay better than others and have clauses that do not allow you to work for a competitor for up to 2 years so ask this at the time of an interview.
3. Over the summer, join a mom's group and start making friends with like-minded moms. You may find a reliable babysitter for the fall. You have all summer to find someone. I understand not wanting to pay for a full week and only working a few days. There are many great caregivers who may be willing to work with your situation. You don't know until you really start to look.
4. Once fall comes and you know if you have a full time job teaching or the possibility of subbing (with reliable child care), then you can make the decision to have another child or not. You know in the education world there are only a few times a year to get a job teaching. This is the main time. Don't throw your arms up now!
5. Consider tutoring privately. That is what I do now so that I can be home 98% of the time with my child (and soon to be baby #2). It is great money for the limited time you work. Better than subbing all week if you don't plan to return to the classroom for a while. If you do plan to return, you need to be out meeting people often and impressing them with your skills.

I don't ever plan to return to the conventional classroom, so my plan works for me. If you love the job and are good at it, don't throw in the towel now. Get some experience in before you make too many choices just yet.

Just my two cents! Let me know if you have any questions or want to hash out your concerns. :)

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K.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

I am currently working full-time outside the home, but I just started with another company part-time to bring in extra money. Right now, it’s helping us save money on some of our expenses and bring in extra income. My goal is to some day work from home exclusively so I have more time to be with my girls. This may be something you could try now before baby number two comes along. Send me a private message if you want more information.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

You never know what may happen. Here in Austin, this is a destination place for young famiies.

I have noticed that most. about 90% of the student teachers that come and help out a teacherin our daughters schools for the rest of the school year, move up to the top of the list for new hires.. Even with a freeze, teachers retire, move due to their spouses new jobs or quit.

So if your principal is really enthused about you, there still is a good chance for you somewhere in the district. He will want you on his campus and will fight for you. It always helps to have parents send note to the Principal saying you are "a good fit "for that campus and "fit the personality of the school."

Good Luck! I am sending you good thoughts.

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L.T.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I don't know if this is a feasible suggestion but what about being a teacher for a cyber school? Maybe you can tailor a schedule to meet your needs or work part time. I'm sorry I don't know much about them or how much they pay, how they operate, etc. I'm just trying to think of some other options for you if you wish to or need to pursue them. Best of luck to you.

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R.Y.

answers from Wichita on

don't try to go towards the kansas city area, my brother is in your exact classroom situation in manhattan but is likely to not have a job with his oldest child starting college next year. If you want to work, tutor, sub etc. in wichita a good sub can work as close to full time as is allowed. (i think they have a limit to the hours you can work a week). Hop off the fence and decide, to work or not. Seriously if you find nothing after trying hard then it wasn't what you are supposed to be doing.

Be creative, there are ways of working out the hand you are dealt. the rest of your posts gave you lots of options also, use your time now wisely and then if you are at home next year, count your blessings every morning you wake to the bright eyes of your child.

By the way I have half a dozen kids ( 5 still at home) in a 3 bedroom, 1 bath. And I always requested my child not be put in a class with a teacher who was pregnant, even if it was a teacher I liked. It is extremely disruptive to a child to change teachers midstream. I was very annoyed with the kindergarten teacher who was out for most of 3 years in a row, but even my senior is about to flunk out of her only required class b/c the teacher changed and all of the long term projects they were working on are not on theme anymore with the new teacher.

There is a lot of life ahead of you...have fun in what you do and enjoy your child(ren). Work will work out how it was meant to.

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