Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism!

National headlines declare a shortage of teachers. But student teachers and their guide teachers know that in some parts of the US getting your foot in the door after credentialing is through is still as tough as ever .

When your life revolves around teaching without pay in the morning, credential classes  in the afternoon and homework at night, it’s easy to lose sight of why you wanted to teach in the first place. Throw in a pandemic, supervisor visits,  masks, and vaccination appointments, and you may have forgotten for just a moment that…you want a job!

Take a deep breath…

And now the good news! You see there are little things you can do, and many of them make a difference no matter what is going on. Here are eight pro-tips to consider besides everything to put yourself in the best position to get hired. And the best news is that none of these take  any more of your precious time or money, which, let’s face it, you don’t have anyway!

Presence

A teacher with presence gets a staffs’ attention early. Be present whether on screen or in person. Walking through the halls to lunch? Smile and strut with the kids. Picking up kids on the blacktop? Challenge your kids to line-up early and straightest, then walk back to class looking like you belong. Show the staff how much you love teaching no matter where you are on campus. People want to work with people they enjoy and who like being among them.

Genuine Interest

Hopefully, you find your placement is just perfect. However, you may find that your school is not a place where you wish to establish your career. If that is the case, it’s best to keep it to yourself! Teachers, the administration and the parents want to know that you have a genuine interest in students. While in your placement, regardless of where you see yourself later on, be sure to show that interest as earnestly as you can.

Prepare every lesson as if you could be observed

This is really the gold standard of teaching in general. Your guide teacher wants to know that you take every single lesson seriously, that you care about the immediate needs of your students, and, importantly, that you are going to work hard for them, no matter who is watching. It’s a matter of professional integrity. Principals feel the same.

And when it comes to principals, they are a bit like fairies. They flutter by just when you really don’t want them there. It’s sort of the Murphy’s Law of education.  Think about it. How many chances will the principal, will a colleague who needs a sub, get to see you in action? Not many, especially not now.

To be sure you’ve got your best foot forward, even on busy days, at least do three things before each lesson. Ask yourself 1) What do I want the students to be able to do at the end of the lesson? 2) What challenges do I suspect might come up, and what will I do about it? And 3) How will I know that kids learned something? Then, create lessons you are proud of and teach your heart out.

Know the terminology, give yourself smarter homework

Ask your guide teacher, or even better, ask your school’s principal a simple yet powerful question: “If you were me right now, what professional readings would you keep by your bedside?” Teachers and principals love to loan out books, so this may not cost you anything. You may not have time to do more than skim the table of contents, but sometimes that alone can give you a feel for what the current jargon is. And if there’s anything we educators love, it’s our jargon!

Besides, educational literature doubles as a terrific method of falling asleep quickly. And sleep is something you desperately need these days.

Talk with the right crowd and talk about the right things

If you’ve ever watched an episode of “The Office,” then you can understand there’s a reason why it was so popular.  Workplaces have politics. However, there is one slight difference between a typical office and a school. You see, teachers are locked in their classrooms all day with kids. So, when we get together, we kinda sorta tend to vent a bit. What you want to be wary of is the person who wants your thoughts on their venting.

My advice is to know when to listen and know when not to give advice or share your opinion. When you need to vent, try out a roommate, dog or mom.  And for the love of said dog and mom, STAY OFF SOCIAL MEDIA unless you’re posting pictures of your dinner. 

Never throw your mentor teacher under the bus

Whatever grandeurs that come to you, and they will, always remember that your guide teacher has opened their class and much of their professional life to you in an incredibly stressful time. As a professional courtesy, you may wish not to share the time they bombed a math lesson with the entire third-grade staff.  Principals and teachers want to work with others who have each other’s backs in an already tough, tough professional setting.

Invite your principal to see you and get a reference

This is essential to being hired sooner rather than later. Principals write references for people they observe, and that means they need to be invited to see you teach.  Scary? Not so fast!  First, remember that you don’t reach the mountain on the first step of a hike. So don’t wait to take it. If you haven’t sent your principal an invite early on in your student teaching placement, do it now.

And protip: Always have your principal see you teach material you and your kids have seen before.

As a famous high school student once said, “Life comes at you pretty fast.” And so does student teaching!

So make the most of all your opportunities, especially the ones that won’t cost you a king’s fortune in tuition. Using student teaching to make the right impression could be the key to landing the job you’ve been waiting for.

Editor’s Note: If you enjoyed this article, please become a Patreon supporter by clicking here.

Thomas Courtney is a senior policy fellow with Teach Plus, a member of Edsource's Advisory Committee,...

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.