Teacher Job Outlook:
2011 and Beyond
January 27, 2011
Teacher Job Outlook:
2011 and Beyond
Moderators:
Deborah Snyder, Grove City College, PA
John Snyder, Slippery Rock University of PA
Panelists:
Todd Fukai, Cherry Creek School District, CO
Carrie Durley, Aldine Independent School District, TX
Mark Brophy, Worcester Public Schools, MA
AAEE Executive Board Liaison:
Diana Sanchez, California State University San Marcos, CA
Webinar Tech Support
Matt Ulrich, Grove City College, PA
John Snyder is Interim Director of Career
Services at Slippery Rock University of PA.
He has 25 years of experience in career
services and previously served as an English
teacher and school counselor in public
education.
Deborah Snyder is Associate Director of
Education Career Services at Grove City
College, PA. She has more than 20
years experience in college career
services and currently serves as a
senator for AAEE.
Todd Fukai is a Director of Human
Resources in the Cherry Creek
School District in Colorado. He has
been in education for 21 years. Todd
has also served as an elementary
teacher, assistant principal and
principal. He is the president-elect of
the Colorado Association of School
Personnel Administrators (CASPA)
and a senator for the American
Association for Employment in
Education (AAEE).
Carrie Durley is the Executive Director of
Human Resources in the Aldine
Independent School District in Houston,
Texas, where she has worked for 43
years. She has been in education for 46
years and in personnel/human resources
for 24. Carrie has, also, been a
secondary English and special education
teacher, elementary counselor and
administrator, Title I Supervisor, and
Director of Personnel. She has held all
offices in the Texas Association of School
Personnel Administrators and was
president of the American Association of
School Personnel Administrators in 2008-
2009.
Mark Brophy is the Staffing/Mentor
Coordinator for the Worcester Public
Schools. He has been in education within
WPS for 26 years. Mark has also been an
elementary teacher, School Psychologist,
Special Education Team Chairperson and
a full-time released teacher’s association
President. He is the president-elect for the
American Association for Employment in
Education (AAEE). He also is an elected
school committee member for the QRSD.
Our objectives:
•Review the most recent educator demand data from the annual
AAEE survey of professionals in the field.
•Provide job search feedback and advice for career services
professionals to pass along to their education majors and
teacher candidates.
Your questions:
•If you have questions during the course of this webinar, use the
“Question” box on your screen to type and send your question to
us. Time permitting, we will present your questions to our
panelists.
2010 Educator Supply and Demand Survey•Continues a 34-year tradition of AAEE
•These results are based on representatives from 386 colleges /
universities and 115 school districts completing the online survey
•Respondents shared their perceptions about the demand for
educators in 63 teaching and specialist areas ranging from
Agriculture to Speech Pathology
•Respondents also shared insights about the factors impacting the
demand for educators
•The report is available to AAEE members at the AAEE website:
www.aaee.org, Neil Shnider, Executive Director
•This year’s report was sponsored by:
The data we are sharing about the demand for educators
by certification area are the composite national results.
These national data may mask variations in the demand
for educators in specific states or regions.
Generally, however, the national data reflect regional
needs as well.
Example
National average for Bilingual Education: 3.98
Region 5 average for Bilingual Education: 4.22
The greatest surplus of teachers:
Elementary Education
•Primary
•Kindergarten
•Intermediate
Social Studies
Physical Education
Note: Because of the EC-4 certification area in TX,
Pre-K has a large surplus.
No need for Earth Science teachers in MA: The
general science certification takes care of that area.
Other areas with some surplus of
teachers:
Art
English
Health Education
Elementary Education
•Pre-K
Middle School
Journalism
Theater / Drama
Note: Theater/Drama not an area of surplus
in CO
Factors leading to a surplus of teachers:
Todd –
In Colorado the following have created a surplus of teachers in
most areas:
• School funding issues creating fewer new positions and
some school districts having to downsize.
• Housing market-foreclosures and less new growth.
• Retirees not retiring because of economy.
• People with teaching degrees returning to profession or
people seeking alternative licensure because of economy.
• Teachers moving to or back to CO because of economy in
other states, and other states not hiring so teachers not
leaving.
• Too many teachers in a content area or an area with very
few positions.
Factors leading to a surplus of teachers:
Carrie –
In addition to what Todd has indicated, in Texas
• The decrease in property taxes has resulted in fewer local dollars being
available to school districts to hire and/or add new teachers, a school
funding issue.
• Because stimulus money is being phased out, school districts will be
increasing the student/teacher ratio, therefore, reducing their teaching
force and putting more teachers out of work if they cannot be absorbed
into positions being vacated. The Texas legislature, which convened this
month, is considering increasing the current 22:1 elementary ratio that is in
effect.
• In some cases, university students are not aware of how saturated the
market is in certain areas.
Factors leading to a surplus of teachers:
Mark –
In Massachusetts, an additional factor is the customer issue,
especially in Early Childhood Education and Elementary
Education - many young adults want to be an elementary
teacher and go to school specifically for that teaching area.
After graduation, the reality of the competitive job market hits.
We really encourage the elementary and early childhood
education student to become dually licensed especially in ESL
or special education.
Certification areas with the highest need for teachers:
Special Education
•Hearing Impaired
•Visually Impaired
•Severe / Profound Disabilities
•Emotional / Behavioral Disabilities
Physics
Chemistry
Math
Notes: Advance Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB)
There is a large demand for STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), dual
credit (earning college credit in high school), and multi-endorsed teachers.
Health Science Technology, Bilingual Education, Spanish as a foreign language (TX)
Nebraska Dept. of Ed: Art, Business Education, Foreign Languages, Language Arts,
ESL, Family/Consumer Sciences, Industrial Technology Education
Other teaching areas with a need for teachers:
Languages
•Bilingual Education
•ESL / ELL (English Language Learner)
•Spanish
•Chinese
•Classics: Greek, Latin
•Japanese
Special Education
•All other areas
Earth / Physical Science
Biology
Need in educational support services for professionals
in:
Audiology
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Reading Diagnostician
School Nursing
School Psychology
Speech Pathology
Notes:
High need in CO and TX for audiology, OT, nurses, and
speech pathology. High need in MA for audiology, OT, PT,
speech, and vision.
Teaching Areas in Demand and
with a Surplus at a Glance
A Demand for Teachers
Special Education
Foreign Language
Math
Science
A Surplus of Teachers
Elementary Education
English
Social Studies
Health & Physical
Education
Art
Journalism, Theater
Now that we have reviewed the AAEE Educator
Supply and Demand results from 2010 survey, let’s
move on to the job search. Even those candidates
in areas of demand need to conduct an effective
job search, and our panelists will now share their
thoughts about successfully completing the
application and interviewing process.
The application process
Carrie –
• Make sure that they are complete
• Give correct addresses, phone numbers, etc. for references
• Update your application as information changes (name, address,
e-mail, certification areas, etc.)
• Proofread for accuracy
Mark –
• Follow the directions for completing the application.
Todd –
• Diversify your search. Be willing to move to areas that have less
candidates
Cover letters
Carrie –
•Include a short cover letter with your resume. Use the cover letter to
briefly introduce yourself, state why you are applying for the position, how
you learned about it, and display some of your knowledge of the district
and why you are qualified for the position.
•Write a specific cover letter making sure the names for each school
district are correct.
•Send cover letter and resume to a specific person in Human Resources.
•Make sure that you proofread.
Resumes
Carrie –
•Goal of your resume: to sell yourself to the school district
•Should be “user friendly” so that it can be read in approximately 30 seconds
•Include the following in one or two pages: identification data, objective, education,
work experience, additional information, and references.
•Exclude personal information like age, height, weight, marital status, etc.
•Proofread!
Mark –
•Make sure your resume is skills-based. The reader should be able to easily identify
your “teacher” skills and competencies.
Todd –
•Focus your resume on experiences that are student-centered. Your experiences in
student teaching and field work are vitally important, but also include your additional
experiences working with children and/or adolescents.
The interview:
Mark –
Do the simple things right:
• Do not be late
• Do not chew gum
• Dress professionally
• Make sure the message on your phone is appropriate.
Todd –
• It is not just your skills and knowledge that are important. Pay attention to your
talents (ability to connect with kids, caring, enthusiasm, sincerity, empathy)
Carrie –
• Focus on strengths, not weaknesses.
• Allow your enthusiasm and passion to overcome lack of experience.
• If you bring a cell phone to interview, keep it out of sight and off.
• Demonstration lesson as part of the interview process is becoming more
prevalent in some school districts. Be prepared!
The interview, continued
Carrie –
•Research the school district and be knowledgeable about it; ask
insightful questions if given the opportunity.
•Good communication skills - do not go off on a tangent, ramble, or
give vague answers when asked questions. Practice interviewing
before doing a real job interview.
•Dress professionally and project a positive image.
Caution: Be polite to ALL employees that you encounter regardless
of their perceived importance. Being rude or disrespectful to a
secretary, for example, could cost you a job.
What are the characteristics of outstanding first year teachers?
Carrie –
•Has broad knowledge-base and is passionate about his/her subject
•Is an effective communicator
•Has effective classroom management skills
•Is student-focused
•Is caring, compassionate, and understanding
•Is enthusiastic and positive
•Possesses professional integrity (dedicated, strong work ethic, self-
starter, ethical behavior, honest, trustworthy)
•Collaborative
•Technologically proficient
•What can candidates do to get a teaching job?
•Add certifications
•Get subbing experience
•Be more geographically flexible
•Take paraprofessional jobs
Todd -
All of the above are true. I would add two in the area of
secondary education.
• Dual credit/concurrent enrollment qualifications. This allows
students to receive college credit in high school. You need a
Masters degree in a content area or have 18 hours post
graduate credit in the content.
• Get real world experience in your content. It helps to
prepare your students for what they may need to go into that
field.
What can candidates do to get a teaching job?
Carrie –
•To those in the audience who are student teachers or about to begin
student teaching, look upon the student teaching experience as a 12-16
week interview.
•Apply in many school districts.
•If asked to “tell us something about yourself,” use this part of the interview
to your advantage by talking about yourself positively -skills, experiences,
beliefs, and anything that might set you apart from other candidates.
Mark –
•Additional certifications for elementary education teachers are extremely
important, especially in certification areas such as middle school math or
special education.
What does the future hold for teacher demand?
Todd – “My belief is that in CO as the economy returns school funding will be
better, people will retire, and enrollment will increase. These factors will result
in teacher positions. It probably will be another couple of years though.”
Mark – “We need to continue to push for loan forgiveness programs especially
for the STEM and others areas in need of educators. We, those of us in the
profession, need to change the face of teaching: It is an excellent profession to
work in and it needs to truly be considered to be a profession, starting with us.”
Carrie – “Much will depend upon how quickly the economy rebounds and how
states respond to budgeting issues. Most of the people who responded to a
survey that I sent to HR departments in AR, KS, LA, MO, MS, NE, OK, and TX
felt that it will be at least 2-3 years before the demand for teachers in the areas
of surplus will increase. They see the employment possibilities for candidates
in math, sciences, special education, foreign languages, and speech-language
pathology to continue to be very strong.”
Questions?
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