Post by charmediamsure on Aug 22, 2013 21:45:33 GMT -5
I've mentioned before that I am a substitute teacher and the job market here is not very good. I'm probably a good 2-3 years away from tenure unless I get lucky, so I am relying on either subbing or taking shorter contracts (such as when regular teachers are off for mat leave).
Today I got a call scheduling me for an interview on Monday. It is a full year position. The teaching subjects aren't my exact qualifications, but that doesn't totally matter.
Getting this position would be huge. We just bought our first home and I have been stressing about what we will do if work is slow. I would be paid full time on the pay grid for a school year so we would have enough to pay our bills, put a huge chunk in savings so I won't have to worry next year, and pay down a lot of my student loan debt. AND we would definitely be in a position to TTC next summer (...or now...)
So there is a lot riding on this. I know I am putting a lot of pressure on myself, but I've rocked interviews before so I know I can do it again. Any positive thoughts for Monday would be very much appreciated! I'm nervous!
Post by charmediamsure on Aug 22, 2013 23:32:22 GMT -5
Thanks, ladies! I am going to do my best to act natural whilst dropping some buzzwords. I know that I am a good teacher and I have fantastic references and I know my stuff, I just need to get out of my own head.
How does tenure work there? We need to work in the same district for 3 years and a day, and maternity leaves don't count.
It depends on when a permanent position becomes available.
Criteria to be considered for tenure is only that you have a recent positive evaluation in a contract of 4 months or longer and you are on the LTO (long term occasional) 'eligible to be hired' roster (all substitute teachers have the option of going for a 'level 2' kind of interview which, if successful, opens you up to contract positions like the one I am interviewing for).
I have both of these requirements to my credit BUT currently people are waiting 3-5 years (secondary school) for tenure positions to become available. Thank goodness I am a high school teacher because I know many an elementary teacher who has been teaching with the board for 7+ years with no hope of tenure in sight.
Teachers are treated very well here so the market is completely saturated. I don't know why anyone continues to pursue a degree in education when it is public knowledge that there are zero jobs. I am very lucky to have the position that I do, I'd just be a LOT luckier if I end up getting the position I am interviewing for.
How does tenure work there? We need to work in the same district for 3 years and a day, and maternity leaves don't count.
It depends on when a permanent position becomes available.
Criteria to be considered for tenure is only that you have a recent positive evaluation in a contract of 4 months or longer and you are on the LTO (long term occasional) 'eligible to be hired' roster (all substitute teachers have the option of going for a 'level 2' kind of interview which, if successful, opens you up to contract positions like the one I am interviewing for).
I have both of these requirements to my credit BUT currently people are waiting 3-5 years (secondary school) for tenure positions to become available. Thank goodness I am a high school teacher because I know many an elementary teacher who has been teaching with the board for 7+ years with no hope of tenure in sight.
Teachers are treated very well here so the market is completely saturated. I don't know why anyone continues to pursue a degree in education when it is public knowledge that there are zero jobs. I am very lucky to have the position that I do, I'd just be a LOT luckier if I end up getting the position I am interviewing for.
Good luck!
What does tenure get you and is this just something through your board? DH is a teacher and he's never heard of tenure in Ontario.
What does tenure get you and is this just something through your board? DH is a teacher and he's never heard of tenure in Ontario.
Well, what I am talking about is a permanent contract. Different school boards, especially when talking to American and international teachers, use different terminology so I go with tenure to avoid confusion because the definition of tenure is unmistakable. And, for all intents and purposes, a permanent contract is tenure. My board calls it a permanent position a "contract", but to others the word contract might imply a temporary position like an LTO. YKWIM?
I guess I understand. Maybe my understanding of tenure (in the U.S.) is different than what our permanent contracts are here?
DH subbed for a year and did get a contract position but every year gets a letter that might be surplused. If he has enough seniority he can bump someone at a different school but, at least in our city, we have people with 4 and 5 years seniority actually losing jobs. DH is going into his 9th year and STILL got a surplus letter for this year. Luckily, he is staying at the same school.
I guess I look at 'tenure' as a job guarantee but there doesn't seem to any guarantees in Ontario.
Congrats! That is so awesome! Our district hasn't hired any new teachers in 5 years, but they hired 20 this year! The teaching job market is coming around! Best of luck to you!
I guess I understand. Maybe my understanding of tenure (in the U.S.) is different than what our permanent contracts are here?
DH subbed for a year and did get a contract position but every year gets a letter that might be surplused. If he has enough seniority he can bump someone at a different school but, at least in our city, we have people with 4 and 5 years seniority actually losing jobs. DH is going into his 9th year and STILL got a surplus letter for this year. Luckily, he is staying at the same school.
I guess I look at 'tenure' as a job guarantee but there doesn't seem to any guarantees in Ontario.
Oh yeah, it's similar in my board.
A friend of mine has been declared "redundant" (that's the term they use for surplus in my board) for 3 years now. He was recalled (as were all our redundant teachers by the 3rd week of June). He is at the top of the list where last year he was at the bottom of the list so his situation looks to be rapidly improving and maybe next year he won't be redundant (this is secondary so I have no clue how many contract years the redundant elementary teachers have but it is probably more than 3).
There is, essentially, a guarantee of retaining your job because the redundant teachers have to be placed before any LTOs can be posted. And, at least in my board, they are always recalled before the previous school year ends. Also, as far as I have heard through the grapevine, the only way a contract teacher would lose their job is if they have been redundant more than 3 years in a row WITHOUT having been recalled (even if their recall was to be placed in a different school). I think that is a very unlikely situation. But maybe that's not the case in other boards.
DH teaches high school. Math and science. He was VERY lucky and stayed at the same school 7 years until he saw an opening somewhere else that he wanted.
DH teaches high school. Math and science. He was VERY lucky and stayed at the same school 7 years until he saw an opening somewhere else that he wanted.
Yikes! 9 years surplused in secondary school? I'll have to tell my friend that his 3 years are peanuts compared to some boards. You guys need to move to the east!
He has never actually been surplused but got a letter every year saying he COULD be. And then the school move was his choice (got an IB position much closer to home).
He has never actually been surplused but got a letter every year saying he COULD be. And then the school move was his choice (got an IB position much closer to home).
Yeah, that's my understanding of what my friend has gone though. If he were actually redundant he wouldn't have retained his position or been placed in another school, he'd be on the supply teacher list. At least that's how I think it works.