Other Things You Should Be Doing
Searching Job Sites
- Texas Music Educators Association; www.texasbandmaster.sorg
- Texas Bandmasters Association; www.tmea.org
- Association for Texas Small School Bands; www.atssb.org
- Teacher Job Network
Going to Job Fairs
- Many districts have these on Saturdays
- There are job fairs at TMEA and TBA
Filling Out Applications
- There are consortiums who use services like the Teacher Job Network
- You enter your information in once and any district within the consortium has access to your files when they are searching for a candidate to fill an opening in their district
- However, many jobs are filled or have candidates in mind before they are even posted; so don't rely on this method solely
- The sooner you get started on these the better
Networking
- There is a fine line between networking and brown nosing
- You will or should meet many influential people through your cooperating teachers who could be a potential employer
- Always be professional
Pursuing Professional Development Opportunities
- Plan to attend our professional conferences
- The Midwest Clinic is in December
- TMEA is in February
- TBA is in July
- YES seminars at SMU
- Many districts have professional development days and hire someone to come in and speak to their teachers; attend these
Interviews
- Write your philosophy of education/music education
- Do mock interviews (Interview Champ - app)
- Search online for a list of most asked questions at interviews
- Formulate your answers ahead of time
- Rehearse speaking your answers aloud until you can site them fluently
- Get your cooperating teaching to ask questions for you to practice answering
- Delivery is very important in an interview
- You may be the best candidate for a job, but if you can't express yourself clearly, in an organized manner, and in complete sentences, you will be overlooked
Job Postings & Applications
Most school districts are members of online application networks where they can post job openings, search for applicants through a number of search criteria, and manage applicants through the process. Job applicants fill out only one application for each network. The Teacher Job Network is probably to most used, but there is also Nation Job, Education America, Academic Employment Network, K-12 Jobs, Southern Teachers Agency, and some states have regional Service Centers. Applying to one or more of these networks is one of the first steps you will take, and you should do this during your student teacher semester, prior to graduation; consider doing this earlier, rather than later. It is a good idea to search the district websites for any openings for which you may be qualified to have an idea of who may be looking at your application.
Once you have completed the online process, applications are reviewed then many districts will also do a ‘introductory interview’ before allowing the applicant access to the school principal or other administrators. If you are not contacted, most likely you do not have the qualifications the district desires or you do not have all of the documentation requested by the district and the process will go no further.
Before you register on an online application network, you may want to prepare an essay on your philosophy of education, how your subject fits into the overall school and district communities, why your subject is important, and why you want to be a music educator. Content is important on these essays, but more importantly districts want to get an idea on your writing skills before they grant you an interview. Even if this is not required as part of the application process, it may be questions asked in an interview and if you have already put your thoughts into words, you can speak eloquently about your beliefs and make a better impression.
Other resources for job postings include your state professional associations. Job vacancies are posted on these websites with the contact information along with the criteria for the posting. Your cooperating and supervising teachers are also a great resource for knowing about potential job openings. These teachers usually have a large network of people in the field and tend to receive information before it is posted.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR APPLICATIONS
Most districts have the same documentation requirements, but there are always outliers that require other things as well. If the application is online, the district will not want you to send any hard copies; everything must be done online. You will be expected to upload the following documentation, your current resume, proof of education including transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended, your teaching certificate, if you are an undergraduate you must have a letter of intent and/or a letter of completion, if applicable, a letter of acceptance in an alternative certification program and statement of eligibility. Professional references should include individuals with whom you have worked and who have observed you teaching. Character references are also good but should not be the only references.
Make sure to keep your application active by regularly logging in to the Teacher Job Network (or other applicable online application platforms). If you have not logged in for 60 days, your application will be deactivated, and you will have to reactivate it; always keep your application up to date.
SCREENING TESTS
Many times, as part of the online application process, the applicant is asked to take Kenexa which assesses achievement orientation like dependability, development, energy, initiative, multitasking skills, optimism, team orientation and situational judgement. There is also Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) which is used to access the problem-solving and learning ability important for educators. These are a bit subjective and don’t always reflect the abilities of the applicant and is just a starting point for a district to streamline their hiring efforts. The TeacherMatch and PowerSchool-type tests are assessments that are less subjective and more data driven. Results from this test are sometimes compared with other applicants for the job and can be a determining factor in securing an interview.
Don’t wait for a district to contact you before you begin this process. Remember, there are more applicants than there are jobs so you will want to start early, be thorough, and be constantly searching for potential employment opportunities.
Once you have completed the online process, applications are reviewed then many districts will also do a ‘introductory interview’ before allowing the applicant access to the school principal or other administrators. If you are not contacted, most likely you do not have the qualifications the district desires or you do not have all of the documentation requested by the district and the process will go no further.
Before you register on an online application network, you may want to prepare an essay on your philosophy of education, how your subject fits into the overall school and district communities, why your subject is important, and why you want to be a music educator. Content is important on these essays, but more importantly districts want to get an idea on your writing skills before they grant you an interview. Even if this is not required as part of the application process, it may be questions asked in an interview and if you have already put your thoughts into words, you can speak eloquently about your beliefs and make a better impression.
Other resources for job postings include your state professional associations. Job vacancies are posted on these websites with the contact information along with the criteria for the posting. Your cooperating and supervising teachers are also a great resource for knowing about potential job openings. These teachers usually have a large network of people in the field and tend to receive information before it is posted.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR APPLICATIONS
Most districts have the same documentation requirements, but there are always outliers that require other things as well. If the application is online, the district will not want you to send any hard copies; everything must be done online. You will be expected to upload the following documentation, your current resume, proof of education including transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended, your teaching certificate, if you are an undergraduate you must have a letter of intent and/or a letter of completion, if applicable, a letter of acceptance in an alternative certification program and statement of eligibility. Professional references should include individuals with whom you have worked and who have observed you teaching. Character references are also good but should not be the only references.
Make sure to keep your application active by regularly logging in to the Teacher Job Network (or other applicable online application platforms). If you have not logged in for 60 days, your application will be deactivated, and you will have to reactivate it; always keep your application up to date.
SCREENING TESTS
Many times, as part of the online application process, the applicant is asked to take Kenexa which assesses achievement orientation like dependability, development, energy, initiative, multitasking skills, optimism, team orientation and situational judgement. There is also Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) which is used to access the problem-solving and learning ability important for educators. These are a bit subjective and don’t always reflect the abilities of the applicant and is just a starting point for a district to streamline their hiring efforts. The TeacherMatch and PowerSchool-type tests are assessments that are less subjective and more data driven. Results from this test are sometimes compared with other applicants for the job and can be a determining factor in securing an interview.
Don’t wait for a district to contact you before you begin this process. Remember, there are more applicants than there are jobs so you will want to start early, be thorough, and be constantly searching for potential employment opportunities.
