Current Issues in Education: Job Hunting

JOB HUNTING.... HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO HUNT???
  
I am sure there are thousands of individuals training to become teachers today.  The sad part of this is that there are not enough jobs in the education system for all of us. Job hunting for teaching positions is very tough and extremely competitive. I believe the people who work hard and do the "extra" things because they want, not just to have it on their resume deserve a job!   Individuals who have put a large portion of their life into helping children and making a difference are the people who should get to continue doing it through teaching. I believe teaching is a skill and not everyone is meant to teach. Sadly, some people who plan on being teachers won't become teachers because they won't be able to find a job.  I am sure job hunting will be a  discouraging process for many of us at times but we need to stay positive and believe we WILL find a job!  If we don't get the job we want, we need to take what we can get to get some experience in the education system! The more experience the better we will be at teaching.

Job hunting is going to be a long-process for most of us.  It is important to create an awesome resume and cover letter. Go sell yourself for who YOU are!   As we discussed in our Professional Teacher class, make the employer remember you for something you have done that will be unforgettable.  Doing something brilliant will create a never-fading image in that employers mind which may make it easier to get the job!
Finding a job is easier if individuals are willing to go north, work in rural areas or go to different countries.  Today I am hoping to be working in a small town school. I grew up in a small town and loved my education experience. You grow up with the same awesome people around you.   I want to have the strong, personal connections with the teachers and students in rural schools.

It is hard to believe in a year, I will have the educaton I will need for my career! Within a year, I will be out job hunting! I am excited to be the teacher  I have always dreamed of becoming! :)

WestCAST: An Exciting and Fun Conference

I had the opportunity to attend WestCAST for the very first time this year! It was definitely worth the money and time to attend many of the conference sessions. I enjoyed the social events that went along with the conference as well.  The best part about WestCAST was getting to talk to other student teachers across Canada. It was interesting to hear how all of the programs were set up. Here are some descriptions of some of the sessions that I attended:

SESSION: Team Work will “Get it Done”!

Presented By: Brenda Margetts, Jodi Nespor, Jodi Main, Dennis Slobodzian

This session was very fun and exciting.  Their focus was on kindergarten students. They demonstrated two different other studies.  Eric Carle was one of the authors. I already knew the types of books he wrote. The other author study was on Mo Williams. Mo Williams was introduced to me in this session. I will definitely use his books in the classroom. He writes with enthusiasm in all of his books.  The main characters in the books are a pig and an elephant.   This session also interested me because all of the people who presented were considered a team. During a placement, there is generally three people who work in a team: the cooperating teacher, the student, and the faculty supervisor. Dennis and Jodi were two of Brenda Margetts’ previous student teachers.  It was interested to see what they faculty supervisor had to say.  Throughout the session, Brenda had pictures of her students and classroom.  I really like the idea that she takes pictures of students and their work.  I will definitely do this in my classroom. It makes the memories last!  At the end of the session, there were prizes that could be won. I was not a winner L I will definitely attempt to go to more of Brenda Margetts’ workshops. She is fabulous and I have heard nothing but good things about her! This session was great!  

SESSION: The practical implementation of rubrics:

Working with Student Teachers on Practica

Presented By: Sheryl MacMath

This session was fabulous and humorous. I learned a lot in the short time Sheryl had to present.  She taught us all of the important information we need to know about rubrics. Creating a rubric can be challenging however they are very useful if they are designed correctly.  First of all … I did not know that different between a scoring key and rating scale.   Scoring keys consist of quizzes, tests, worksheets, and posters.  They are anything that will be worth marks.  Rating skills is a list of items a teacher wants to see from the student.   They look at the aspects and qualities of the assignment. 

When creating a rubric, congruence matters!  Learning outcomes are your main focus and the marks for the outcomes need to be valid!   It is important to directly relate assignments to outcomes; otherwise as a teacher you are wasting your time and the student’s time.   To create a useful rubric, you need 6to look at these aspects: comprehensiveness, accuracy, realistic, and organization. Also, it is crucial to know that there are no rules to creating a rubric. What you assign in the task is up to you!  If something happens that your rubric fails, it is ok to change it as long as you have a valid reason for doing so!  It is ok to change your tool if it is not working for you!

As a teacher, it is important to make sure that the rubrics are easy to use and read.  If you hand out a rubric to your kids, teach them how to use and read it!  This is part of assessment for, of and as learning!   This session was very powerful and I will remember a lot that I have learned from Sheryl.

SESSION: SMARTen Up: Effective SMARTBoard Use in the K-8 Classroom Presented By: Devon Caldwell, Allison Greig

This session was one of my favorites throughout WestCAST.  Technology infusion is a way to expand the four walls of your classroom. Turn walls into windows!  Technology is a way to level the playing field for learners of diverse abilities.  Technology is motivating and engaging for students, teachers, and families. Inspire and connect! It is amazing to see the way technology is taking over in the classrooms. The SMARTboard is a very useful tool that I hope to have in my classroom one day. It is important to think about what you can’t do on a chalk/white board then plan your lesson. I have had some experience with a SMARTBoard during my last placement in Souris. It is important to know that SMARTboards have many uses and need to be used for the right reason!  I learned that the gallery is the place to go if you want anything! There are many premade games, and templates at your fingertips.  One of my favorite features that I learned about was the magic pen.    Some other features I learned about at this session were: pin down, screen captures, the function of the little blue circle on the board, and orienteering.  It is very neat that SMARTboard can turn handwriting into text font and can recognize shapes.  I also think that anyone who operates a SMARTboard needs to understand how ordering and grouping works. The recording feature is a great assessment tool. Devon described that she uses recording to assess the kids on writing numbers and letters.  As teachers today, we need to learn how to use this wonderful technology! Technology will be used in our classrooms!

Session: Keynote Speaker

Presented By: Leah LaPlante

Leah Laplante presented a very strong message throughout her session. She is formally the Vice President of the Manitoba Federation Southwest Region. She has been an active member in her community.  The main focus of her session was to promote he Metis culture. She wanted to make a difference for children who are Metis.  She first started off by telling us about her life.  It really sounded like she had lived a rough life however she stayed strong and decided she wanted to get an education and do well for herself.  The message that clearly stays strong in my head from listening to this session was:  No matter what the color of skin a student has, it is important to look past stereotypes and see the child. Everyone in this world should have the opportunity to become the person they have always dreamed of being.  A teacher is someone who interacts with children every day. If the interaction is weak, the child will see themselves as a failure and not succeed.  There must be a positive, strong teacher-student relationship to create an awesome learning experience for the child so that he/she can follow their dreams and succeed.  Leah is a brilliant woman and has clearly made a difference by helping the Metis culture move forward within the community.   As teachers, it is important we do not stereotype! It is not professional and it is not fair to the students!  Everyone deserves an education. Everyone should be treated fairly; no matter what the color of their skin is! 

I really enjoyed WestCAST and hope to attend the conference again next year!