Gscalerajr

Hi Mike, I feel your pain. I’ve been searching for a teaching job since January and still nothing. It’s been 2 years since I’ve graduated and not a single interview to teach. I believe there is a surplus of teachers in the North East and in many areas, it’s a popularity contest, you have to know someone in the district. You’re doing the same as me, bookmarking the HR offices of actual districts. In NY we have BOCES that provides postings. On the national level there is schoolsprings and teacher-teacher.com; they are all free and both have listings. What schools often do is post things for a very short time, just to cover their asses. Keep trying your newspapers too; I’ve found that a posting will be in the paper but not on the school site. They wonder why men aren’t in the field– it’s because there is so much to do with just applying/finding a job and with NO feedback we get discouraged.

I to would love my own classroom. Hearing that they don’t even send your self-addressed confirmation is discouraging. Perhaps trying printing your materials on resume paper or an off-white; something that will “stand-out” against all the others. It is still frustrating because so much is done online and there is such a lack of personalism and human-ness to this process.

I really wish we had some direction on where the MALE teacher NEED was… anyone out there have a clue? I know in my NY area most of the elementary schools are still composed of women- from the principal down to the art teacher… we hear a “CRY” for men and yet we’re still DEAF…. WE NEED A VOICE, how do we get one???

From what you wrote, it sounds like a classic case of issues with attachments. Those 2 girls were some how traumatized or simply “taught” men are bad except for dad. The parents and other staff should have helped you instead of dismissing you. I’ve often had similar situations where my female colleagues don’t approve of my untraditional teaching practices. For example, I don’t view myself as “the boss” or the classroom as “mine”. The room belongs to me and the students it’s “ours”. I am “in charge”, but I allow them free terrain until it is time to focus and be serious. As long as they regroup when I say it’s time, then there are no problems. However, others don’t view it that way. If Jon wants to run around the room while I’m reading and no one else is distracted, that’s fine with me as long as when I ask him a question he can answer. I often was told I need “more management” and not allow the children to “rule”. Needless to say, I didn’t do well in those placements.

Many men WANT to teach at the younger levels, and most of the kids want/enjoy us there. But the women tend to keep us out. I hope that adds some insight. For attachment info research Bowlby or Ainsworth. Best of luck to you.

I just saw a news clip on NBC about our shortage. I have a BS in Elementary Ed. PreK-6 (social studies) and an MSed in School Counseling both from NYS… I taught English in Japan for one year, came back to NY and not a single interview, not even in NYC. Do I cost too much? I often hear uncertified people getting hired with the stipulation of getting their MST in 3 years. There is a cry for male teachers and yet we can’t even get an interview. What are we missing?? There seems to be a need but yet so many of us are not working in a school. Any ideas?