To be honest, I think that subbing or getting a position as a
teacher's aide/assistant/para in the district or districts
you wish to eventually teach in will get you much further
than volunteering for outside community organizations.
When you are in various schools, you will get to know the
administration and they you. They also will get to see what
kind of work you do.
With the field being so saturated, principals have their pick
of many many applicants. Since they have so many choices,
they probably will start with people they know and who they
have actually seen work.
It is true that you may bump into an administrator of a
nearby district at a meeting of a community organization, but
your best bet is to be within their place of work.
On 8/20/08, Aspiring Social Studies Teacher wrote:
> It seems as if it is about too late to hold onto much hope
> for finding the dream job this year, so I'm trying to stay
> positive and focus on what I can do to prepare myself for
> next spring and summer.
>
> I graduated in spring 2004 and did my student teaching in
> middle and high school social studies (Minnesota) that fall.
> I've been subbing in Oregon since then, for 3.5 years. (My
> husband and I moved for his education.)
>
> Now that my husband is done with graduate school, I am
> hoping to have more time to do things to strengthen my
> application for the next school year. Over the past three
> years, my main focus has been on subbing and working at my
> other two jobs as much as possible, to pay the bills and get
> us started off on the right track financially. I just
> didn't have the time to do much else besides work. It has
> been very difficult to sub/waitress/office temp this long,
> but I'm trying to pump myself up for one more year
> (hopefully only one). My goal is to have only one job and
> have enough time to do other things to strengthen my
> application.
>
> I'm thinking of volunteering and getting involved in
> community organizations regarding my interests, which
> include education (obviously!), history, social justice, and
> politics. I'm wondering if the wise folks out there on this
> message board have any advice as per the BEST way to spend
> my time over the next year. I know that networking and
> getting to know other teachers and administrators is
> important, too, but I'm not sure what the best way to do
> that is.
>
> My goal is to put myself in the best position possible and
> "prepare for success."
>
> It is kind of cheesy, but my dad always has said "luck is
> when preparation meets opportunity." That makes sense to
> me... So now is the time to start preparing for next summer!
>
> Eagerly awaiting your advice!
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