On 10/21/08, Mike wrote:
> Hello all
>
> I am a certified phys. ed. teacher looking for a job in
Long
> Island, NY. I graduated with my Bachelors in 2004. After
> substituting for 3 yrs. in a public school, I was passed up
> for a position several times. I am highly qualified and I
> coach competitive gymnastics. I have sent out countless
> resumes and still cannot obtain a full time position! The
> hiring process seems to be very political and there are not
> many positions available. Any suggestions or ideas?
Thanks.

What we were taught when I was in college was if we plan to
land a job in our field, we'd better be really flexible and
willing to "go to the end of the world" to get it. Being in
rural Wyoming, the end of the world was pretty much the
eastern side of the state. I did what we all did, applied in
places we'd love to be and ended up driving fork lift my
first year out. After that I applied to some pretty small
towns (total populations of 500 or less in the town, not the
school!) and got multiple offers from a couple different
states because I was willing to do what I had to in order to
get that first teaching job. And yes, I had to coach sports
I didn't really plan on but I got my foot in the door and
then went from there. If being a gymnastic coach is your
claim to fame, you need to broaden your scope. Last year we
had a new football coach in town and they "had to find a
job" to go with his fb. Of course, they gave him elementary
pe after he'd been doing high school weight training. I'm
one of the other elementary pe teachers and we are not happy
with him. He "throws the ball out" which is making
elementary pe at that particular school a joke. He doesn't
have a clue and unfortunately it's making us all look bad.
He told us he has 6 kids and elementary pe will be just like
raising them. No wonder we have to fight for a positive
image.
My main suggestion to you is if you really want to teach pe
you must be willing to lower your expectations of landing in
an ideal situation and consider coming to a rural state
where the pay is close to the lowest in the nation and we
have to cancel classes at the high school because we can't
find good qualified teachers on these salaries. Welcome to
the profession of teaching.

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