On 7/01/08, Future Sp. head teacher wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have recently graduated with Elementary & Sp. ed.
> certificate.

From what I've heard, the elem grades are a bit harder to find
special education positions. Many special ed majors have
elementary kids in mind when they went into the field. So, if
I'm reading your post right, you're a type 03 with an LBSI
endorsement, right? Or are you a type 10 LBSI? If you are
type 10, which is PreK-12, consider expanding your search to
secondary, at least for the time being.

If you are type 03,do you have the middle school endorsement?
If not, consider getting it for the future, though it won't
help you this year. At least in my area, west Chicago burbs,
we have quite a time filling positions, though we've done it
for this year... unless one of my teachers flakes on me in
July or Sped enrollment goes up (crosses fingers).

I have applied to various districts for sp.
> ed positions, but have no luck so far in getting a job.

How many districts have you applied to? Even though Special
Education is a much better job market than other teaching
fields, its still not a slam dunk. I advise those I know
looking for jobs to be willing to apply within a 30 mile
radius, which woud be an hour commute in Chicagoland. In the
Chicago burbs, that radius would probably include 100 or more
school districts, especially if we're talking elementary.

Also, make sure you're applying to all districts in whatever
radius you've decided upon, not just ones with job postings.
Especially as we approach August, some openings will pop up
and they'll be looking to hire ASAP. Have your stuff on-file.

I also suggest sending to the contact person on the job
posting, or the Principal if no one is listed, a professional
cover letter and copy of your resume. It should be on the
good resume paper with matching envelope HINT: Make sure your
envelope has the address typed on it, not hand written. The
whole package should be professional, and even cheap printers
can type on envelopes.

Some say email is better and it sure is cheaper. This may be
the way to go with schools that you fill out their online apps
but they don't have postings for open jobs. However, for
schools that have postings for jobs, I really like the mailing
of a resume. In this day of junk emails, it can get looked at
as spam.

Faxes... Secretaries run schools in the summer. Many throw
faxes away like that along with the junk faxes. They
shouldn't but they do.

I don't know whether there is some problem with my resume or
> the way I have answered the online appication questions or
> since I do not have any experience, I am at a disadvantage.

I seldom read the online questions, though some might make
them a major part of their process. I don't like them.
They're set up for the applicant to tell us what we want to
hear. They're too leading and just basically makes the person
jump through hoops. I wouldn't stress too much about that
though. I would suggest not writing an essay for each one
though, especially if there are many. A fat paragraph that is
to the point is usually enough for me.

As far as your resume, I think people with no experience
should make the education portion a major part, towards the
upper center and the experience part towards the bottom.
Focus on student teaching. Do not include in experience
section your summer job at the Gap or Applebee's. If its not
ed experience, don't include it. There are spaces on the
online application to include non-ed jobs, do it there.

If you're in Chicagoland, I know there are jobs out there.
Downstate I know there are fewer jobs because fewer people,
but they seem to post a lot on IASA. Make sure you are
rechecking district websites in your search zone every week.
Any posting, update your app to include that posting as a
wanted position and then send either the contact person listed
or Principal a hard copy CL and resume like I mentioned above.
Even consider sending CLs and Resumes blind to Principals at
schools that haven't posted. They're not hiring you now, so
what do you have to loose?

Right about now, I'd suggest you start looking at alternatives
to public for this year. Still apply to pulbic, by all means,
but you want a backup. There are alternative schools, like
the MENTA group and SES (again around Chicago, but similar
organizations exist everywhere). It is NOT an easy job, its
basically where we send ED kids who can't make it, even in an
ED room, but it is a job and if you can make it there, you can
say with confidence you can handle a classroom in any elem
school!

Also there are the co-ops. At least in suburban cook and
Dupage counties, with many districts being small, they don't
have all the resources that a big district like Naperville 203
has, so many of their specialized teaches come from Special Ed
cooperatives. They send teachers to districts, or take kids
out of the district to a central location. These are public
school special ed districts that pay into TRS, so they're
decent jobs. Usually more specialized jobs, like working with
ED or Autism, but there are all kinds of positions there. A
lot of SL Path and Psych jobs there too, though that doesn't
affect you.

Also, if you're in Chicagoland, there is CPS. Its... well its
CPS with all its issues, but they pay well and you can get a
residency waiver being SPED. They always seem to have job
fairs, even right before school. Check into it if its an
option. I've hired CPS people right before school, so they
get openings up until the first day... and then after. Also,
have you considered other "high need" districts in your area.
Most areas have them. Aurora, Elgin, Waukegan all fit the
bill. There are others...

And, lastly, you can always consider moving if you absolutely
want a public school teaching job this year. If you're in a
sparsely populated part of downstate, consider Chicagoland or
another part of downstate that is hiring. There is also
out-of-state, but I don't know if you're there yet. Most sped
teachers don't have to do that, but its an option for some.

This post was long, but I'm off to an island and don't plan on
doing anything for two weeks exept drink Corona and look at
the beach.

Good luck

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