Thank you so much for the detailed reply. It is very helpful. I
will be getting my Type 03 & Type 10 certificate.
As per your advice I will apply also for middle school and also
look at different districts.
I live in Evanston and had applied in districts which are close
to Evanston. But, now I plan to apply in other districts within
30 mile radius.
Once again thank you, I really appreciate all the advice.
Have a wonderful vacation.

On 7/02/08, spedhead wrote:
> 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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