Re: Don't allow Merrill's post to scare you

Lack of teacher tenure is a sore point for many teachers here. I work
for the Recovery School District (RSD) which is run by the state and is
also where most of teachNOLA's recruits are hired. I would say that
teachers who do what any normal teacher is expected to do have nothing
to worry about in terms of maintaining their employment status. Quite
frankly I have seen teachers get away with some behaviors that in most
other areas would result in removal from their classroom and/or
terminiation of employment. I'm talking about colleagues who call out
sick 2-3 days EVERY week, are caught sleeping in class when they are
supposed to be teaching (yes, their students are in class at the time),
teachers who send their students off campus (all campuses are closed) so
that they can leave early, come into school on a regular basis reeking
of alcohol, etc. Slowly but surely these types of teachers are being
weeded out, but it is taking 2-3 years to do this. From my standpoint
teacher tenure within the RSD is a moot point for anyone who is at least
trying to do their job. In terms of retirement and health insurance,
RSD teachers are part of the Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana
(TRSL) and we have several different health insurance plans to choose
from.

Charter schools are a little different however, teachers are held much
more accountable for test scores and can be dismissed in the middle of
the school year. I have never worked for a charter school but my
understanding is that benefits such as retirement and medical insurance
vary depending upon the charter school. Some charter schools offer
benefits and others do not. This is something that you may want to ask
teachNOLA staff members about or you can wait to ask the individual
schools themselves.

The strongest piece of advice that I can offer you, is to spend a few
extra days here when you come for your interview event with teachNOLA.
Set up classroom observations at RSD schools and various charter
schools. This will serve a couple of purposes: 1. you'll have the
opportunity to meet with principals and possibly even get an informal
interview (this will help later on when the hiring frenzy begins); 2.
you'll be able to talk to teachers about their schools and get an
insiders view; and 3. you'll be able to observe student
behaviors/discipline issues. With all of this information you should be
able to make a much more informed choice about what type of school
environment you would find most conducive to your personality.

Good luck at your interview!

On 3/01/09, Thanks for your post wrote:
> On 12/12/08, NOLAteach wrote:
>> I am very interested in TeachNOLA because there does seem to be a
> very great need for those who are not "faint of heart." My resume was
> reviewed by Teach NOLA and I've been invited to interview, and I was
> worried after I read Merrill's post. Here's my dilemma: I'm in
> California, so I would have to move my family all the way across
> country for a position that does not offer any tenure? Also,
I've
> heard that there are no medical or pension benefits...true?
>
> Appreciate your help.
>
> I work in the 9th ward and it is not the most dangerous area of
>> the city. Yes, New Orleans has a lot of poverty and crime but
>> that does not mean that you are going to be attacked in your
>> school or murdered as Merril seems to imply.
>>
>> I came to New Orleans through TeachNOLA a little over two years
>> ago and have been able to teach without any physical assults in
>> one of the worst high schools in New Orleans (and arguably the
>> country). A teacher (Dineral Shavers) was murdered in 2007. What
>> Merril neglected to mention is that that teacher went to pick up
>> his step son who had had an altercation with some boys in a rival
>> ward. The boys who were chasing his step son fired their guns at
>> the car and ended up killing Dineral instead of their intended
>> target. Obviously this was a very tragic event, but I want you to
>> know the details because you shouldn't think that teachers are
>> being gunned down at school or targeted because they are teachers,
>> nor are teachers routinely assulted by their students. I've
>> actually found that my students are quite protective of me (even
>> as they curse me out from time to time for insisting that they do
>> their work or are heaven forbid asked to get out of the hallway
>> and go to class).
>>
>> Teaching in New Orleans or any high-needs urban area is not for
>> the faint of heart. You really have to be passionate about
>> working with at-risk to survive teaching in any school run by the
>> RSD.
>>
>> On 12/09/08, Wondering wrote:
>>> Thank you for your post!
>>> I did post my application on the TeachNola website and they are
>>> reviewing it right now. I wasn't aware that all of the
>>> elementary teaching positions will be in the 9th ward. I also
>>> applied through TeachLouisiana. West Baton Rouge contacted me
>>> after I put my application, cover letter and resume through
>>> TeachLouisiana; so now I�m sending them their application and
>>> will go through their process.
>>>
>>> I plan on visiting Baton Rouge in February. I currently live
>>> in Florida but I�m from the north, any help on (West) Baton
>>> Rouge would be of great help and I do greatly appreciate it.
>>>
>>> Thank you again for the post!
>>>
>>> w
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 12/09/08, Merrill wrote:
>>>> Are you sure you want to do the TeachNola thing?
>>>>
>>>> Have you been to the 9th Ward New Orleans? It is the most
>>>> crime-ridden area in the country. Dire poverty, gangs
>>>> everywhere, shootings on a daily basis, 60-75% illiteracy.
>>>> Teachers are routinely assaulted--a couple have been killed.
>>>>
>>>> Better know what you are getting into!
>>>>
>>>> On 11/25/08, Wondering wrote:
>>>>> I decided to start the application process for the 2009-
>>>>> 2010 Master Teacher Corps for the 2009-2010 school year.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is there anyone else going through this process or if
>>>>> wanting to teach in Louisiana, are you going through the
>>>>> TeachLouisiana process?
>>>>>
>>>>> Please share your experience, Thank you in advance.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>>
>>>>> Wondering
>>>>>