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Questions to Ask

by Teaching Couple

May 24, 2011

As we're preparing for the CIS fair, I'd like to have a list of questions that we should be asking potential employers. Any suggestions? Something that maybe first timers should ask about but may not be aware of? We'd appreciate any tips! Thanks!

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D. Thomad Good question! Asking questions is a great way to show you are serious about your candidacy and to find out information that can help you make a good decision. Asking questions can also be somewhat dicey. A good school will answer any reasonable questions. A bad school will also answer your questions, but may not be truthful. Unfortunately, some ad...See MoreGood question! Asking questions is a great way to show you are serious about your candidacy and to find out information that can help you make a good decision. Asking questions can also be somewhat dicey. A good school will answer any reasonable questions. A bad school will also answer your questions, but may not be truthful. Unfortunately, some administrators at good schools can be put off by some types of questions.

Basically questions could generally fall into 3 main areas: Curriculum/content area/resources: These are generally safe questions to ask and answer. You want to ask about the general framework that instruction is delivered within and anything specific to your area (textbooks, labs, IT etc). If it's a curriculum you are not familiar with then this might help you decide if it's something you would enjoy teaching within. Also, if you are applying to any IB schools, you may want to do a bit of research on that subject.

The Country/City: Also a safe area. The school will hopefully want you to know what you are getting into and things like housing, availability of groceries, transportation etc are all fair game.

The school: This can be a tricky area. Things like planning time, extracurricular activities, Department structure, professional development etc are all safe topics and could be useful.

Some things you really may want to know but will have to judge whether you think it is OK to ask would be: Staff turnover rates Quality of healthcare/insurance Staff morale Behavior and discipline issues Contract details and are they strictly adhered to

The problem is that bad schools may or may not answer truthfully and good schools may be offended or put off by what or how you ask it. Hopefully if a dodgy school answers with less than the truth, you may at least get a hinky feeling. Definitely join ISR and do your own research.

I kind of rambled there but hopefully some of it was helpful.

On 5/24/11, Teaching Couple wrote: > As we're preparing for the CIS fair, I'd like to have a > list of questions that we should be asking potential > employers. Any suggestions? Something that maybe first > timers should ask about but may not be aware of? We'd > appreciate any tips! Thanks!

May 25, 2011

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Teaching Couple Thank you! We do want to be prepared. I had a few of those things on my list, but you've given me quite a few more that I may not have thought to ask. We are definitely joining ISR before we go to the job fair so we can look into the schools that are attending and try to get a feel for who we would like to talk to. Thanks again, you've been very he...See MoreThank you! We do want to be prepared. I had a few of those things on my list, but you've given me quite a few more that I may not have thought to ask. We are definitely joining ISR before we go to the job fair so we can look into the schools that are attending and try to get a feel for who we would like to talk to. Thanks again, you've been very helpful!

On 5/25/11, D. Thomad wrote: > Good question! Asking questions is a great way to show you are > serious about your candidacy and to find out information that > can help you make a good decision. Asking questions can also > be somewhat dicey. A good school will answer any reasonable > questions. A bad school will also answer your questions, but > may not be truthful. Unfortunately, some administrators at > good schools can be put off by some types of questions. > > Basically questions could generally fall into 3 main areas: > Curriculum/content area/resources: These are generally safe > questions to ask and answer. You want to ask about the general > framework that instruction is delivered within and anything > specific to your area (textbooks, labs, IT etc). If it's a > curriculum you are not familiar with then this might help you > decide if it's something you would enjoy teaching within. > Also, if you are applying to any IB schools, you may want to > do a bit of research on that subject. > > The Country/City: Also a safe area. The school will hopefully > want you to know what you are getting into and things like > housing, availability of groceries, transportation etc are all > fair game. > > The school: This can be a tricky area. Things like planning > time, extracurricular activities, Department structure, > professional development etc are all safe topics and could be > useful. > > Some things you really may want to know but will have to judge > whether you think it is OK to ask would be: > Staff turnover rates > Quality of healthcare/insurance > Staff morale > Behavior and discipline issues > Contract details and are they strictly adhered to > > The problem is that bad schools may or may not answer > truthfully and good schools may be offended or put off by what > or how you ask it. Hopefully if a dodgy school answers with > less than the truth, you may at least get a hinky feeling. > Definitely join ISR and do your own research. > > I kind of rambled there but hopefully some of it was helpful. > > On 5/24/11, Teaching Couple wrote: >> As we're preparing for the CIS fair, I'd like to have a >> list of questions that we should be asking potential >> employers. Any suggestions? Something that maybe first >> timers should ask about but may not be aware of? We'd >> appreciate any tips! Thanks!

May 25, 2011

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Dave -> Teaching couple lease let us know how your experience at the fair went, I'd love to get a "first timers" impression and suggestions again?

On 5/25/11, Teaching Couple wrote: > Thank you! We do want to be prepared. I had a few of those > things on my list, but you've given me quite a few more that I > may not have thought to ask. We are definitel...See Morelease let us know how your experience at the fair went, I'd love to get a "first timers" impression and suggestions again?

On 5/25/11, Teaching Couple wrote: > Thank you! We do want to be prepared. I had a few of those > things on my list, but you've given me quite a few more that I > may not have thought to ask. We are definitely joining ISR > before we go to the job fair so we can look into the schools that > are attending and try to get a feel for who we would like to talk > to. Thanks again, you've been very helpful! > > On 5/25/11, D. Thomad wrote: >> Good question! Asking questions is a great way to show you are >> serious about your candidacy and to find out information that >> can help you make a good decision. Asking questions can also >> be somewhat dicey. A good school will answer any reasonable >> questions. A bad school will also answer your questions, but >> may not be truthful. Unfortunately, some administrators at >> good schools can be put off by some types of questions. >> >> Basically questions could generally fall into 3 main areas: >> Curriculum/content area/resources: These are generally safe >> questions to ask and answer. You want to ask about the general >> framework that instruction is delivered within and anything >> specific to your area (textbooks, labs, IT etc). If it's a >> curriculum you are not familiar with then this might help you >> decide if it's something you would enjoy teaching within. >> Also, if you are applying to any IB schools, you may want to >> do a bit of research on that subject. >> >> The Country/City: Also a safe area. The school will hopefully >> want you to know what you are getting into and things like >> housing, availability of groceries, transportation etc are all >> fair game. >> >> The school: This can be a tricky area. Things like planning >> time, extracurricular activities, Department structure, >> professional development etc are all safe topics and could be >> useful. >> >> Some things you really may want to know but will have to judge >> whether you think it is OK to ask would be: >> Staff turnover rates >> Quality of healthcare/insurance >> Staff morale >> Behavior and discipline issues >> Contract details and are they strictly adhered to >> >> The problem is that bad schools may or may not answer >> truthfully and good schools may be offended or put off by what >> or how you ask it. Hopefully if a dodgy school answers with >> less than the truth, you may at least get a hinky feeling. >> Definitely join ISR and do your own research. >> >> I kind of rambled there but hopefully some of it was helpful. >> >> On 5/24/11, Teaching Couple wrote: >>> As we're preparing for the CIS fair, I'd like to have a >>> list of questions that we should be asking potential >>> employers. Any suggestions? Something that maybe first >>> timers should ask about but may not be aware of? We'd >>> appreciate any tips! Thanks!

May 28, 2011

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Teaching Couple Will do Dave!

On 5/28/11, Dave -> Teaching couple wrote: > Please let us know how your experience at the fair went, I'd love to > get a "first timers" impression and suggestions again? > > On 5/25/11, Teaching Couple wrote: >> Thank you! We do want to be prepared. I had a few of those >> things on my list, but ...See MoreWill do Dave!

On 5/28/11, Dave -> Teaching couple wrote: > Please let us know how your experience at the fair went, I'd love to > get a "first timers" impression and suggestions again? > > On 5/25/11, Teaching Couple wrote: >> Thank you! We do want to be prepared. I had a few of those >> things on my list, but you've given me quite a few more that I >> may not have thought to ask. We are definitely joining ISR >> before we go to the job fair so we can look into the schools that >> are attending and try to get a feel for who we would like to talk >> to. Thanks again, you've been very helpful! >> >> On 5/25/11, D. Thomad wrote: >>> Good question! Asking questions is a great way to show you are >>> serious about your candidacy and to find out information that >>> can help you make a good decision. Asking questions can also >>> be somewhat dicey. A good school will answer any reasonable >>> questions. A bad school will also answer your questions, but >>> may not be truthful. Unfortunately, some administrators at >>> good schools can be put off by some types of questions. >>> >>> Basically questions could generally fall into 3 main areas: >>> Curriculum/content area/resources: These are generally safe >>> questions to ask and answer. You want to ask about the general >>> framework that instruction is delivered within and anything >>> specific to your area (textbooks, labs, IT etc). If it's a >>> curriculum you are not familiar with then this might help you >>> decide if it's something you would enjoy teaching within. >>> Also, if you are applying to any IB schools, you may want to >>> do a bit of research on that subject. >>> >>> The Country/City: Also a safe area. The school will hopefully >>> want you to know what you are getting into and things like >>> housing, availability of groceries, transportation etc are all >>> fair game. >>> >>> The school: This can be a tricky area. Things like planning >>> time, extracurricular activities, Department structure, >>> professional development etc are all safe topics and could be >>> useful. >>> >>> Some things you really may want to know but will have to judge >>> whether you think it is OK to ask would be: >>> Staff turnover rates >>> Quality of healthcare/insurance >>> Staff morale >>> Behavior and discipline issues >>> Contract details and are they strictly adhered to >>> >>> The problem is that bad schools may or may not answer >>> truthfully and good schools may be offended or put off by what >>> or how you ask it. Hopefully if a dodgy school answers with >>> less than the truth, you may at least get a hinky feeling. >>> Definitely join ISR and do your own research. >>> >>> I kind of rambled there but hopefully some of it was helpful. >>> >>> On 5/24/11, Teaching Couple wrote: >>>> As we're preparing for the CIS fair, I'd like to have a >>>> list of questions that we should be asking potential >>>> employers. Any suggestions? Something that maybe first >>>> timers should ask about but may not be aware of? We'd >>>> appreciate any tips! Thanks!

May 29, 2011

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