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On 1/03/15, what are they like to teach in? wrote:
> Is anyone a private school teacher?
> There is an opening in a school near me.
> What are the pros and cons?
> How is a private school different from an
> independent school?

I retired from public schools and began teaching in an
independent school a couple of years ago.

Independent schools are private schools that do not depend
on outside sources for finances or governance. Funds to
run the school are raised through tuition, donations,
endowments and the like. They have their own board of
directors and are not subject to local school boards or
state and national education policy.

Independent schools in Texas are accredited by the
Independent Schools Association of the Southwest.

Private schools are schools that are not public schools.
They might be independent schools, or they may might be
governed and financed by another organization - usually a
church.

Like most things in education, you can't paint private
schools with a broad brush. They vary greatly from school
to school.

In my part of the state, independent schools have a much
better reputation for academics than the church-run
schools, although some of the Catholic High Schools are
highly regarded also. Most (not all) of the Catholic K-8
schools don't enjoy the same reputation. The schools run
by the more conservative churches tend to have weaker
programs, and often teach creation based science.

The independent schools pay much better, very close to what
the public schools pay. They do this deliberately to
attract the best teachers they can. Younger, less
experienced teachers may even make slightly more than they
would in public schools.
Insurance benefits are very comparable.
There is no TRS, but Social Security and 401(k)s are
provided.
When positions open up, there are usually nation-wide
searches to fill the spot. There are several agencies that
specialize in placing teachers in independent schools.

Most of the non-independent schools have a much lower pay
rate. A friend of mine who retired the same time I did and
went to a church sponsored school is making a third of what
I do - with no benefits.

Based on my limited experience in one school the pros and
cons are -

Pros
-smaller classes (average of 15 for me)

-more classroom autonomy

-much less paperwork

-more time for prep

-very supportive parents

-students are all reading at or above grade level

-very little testing (we do one test in 5th and 7th - it's
a COGAT-type test designed for private schools. High school
has AP exams)

-a professional. collegial atmosphere - I never hear
complaining or whining. It's probably my favorite part.

-very limited meetings

-supportive leaders

-community spirit - administration, teachers, non-teaching
staff, parents, children - all are part of the school
family

-no ridiculous behavior from students

-I'm not sure if this is "pro" - but we don't make
modifications for special ed. If a student can't handle
our curriculum, then our school isn't the best fit for the
child. I prepare one quality lesson and don't worry about
differentiation.

Cons
- In addition to teaching 5 classes, all teachers have an
advisory and must sponsor an organization or coach. Many
sponsor AND coach. And many of the organizations have
weekend events. Fortunately, at my school advisory and
organization time is built into the school day. It's still
extra work that you don't necessarily have to do in public
schools.

- We are required to be available for tutoring for 45
minutes after the end of class Monday - Thursday. It's
part of our school day.

- We have several evening events for prospective students
that are required.

- Big fund-raising events in the evening or on weekends are
required.

- Because we are small, you don't have a team of people
teaching the same thing you teach. This frees you from
communal lesson planning, but also leaves you a little
isolated too.

- You have to be on your "A" game Every. Single. Class.
Period. You cannot have an off day. When parents are
paying thousands of dollars, they will not tolerate any
type of sloppy performance in the classroom.

- There is little tolerance for any kind of mistake. New
teachers have a little grace period, but you better make
sure you read every email (because we don't have many
meetings) and make sure you follow procedures exactly.
There are no organizations, or continuing contracts, or
anything to protect a teacher from the types of tings that
would be overlooked in most public schools.

I know there are more pros and cons, but this is off the
top of my head.

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