Teacher Job Outlook:

2011 and Beyond

January 27, 2011

Teacher Job Outlook:

2011 and Beyond

Moderators:

Deborah Snyder, Grove City College, PA

John Snyder, Slippery Rock University of PA

Panelists:

Todd Fukai, Cherry Creek School District, CO

Carrie Durley, Aldine Independent School District, TX

Mark Brophy, Worcester Public Schools, MA

AAEE Executive Board Liaison:

Diana Sanchez, California State University San Marcos, CA

Webinar Tech Support

Matt Ulrich, Grove City College, PA

John Snyder is Interim Director of Career

Services at Slippery Rock University of PA.

He has 25 years of experience in career

services and previously served as an English

teacher and school counselor in public

education.

Deborah Snyder is Associate Director of

Education Career Services at Grove City

College, PA. She has more than 20

years experience in college career

services and currently serves as a

senator for AAEE.

Todd Fukai is a Director of Human

Resources in the Cherry Creek

School District in Colorado. He has

been in education for 21 years. Todd

has also served as an elementary

teacher, assistant principal and

principal. He is the president-elect of

the Colorado Association of School

Personnel Administrators (CASPA)

and a senator for the American

Association for Employment in

Education (AAEE).

Carrie Durley is the Executive Director of

Human Resources in the Aldine

Independent School District in Houston,

Texas, where she has worked for 43

years. She has been in education for 46

years and in personnel/human resources

for 24. Carrie has, also, been a

secondary English and special education

teacher, elementary counselor and

administrator, Title I Supervisor, and

Director of Personnel. She has held all

offices in the Texas Association of School

Personnel Administrators and was

president of the American Association of

School Personnel Administrators in 2008-

2009.

Mark Brophy is the Staffing/Mentor

Coordinator for the Worcester Public

Schools. He has been in education within

WPS for 26 years. Mark has also been an

elementary teacher, School Psychologist,

Special Education Team Chairperson and

a full-time released teacher’s association

President. He is the president-elect for the

American Association for Employment in

Education (AAEE). He also is an elected

school committee member for the QRSD.

Our objectives:

•Review the most recent educator demand data from the annual

AAEE survey of professionals in the field.

•Provide job search feedback and advice for career services

professionals to pass along to their education majors and

teacher candidates.

Your questions:

•If you have questions during the course of this webinar, use the

“Question” box on your screen to type and send your question to

us. Time permitting, we will present your questions to our

panelists.

2010 Educator Supply and Demand Survey•Continues a 34-year tradition of AAEE

•These results are based on representatives from 386 colleges /

universities and 115 school districts completing the online survey

•Respondents shared their perceptions about the demand for

educators in 63 teaching and specialist areas ranging from

Agriculture to Speech Pathology

•Respondents also shared insights about the factors impacting the

demand for educators

•The report is available to AAEE members at the AAEE website:

www.aaee.org, Neil Shnider, Executive Director

•This year’s report was sponsored by:

The data we are sharing about the demand for educators

by certification area are the composite national results.

These national data may mask variations in the demand

for educators in specific states or regions.

Generally, however, the national data reflect regional

needs as well.

Example

National average for Bilingual Education: 3.98

Region 5 average for Bilingual Education: 4.22

The greatest surplus of teachers:

Elementary Education

•Primary

•Kindergarten

•Intermediate

Social Studies

Physical Education

Note: Because of the EC-4 certification area in TX,

Pre-K has a large surplus.

No need for Earth Science teachers in MA: The

general science certification takes care of that area.

Other areas with some surplus of

teachers:

Art

English

Health Education

Elementary Education

•Pre-K

Middle School

Journalism

Theater / Drama

Note: Theater/Drama not an area of surplus

in CO

Factors leading to a surplus of teachers:

Todd –

In Colorado the following have created a surplus of teachers in

most areas:

• School funding issues creating fewer new positions and

some school districts having to downsize.

• Housing market-foreclosures and less new growth.

• Retirees not retiring because of economy.

• People with teaching degrees returning to profession or

people seeking alternative licensure because of economy.

• Teachers moving to or back to CO because of economy in

other states, and other states not hiring so teachers not

leaving.

• Too many teachers in a content area or an area with very

few positions.

Factors leading to a surplus of teachers:

Carrie –

In addition to what Todd has indicated, in Texas

• The decrease in property taxes has resulted in fewer local dollars being

available to school districts to hire and/or add new teachers, a school

funding issue.

• Because stimulus money is being phased out, school districts will be

increasing the student/teacher ratio, therefore, reducing their teaching

force and putting more teachers out of work if they cannot be absorbed

into positions being vacated. The Texas legislature, which convened this

month, is considering increasing the current 22:1 elementary ratio that is in

effect.

• In some cases, university students are not aware of how saturated the

market is in certain areas.

Factors leading to a surplus of teachers:

Mark –

In Massachusetts, an additional factor is the customer issue,

especially in Early Childhood Education and Elementary

Education - many young adults want to be an elementary

teacher and go to school specifically for that teaching area.

After graduation, the reality of the competitive job market hits.

We really encourage the elementary and early childhood

education student to become dually licensed especially in ESL

or special education.

Certification areas with the highest need for teachers:

Special Education

•Hearing Impaired

•Visually Impaired

•Severe / Profound Disabilities

•Emotional / Behavioral Disabilities

Physics

Chemistry

Math

Notes: Advance Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB)

There is a large demand for STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), dual

credit (earning college credit in high school), and multi-endorsed teachers.

Health Science Technology, Bilingual Education, Spanish as a foreign language (TX)

Nebraska Dept. of Ed: Art, Business Education, Foreign Languages, Language Arts,

ESL, Family/Consumer Sciences, Industrial Technology Education

Other teaching areas with a need for teachers:

Languages

•Bilingual Education

•ESL / ELL (English Language Learner)

•Spanish

•Chinese

•Classics: Greek, Latin

•Japanese

Special Education

•All other areas

Earth / Physical Science

Biology

Need in educational support services for professionals

in:

Audiology

Occupational Therapy

Physical Therapy

Reading Diagnostician

School Nursing

School Psychology

Speech Pathology

Notes:

High need in CO and TX for audiology, OT, nurses, and

speech pathology. High need in MA for audiology, OT, PT,

speech, and vision.

Teaching Areas in Demand and

with a Surplus at a Glance

A Demand for Teachers

Special Education

Foreign Language

Math

Science

A Surplus of Teachers

Elementary Education

English

Social Studies

Health & Physical

Education

Art

Journalism, Theater

Now that we have reviewed the AAEE Educator

Supply and Demand results from 2010 survey, let’s

move on to the job search. Even those candidates

in areas of demand need to conduct an effective

job search, and our panelists will now share their

thoughts about successfully completing the

application and interviewing process.

The application process

Carrie –

• Make sure that they are complete

• Give correct addresses, phone numbers, etc. for references

• Update your application as information changes (name, address,

e-mail, certification areas, etc.)

• Proofread for accuracy

Mark –

• Follow the directions for completing the application.

Todd –

• Diversify your search. Be willing to move to areas that have less

candidates

Cover letters

Carrie –

•Include a short cover letter with your resume. Use the cover letter to

briefly introduce yourself, state why you are applying for the position, how

you learned about it, and display some of your knowledge of the district

and why you are qualified for the position.

•Write a specific cover letter making sure the names for each school

district are correct.

•Send cover letter and resume to a specific person in Human Resources.

•Make sure that you proofread.

Resumes

Carrie –

•Goal of your resume: to sell yourself to the school district

•Should be “user friendly” so that it can be read in approximately 30 seconds

•Include the following in one or two pages: identification data, objective, education,

work experience, additional information, and references.

•Exclude personal information like age, height, weight, marital status, etc.

•Proofread!

Mark –

•Make sure your resume is skills-based. The reader should be able to easily identify

your “teacher” skills and competencies.

Todd –

•Focus your resume on experiences that are student-centered. Your experiences in

student teaching and field work are vitally important, but also include your additional

experiences working with children and/or adolescents.

The interview:

Mark –

Do the simple things right:

• Do not be late

• Do not chew gum

• Dress professionally

• Make sure the message on your phone is appropriate.

Todd –

• It is not just your skills and knowledge that are important. Pay attention to your

talents (ability to connect with kids, caring, enthusiasm, sincerity, empathy)

Carrie –

• Focus on strengths, not weaknesses.

• Allow your enthusiasm and passion to overcome lack of experience.

• If you bring a cell phone to interview, keep it out of sight and off.

• Demonstration lesson as part of the interview process is becoming more

prevalent in some school districts. Be prepared!

The interview, continued

Carrie –

•Research the school district and be knowledgeable about it; ask

insightful questions if given the opportunity.

•Good communication skills - do not go off on a tangent, ramble, or

give vague answers when asked questions. Practice interviewing

before doing a real job interview.

•Dress professionally and project a positive image.

Caution: Be polite to ALL employees that you encounter regardless

of their perceived importance. Being rude or disrespectful to a

secretary, for example, could cost you a job.

What are the characteristics of outstanding first year teachers?

Carrie –

•Has broad knowledge-base and is passionate about his/her subject

•Is an effective communicator

•Has effective classroom management skills

•Is student-focused

•Is caring, compassionate, and understanding

•Is enthusiastic and positive

•Possesses professional integrity (dedicated, strong work ethic, self-

starter, ethical behavior, honest, trustworthy)

•Collaborative

•Technologically proficient

•What can candidates do to get a teaching job?

•Add certifications

•Get subbing experience

•Be more geographically flexible

•Take paraprofessional jobs

Todd -

All of the above are true. I would add two in the area of

secondary education.

• Dual credit/concurrent enrollment qualifications. This allows

students to receive college credit in high school. You need a

Masters degree in a content area or have 18 hours post

graduate credit in the content.

• Get real world experience in your content. It helps to

prepare your students for what they may need to go into that

field.

What can candidates do to get a teaching job?

Carrie –

•To those in the audience who are student teachers or about to begin

student teaching, look upon the student teaching experience as a 12-16

week interview.

•Apply in many school districts.

•If asked to “tell us something about yourself,” use this part of the interview

to your advantage by talking about yourself positively -skills, experiences,

beliefs, and anything that might set you apart from other candidates.

Mark –

•Additional certifications for elementary education teachers are extremely

important, especially in certification areas such as middle school math or

special education.

What does the future hold for teacher demand?

Todd – “My belief is that in CO as the economy returns school funding will be

better, people will retire, and enrollment will increase. These factors will result

in teacher positions. It probably will be another couple of years though.”

Mark – “We need to continue to push for loan forgiveness programs especially

for the STEM and others areas in need of educators. We, those of us in the

profession, need to change the face of teaching: It is an excellent profession to

work in and it needs to truly be considered to be a profession, starting with us.”

Carrie – “Much will depend upon how quickly the economy rebounds and how

states respond to budgeting issues. Most of the people who responded to a

survey that I sent to HR departments in AR, KS, LA, MO, MS, NE, OK, and TX

felt that it will be at least 2-3 years before the demand for teachers in the areas

of surplus will increase. They see the employment possibilities for candidates

in math, sciences, special education, foreign languages, and speech-language

pathology to continue to be very strong.”

Questions?