2. What Happens When You Finally Get A Teaching Job A generic look at what awaits you when you get to work at a school for PAY! Leo Wells, Ed. D. © 2004 Camel Group

3. Objective: Explore opportunities and realities as a teacher in PK- 12 schools

8. School Culture Those things that make a school unique, that give it its identity

10. School Culture Activities Policies The “Leadership” What works

11. School Staff Associate/Assistant Principals Counselors Deans Activities director Athletic director Media center director (librarian)

12. School Staff Coaches Band, choir, orchestra directors Vocational classes Nurse, visiting teachers

13. School Staff Other teachers Teacher assistants Custodial, maintenance Secretarial Cafeteria, snacks, books School volunteers

14. Discipline Use what you’ve learned so far Discipline will largely be left up to YOU to solve

15. Discipline Strictly follow whatever you are told on discipline referrals Use the “form” WRITE THE ACTUAL WORDS that the student says to you or another student

16. Discipline What you tell the administrator should be stuff you can document Keep records!

17. Evaluations: Informal “Walk-thru”s Observations Checklists, rubrics

18. Evaluations: Formal Evaluation instruments Evaluation tied to salary Tied also to “accountability” Keep records

19. Testing Achievement tests Special education referrals Aptitude tests Research

20. Testing Norm-referenced Compares score to a normative sample SAT, GRE, LSAT

21. Testing Criterion-referenced Scored based on preset criteria: ex. 3 out of 4 items considered passing Brigance Teacher-made test TAKS (TAAS) in Texas

22. Business Details $alary Generally based on a master contract Local + state funds Supplements based on activities

23. Business Details Taxes: state, Federal, local, county Social Security, Medicare Annuities Insurance Extra withholding

24. Business Details United Way School spirit materials Credit union deductions Transportation

25. Business Details Work days Staff development days Sick leave days Personal days “Snow days”

26. Health Insurance Plans are in the hundreds Local plan generally pays for individual Employee pays for additional, spouse, children

27. Health Insurance Health care Dental, vision Prescriptions Generally a co-payment required HMO or PPO

28. Dealing with “John Q. Public” Folks who have a “stake” in the outcomes of school activity Parents Business community Citizens Seniors

29. Dealing with Parents Involvement Home problems Conferences

30. Organizations Teacher Associations Unions

31. Special Populations Special Education Mental retardation Learning disabilities Speech therapy Hearing Visual impairment Autism

32. Special Populations Special Education Physical impairments Behavior disorders Homebound instruction

33. Special Populations Bilingual ESL, ESOL Compensatory education Gifted and Talented

34. School Leadership School boards Superintendents Principals Department heads “Site-based” teams

35. School Leadership Integrated team teaching Grade-level team Subject-level team

36. Politics School board elections Bond elections Local, state, Federal funding Sports

37. Other wise advice: Keep your grade book in order. Keep it HID from students! Don’t volunteer too much personal information. YOU are the adult in that classroom. BE the adult!