Finding the Right Match for K-12 Teachers

Finding a good teaching job in elementary and secondary education begins by matching a teacher's grade-level assignments to personal talents and interests.

"Go and spend some time with children," says Donna Wiseman, associate dean for Teacher Education in the College of Education at the University of Maryland College Park.

Education majors should determine their comfort level with different grade levels during student teaching assignments, and second career teachers are advised to substitute or visit classes at a variety of grade levels to see what feels right, Wiseman says.

Teachers interested in elementary education should ask themselves if they are patient enough to talk about a subject at the child's level, she says.

"Does it bother you to step back, and listen to a child's long story that may or may not have much to do with what you're talking about?" she asks potential teachers.

In middle school, the challenge is different. Teaching adolescents requires managing students who are growing and changing rapidly.

"One day they're little bitty, and the next day they're adults," Wiseman says.

At the high school level, students interact with content almost the way an adult does, Wiseman says. Teachers with a special talent or subject interest may prefer teaching the upper grades, while those who are generalists with a strong interest in the process of interacting may lean toward elementary grades.

"Do you have a great love for your subject, or do you love working with interaction?" Wiseman asks potential teachers.

She also advises new teachers to understand the roles of the school board, principal, and overall school system, so they can see how their roles fit into the larger field of education.

Wanted: Strong, Empathetic Communicators

Margaret McCourt-Dirner, the principal of Williamsburg Middle School in Arlington seeks strong communication skills and empathetic personalities in job candidates.

During interviews she looks for signs of a candidate's ability to work with the students at the 6th to 8th grade levels without launching into power struggles that might interfere with the learning process.

"I look for the verbage they use that demonstrates respect for kids particularly, and for everyone," says McCourt-Dirner. "It's a pretty unique type of person ... it has to be a personality that can get along with a lot of people."

She also tries to find out if prospective teachers can remember the kinds of emotional pain common to the middle school age group.

"Seventh grade is the toughest," McCourt-Dirner says. "They've left the innocent period, and are trying to reach for what they see as the more mature parts of life, so it's frustrating for them."

Second-career teachers are valued at Williamsburg Middle School for the enriching professional experiences and contact with the outside world that they can bring to the students, she says. Some of her school's second-career teachers include professional writers and scientists.

"They've had experiences that are beyond any kind of classroom learning," says McCourt-Dirner.

Donna Graham, assistant principal at MacFarland Middle School in D.C., is a former professional dancer who studied with Martha Graham (no relation) and performed with a cabaret group before switching to an education career.

She began her 30-year career in education with the National Teacher Corps in the 1970s when there was a shortage of teachers. Similar to today's Teach for America program, the National Teacher Corp put college graduates into intensive training programs that included courses, a summer internship and a graduate thesis.

"I found out that I liked teaching, and I also liked going to school," says Graham, who frequently returned to graduate school and other training programs.

Graham's resume includes teaching kindergarten, adult education, high school, and learning disabled students. Before taking on the role of assistant principal, she specialized in bringing technology training into the classroom for nine years.

Graham has no plans to become school principal. She felt compelled to take the assistant principal job at a time when her school was experiencing an unusually high level of leadership turnover.

In one 18-month period, the school saw nine different principals leave the helm. Finally one principal stayed, and the assistant principal position opened up.

"I did it to help out the school," Graham says, "and I like it because I already know some things about the teachers ... their strengths and weakness. ...."

Mentors Make the Difference

Wiseman says new teachers need to know what to expect during their first few years, and mentors at their school can help with lesson planning and classroom management skills.

"You also really need someone around to say 'this is normal,'" Wiseman says, especially to new teachers who have to cope with angry children for some, if not much, of the day.

David Field benefits from mentoring at Parkland Middle School in Rockville, where he is teaching as part of his master's certification program at the University of Maryland College Park. He is interested in exploring reading motivation in Latino students, and estimates that about half of the school's population speaks English as a second language.

"For many of these students, they can't get a lot of support from parents- they're really kind of on their own, and that does add a level of complexity to their learning," Field says.

Field collaborates with more experienced teachers on small research projects to determine what works in the classroom.

"It's important to consider how to handle situations the 'next time'," Field says. "I think that makes you a more complete teacher."

Field worked as a speech writer for the U.S. Department of Education during the Clinton administration and studied journalism as an undergraduate student.

Teaching is not just a casual career choice for him. "You have to be absolutely committed," Field says. "I think it's really neat seeing a kid soak up what you're teaching. You're basically translating your life experience, and thoughts, and talents- and giving all of that to them."

He thinks education majors and career switchers need to decide if they have the stamina to be in front of a classroom every day.

"You've got to be 'on' all of the time," Field says. "Those days that you aren't so vigilant in the classroom- you'll get clobbered by the kids. You can't take a time out, really. If you're not ready and mentally alert every day, you're certainly going to suffer… your whole life is ordered by what you're doing in the classroom."