My recent op-ed article, published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, has helped.  It’s drummed up some activity on the job search front, and I’ve gathered some more.  I’m really hoping to buckle down these next two weeks before school systems start gearing up and setting my mind to finding a position.

I have also been thinking and I believe it would be easy for me to create some sample audio files.  You may have heard of these files referred to as podcasts.  These files would serve as examples of multimedia study materials I would make available to my students regularly.  I will have more on this in the next few days, I hope.

While I’m working on that, if there’s something you’d like me to post about, discuss, change, remove, or add, I’d love to hear from you!  Let me know how I (and this website) can serve you, and I look forward to the discussions to come.

More soon.

• Biology (6-12)
• Economics (6-12)
• Geography (6-12)
• Middle Grades (4-8)
• Middle Grades Social Science (4-8)
• Political Science (6-12)
• Special Education General Curriculum Consultative (P-12)
• Special Education Language Arts Cognitive Level (P-8)
• Special Education Math Cognitive Level (P-8)
• Special Education Reading Cognitive Level (P-8)
• Special Education Science Cognitive Level (P-8)
• Special Education Social Science Cognitive Level (P-8)

I typed that almost off the new certificate I received in the mail, and it’s almost half a page long on there.  I’m definitely proud and excited, and hopeful that all these certifications will make me look attractive and versatile as I continue to search for a teaching job.

The next GACE is after the holidays, and I’ve got a couple of weeks to determine what I’ll be taking.  Might be history, might be science, might be math!  We’ll just have to see.

I chose the Special Education Academic Content Concentration tests because I already have Special Education General Curriculum on my certificate.  That means that I am certified to teach as a Special Ed inclusion teacher in any subject, and that I can be the content teacher in the areas I’m already certified in.  Passing this test will give me many, many additional certificates, and will allow me to teach the content in a Special Ed setting in every topic in elementary and middle school.

I have all the Social Studies certificates except History, so I decided to branch out and go for certificates in other areas.  Anecdotal evidence I’ve gathered from other teachers I’ve spoken with leads me to believe that science is another need area in Georgia, so I thought I would get a certificate there.  It was a toss-up between Biology and Chemistry, but Biology has less math, and there’s already math on the Special Ed test, so I thought I would spread it out a bit.  Chemistry might be next.

I’m also making a concerted effort to network more with teachers I’m friends with in my area.  This is giving me inside information and tips on getting started in teaching.  This information, I’ve come to learn, is critical to getting my foot in the door, so I’m trying to visit at least one friendly teacher a week.  So far it’s been productive, and besides that, fun, to catch up with friends.

I’ll be making my study plan for the GACEs this week since I’ve got to much to learn.

Also this week, I need to decide on and register for the next GACE test in October, in support of my general strategy of taking GACE tests until I am able to find a teaching job.  I am already leaning towards Middle Grades Science, and I’ve even purchased the book, but a meeting with a teacher friend of mine has turned me on to another important test: Special Education Academic Content.  This test works with my existing Special Education certifications and will let me teach either content or inclusion for all grades through middle school and in all my co-certified high school areas.  It’s a big test, covering a little bit of everything, but I think it would be a big boost to my resume and I’m certainly considering it.

I’ll post again when I’ve made my final decisions, and when I get my new certificate!

I’m leaning towards pursuing more science certifications in the future, as I find science  interesting.  I also know science is an area for which the demand for teachers in Georgia outpaces the supply, and it might be easier to get my foot in the door.  I haven’t decided which test I might be interested in taking besides Middle Grades Science, but I’m leaning towards Chemistry, as I have fond memories of being quite interested in that class.

I have a while before the registration deadline, so I’ll take my time, but since I’ve already purchased the Middle Grades Science study guide, I’ll start reading that soon.

In the meantime, I’m trying to plan out my testing strategy for the rest of the academic year.  I am hoping to attain as many additional certifications as possible in the hopes of making myself the best candidate in town for the next hiring season.  While I don’t know the exact details yet, let’s just say there is a good chance I will break out of my comfort zone and try something different.

Also on my radar this academic year is the GRE.  I’m looking forward to going to graduate school when I am settled in a teaching position, and I’d like to go ahead and get the GRE behind me.  I’ve got the book and really all I need to do is schedule a time in the future to take the test.  The results are accepted by most colleges for five years–that should give me plenty of time!

That gives me five certifications total: Economics, Geography, and Political Science for high school students, Middle Grades Social Sciences for middle school students, and Special Education Consultative for all grades.

I am also happy to announce that I continue my perfect passing rate of GACE exams on the first try!  I’m glad my efforts have been starting to pay off.  I am currently pondering which certification to pursue next and look forward to sharing that information when I’ve made a decision.

I already have:
Economics
Geography
Special Education Social Studies
Special Education Consultative

I would like to obtain:
Political Science
Middle Grades Social Studies
History

I have already made plans to take most of these certification GACE exams, and I look forward to continuing my record of 100% pass rate on these tests.  I have also begun the spring job hunt in earnest and am looking forward to getting out there and meeting administrators soon.  Look for new additions to this site as I continue to build my online resume; I also hope to be posting some economics-related book reviews soon!

I’ll start this week with my first round goal, which is to send an individual e-mail to the principal of every school I would work at in driving range of where I live.  I want to start getting my name out there right now, even though I am aware many schools have not decided or do not even know which vacancies they will need to fill over the winter break.

Round two, starting in 7-10 days, will probably be a mail assault, sending a copy of my updated resume directly to principals.  I know principals are busy people who may not have time to check their e-mail in a timely manner, so sending them an actual piece of paper seems like a good idea to me.

Round three, which I am planning for the time around Thanksgiving, is when I start the phone calls and school visits.  I can’t wait to meet some of these principals face-to-face and discuss what assets I could bring to their school!  I’ve uploaded much of my work to this site, and once I get even more documents on here, I’ll be putting together a professional portfolio to bring with me to interviews.

During all of this, I will be keeping my eye on the online job postings, but as I have discovered, applying online is generally not the best way to get your name out there, as postings tend to be listed by district offices while actual interviews are conducted by principals.  I will be checking the listings often, and I will apply for positions I believe I would be a good match for, but I will be going the extra mile and contacting principals directly.

I am also very excited about the opportunities I have through this website.  I have already posted some of my work on here, and I look forward to finding more ways to build my online portfolio, so that potential employers can get an accurate picture of what they can expect from me as a teacher, as well as evidence of my technology experience.

I know that things will be tougher this time around, and I am anticipating the challenge.  Not only are there fewer positions available during the winter break, but I am well aware of the current economic situation, and that some schools are even reducing their head count to compensate.  While it appears that teachers have not been affected yet, I know things may change, and I’m more than ready to be competitive.

• Economics 6-12
• Geography 6-12
• Special Education General Curriculum (Consultative) 6-12
• Special Education Social Science 6-12

I will continue to pursue additional certifications so that I will have even more to offer a potential school; I hope to have additional news on this front soon.

Also, please look to the right-hand side of the page to see the new sample documents I have added this week.  I hope this gives you some additional insight into my thoughts and strategies behind teaching.  So far, I have posted a sample unit planner for economics and a document from my student teaching I used for differentiating my instruction.

I’m so happy and excited, because now I will have Special Education on my teaching certificate.  I’m always happy to have an extra credential, but Special Education is in such need right now, and to be certified in it will almost certainly give me a leg up on the job competition.

But don’t think I’m done yet.  My next plan is to call the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GAPSC) and inquire about AP certification; this will allow me to teach students across the entire spectrum.  I am excited about the overall scope of my teaching certificate now.

I will be celebrating this victory, and it has certainly inspired me and given me additional energy to continue looking for jobs and building my credentials.