Starting a new chapter in your life can be exciting and daunting. Whether you recently graduated or decided to make a career move, you might be asking yourself “How do I get a teaching job without any classroom experience under my belt?”.
Starting a new chapter in your life can be exciting and nerve-racking. Whether you recently graduated or decided to make a career change, you might be asking yourself, “How do I get a teaching job without any classroom experience under my belt?”
The truth is that as intimidating as it might sound, you may already have the transferable skills it takes to be a teacher!
Do You Really Have No Experience?
Even though you haven’t been in front of a class by yourself does not mean you don’t have experience. The truth is that there are many transferable skills that you have learned throughout your life that are important to highlight to future employers.
From college to other jobs you might have had in the past, you can highlight the soft and hard skills that you’ve developed throughout the years.
For example, highlighting your interpersonal relationships, communication, adaptability and time management are all great ways to show that you have what it takes to learn and evolve into a teaching role.
Some hard skills that might be helpful to highlight are the ability to actually create a lesson plan or be a little tech savvy!
Remember, having experience goes beyond the classroom. Show off the skills you already have, and you’ll be surprised as to how many apply in the classroom!
Express Your Passions
Whether you’re a recent graduate or you’ve changed careers, you can share what motivates you to work in education in order to demonstrate to hiring managers why you’re the right fit for the job.
Try including this information in the following application materials:
- Your cover letter
- Your professional summary at the top of your resume
- In a follow-up email to the hiring manager at your target school
To pinpoint what you’re passionate about, consider what gets you excited about teaching your favorite subject or working with a specific grade level.
For more inspiration, you can check the job description for key attributes the school is looking for in a teacher and select the trait that matches you best.
Continue Your Education
Teaching is always evolving, so it’s helpful to stay on top of the trends to demonstrate you wish to continue your education to best serve your school.
Continuing your education doesn’t necessarily mean you are enrolling for another 4 year degree! Instead show that you are interested in continuing your education outside the class through webinars, seminars, development training events, classes to hone particular skills that you want to improve on or reinforce, etc.
Showing that you are passionate about learning and developing yourself professionally regardless of the experience you have or don’t have is a great way of showing your passion.
This shows that you are not only willing to take extra steps to make your experience smoother, but you’re also willing to do it for the sake of your students’ experience in the classroom!
Prepare a Demo-Lesson
After passing an initial interview, new teachers may need to teach a demo lesson to ensure their skills in the classroom meet school standards.
Before you begin planning your demo, it can be helpful to ask the hiring manager about your sample students.
For example, if you’re applying for a high school science teacher job but your sample students are teachers from other departments, you may consider teaching a lesson that is both grade-appropriate and accessible to non-experts.
You can use the following strategies to create and deliver a professional demo lesson:
- Gather your materials. A few days in advance, craft a lesson plan targeted toward the subject and grade level you plan to teach. Then, collect any necessary teaching aids, mark book pages, print worksheets, plan extension activities and think of examples.
- Practice your content. To get ready for the real demo lesson, consider talking through the lesson with a friend or family member. This might reveal questions you need to answer during the demo, and it gives you time to research them thoroughly. In your practice session, you can also test technology you’re planning on using, plan alternative activities and think about disciplinary tactics you may need to use while managing the classroom.
- Get ready to make a good impression. Choosing the right clothing for your demo lesson can build a reputation of professionalism, which can help you get the job.
It doesn’t have to be 100% perfect, but it has to show off everything we mentioned before: skills, passion, talent, innovation, etc.
Choice Schools
We have been supporting charter school boards, focusing on students first and providing better education solutions since 1998.
As one of the most comprehensive education service providers serving charter schools, Choice Schools Associates’ culture is driven by putting students first, expecting greatness and teamwork.
Our vision is rooted in people – the people we employ, the families we serve, and the students we teach. Our student-centric philosophy drives us to think smarter, focus on what is most important, and add value to each school to ensure everyone thrives.
Choice Schools specializes in school management services such as curriculum, compliance, finance, human resources, instruction, operations, and marketing. We meet the need for education solutions by helping charter school boards create, maintain and accelerate unique schools in their communities.
By recognizing the importance of matching student-focused education with expert education foundational support, we continue to build successful schools alongside our school boards.
Want to launch your new teaching career?
Check out open positions in your area through choice schools!
https://choiceschools.com/careers/#my-unique-id