TE803 March 31, 2011

Agenda I’m In – highlight and low point of lead

teaching Reflections on Lead Teaching

Special Education: Kristin Morsehead What is : SPED fact sheet & Lesson Study Professional Development: Erica & Taylor

Portfolios, cover letters, and interviewing presentation preparation

Sign up for presentations, etc.

I’m In Reflections on lead teaching

Overview April 7th – no class Spring Break

READ- Friend & Bursuck, pp.33-70 Ch. 2 April 14th – SPED factsheet presentations

One person from each group e-mail me your ppt and factsheet by 14th (even if presentation is 21st)

Lesson Study Workshop April 21st – SPED factsheet presentations con’d April 28th – Celebration

Lesson study assignment write-up due Lesson study and course de-brief

Special needs “fact sheet” and presentation (10%)

Lesson study (including group lesson plan and individual reflection) (25%)

http://www.teachingamericanhistory.us/lesson_study/ Lesson study- professional development

and new wave in MI might help get job- differentiated instruction

Denver -- Adams 14 www.bryankayportfolio.weebly.com kaybryan@msu.edu Leon Cerna (HR director

lcerna@adams14.org

Research… Decide the districts and/or areas you’re

interested in working with first – there are lots of districts there, spend your time and energy on places you want to go to, first

Find something out about that area before you contact them – know what they’re all about, don’t go in ignorant

Investigate the district imposed programs that are used in that district – math programs, reading programs, etc.

Sending applications hard-copy Write a targeted letter to the person identified in the

posting OR the human resources director. In it, link your experience and qualifications in a genuine way to district values you have identified. The cover letter and your resume must be perfect; at least free of typos and grammatical and spelling errors.

Send out a resume package that includes your cover letter, resume, 2-3 letters of recommendation, and a copy of your letter of good standing from MSU (or your certificate, when it arrives.)

One week after sending the resume package, call the office specified in your letter to check that it arrived. Make sure to document the date you called, the name of the person with whom you spoke, and the results of the conversation.

Getting the interview! When you get the call requesting an interview,

schedule a time that works for you and ask how many people will be involved in the interview. Find out as many details as possible about the position for which you will interview.

Research everything about that particular grade level or subject area that the district offers. Many districts have their curriculum posted on their website. BE SURE to know about state standards for that grade level or subject area, and have ideas about how you might teach particular standards/benchmarks.

Prepare 2-3 relevant, intelligent questions to ask at the end of the interview. Use information you learned in your research of the district to develop the questions. (Do teachers have to lead after school extra-curricular activities? Bus duty? Support for first year teachers?)

Prepare your portfolio for the interview. At the end of the interview, you will have an opportunity to ask questions. SEIZE this opportunity to showcase a few choice items in your portfolio which relate to the position and HAVE NOT already been discussed. Make sure this does not exceed about five minutes.

What to wear? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0DFwGy8w

Ug Dress professionally – if you don’t have a suit

yet, see if you can invest in one. Don’t be afraid to ask others to help you. This is not a time to be humble!

What to bring? A copy of your resume (if it’s an interview

where you’re interviewing with a group of teachers, ask how many will be present ahead of time, and it’s a great idea to have a resume for all of the people you’re interviewing with)

Your portfolio A bottle of water 3 questions you have for them A pen and paper (not a bad idea to have some

sort of steno pad in your portfolio)

Tips to know going into the interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ucmfPOBV8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjn_rOTgRTo&feature=related

During the interview Control your body language. Remember that 90% of

all communication is nonverbal. Following each question, take a few seconds to

organize your answer. This is thoughtful, and it can reduce the number of “ums”.

If you really have no idea what someone is talking about, acknowledge it, and ask for more information (“Could you clarify that question a little for me?”) Don’t panic; remember that in education we tend to use at least five different names for everything, and you haven’t had time to learn them all yet. You probably DO know what they’re talking about; they’re just using a different jargon.

Keep in mind that this is YOUR opportunity to interview THEM, too. Just because a job is offered does not mean that you should take it.

After the interview Before you leave, ask when a decision will be

made and how you will be contacted. If you are not contacted, it is okay to call and

check. It’s nice to send a thank you email follow up with

your photo attached. If you do not get the job, ask for feedback from

one of your interviewers. Learn why you did not get the job, and ask him/her to give you some advice to apply in future interviews, because you want to get the next job. This is something that few people do.

Types of interviews District personnel , one on one with HR Principal, one on one Principal and group of 4-8 teachers

Portfolio When do you use it? How do you use it? When is it appropriate? Inappropriate? What if they want to take it home over night?

Job Fair Bring at least 25 copies of your resume and

cover letter It’s not a bad idea to have some sort of color

photo clipped to your resume, or even somewhere on your resume for the job fair so they can put a face to your name – they will be seeing hundreds of people

Activity Speed dating:

Practicing the handshake Practicing the eye contact And practicing the #1 question: “So, tell me a

little bit about yourself…

This needs to become natural, second nature, comfortable, and so fluent that it rolls right off your lips as though you’re not nervous at all. This sets the tone for the entire interview!

Reverse/Role Play Interview with HR Personnel Interview with Principal Interview with Principal and group of teachers

Stump the Chump With your group, come up with one really

difficult question that could be on an interview and see if you can stump the chump!

Show must go on? If something happens, don’t panic… Would you have guessed?

What is a cover letter? A cover letter introduces you and your

resume to a potential employer, explaining both your reasons for writing and your qualifications for a specific position.

COVER LETTER TIPS Always include a cover letter with your resume Address each letter to specific contact person. If you do not know the

name of a contact, call the organization and ask for the name of the Manager or Director of the department that interests you. If you can‘t find a contact name, write “Dear Director,” but only as a last resort.

Research the school you’re sending it to. Your letter should reflect that you know something about the school and the district in general. Each letter should be unique to that organization. Do not use a letter that looks like it could have been sent to anyone.

Conclude the letter by directly asking for an opportunity to meet and/or talk with the principal. Include your contact information. It is appropriate to contact the principal one to two weeks after you send the letter to confirm they received your application and to inquire about the status of opening and your application.

Letters should be typed (10-12 point font), and no longer than one page. Avoid graphics.

Double check spelling and grammar. Letter paper should match your resume. Keep a copy of each letter you send.

ANATOMY OF A COVER LETTERDateYour Street Address

City, State, ZipPhone number

Mr. or Ms. EmployerTitleOrganizationStreet AddressCity, State, Zip

Dear Mr. or Ms. Employer,

ANATOMY OF A COVER LETTER: First Paragraph (1-2 sentences): Tell why you are writing. Name the

position, field, or general area about which you are asking, as well as how you heard of the opening or school(i.e., newspaper, website) and be specific.

ANATOMY OF A COVER LETTER:Second Paragraph (4-6 sentences): Mention one or two qualifications you think

would be of greatest interest to the principal, addressing your remarks to his/her point of view. Tell why you are particularly interested in this type of work. If you have had related experience or specialized training, point it out. Expand on a few key points of information stated in your resume.

ANATOMY OF A COVER LETTER:Third Paragraph (1-2 sentences): Thank the principal for taking the time to

consider your application to the position. Close by either making a specific request for an interview, or by letting the principal know you will look forward to hearing from them regarding the status of your application. You can close by again thanking the principal for their consideration.

Sincerely,Your signatureType your name

COVER LETTER “DO’S” Address your cover letter to a specific person. Use appropriate titles, such as Dr., Ms., Mr., for the chair of the search

committee, even though you know that several people will read your letter. If the advertisement stipulates that the letter should be sent to the "Search Committee," use "Dear Committee Members" as the salutation.

Use standard letter format. Be specific about the position for which you are applying. Use the same

language that was used in the advertisement. Be organized. Think of how you will present your information. Demonstrate enthusiasm. Research. Know something about the schools where you are applying.

Visit web sites to gain specific information that might be pertinent to the positions, particularly if it will allow you to mention courses that you would be qualified to teach or in which you have an interest.

Vary your letter from school to school although the variation might be minimal. Remember that each school/job is unique.

Ask your advisor to read a solid draft of your letter and give you feedback. He/she has probably served on search committees before and give you some advice on whether your letter would make the short list.

“DO’S” continued Ask someone whom you trust to read the final draft before it

goes out. EDIT. EDIT. EDIT. AND PROOF. Your letter must be perfect. Keep a copy of each cover letter for your records. Send it to someone by name-get the name of the person who

is in charge or the person who will be interviewing you. If you are unable to determine a name of the person in charge begin with:  Dear Sir or Madam:

Use good-quality paper that matches your resume paper-and a matching envelope if possible.

Be clear about your reason for writing---your goal is to get an interview, so make sure you ask for one!

Explain what is special about you-sell yourself.  Give highlights of your background that show why you are qualified for the position.

Make sure to thank the person for his/her time in your closing paragraph.  

COVER LETTER “DON’TS” Apply for jobs for which you are obviously not qualified. Begin your letter with "My name is..." Ask rhetorical questions, such as "Do you know why I would be a

strong asset to your department?" Use exclamation points in your letter. Use odd fonts, flashy colored paper (professional paper is fine), or an

unusual format. Repeat your entire resume. Exaggerate your qualifications or be dishonest. Make your letter more than one page. No mistakes---Make sure you get the person's name and title,

organization name, and address correct! Be certain there are no spelling or grammatical errors before you send it! Have someone you trust proofread your cover letter. Perfection is the goal!

Be friendly and professional not pushy! The purpose of the letter is to request an interview not demand one!

Do not be too wordy-principals are busy people and don't have time to read a letter that never seems to get to the point---Be brief and direct.