Empowering Educators for Global Success

A Teacher's Influence

If there is one thing that I have learned over many years of teaching, it is that our students learn by example.

• They learn not only the lessons that we try to teach them but also lessons that, by their very nature, are perhaps more subtle and implied.
• These are the lessons that children often learn by osmosis or example.

I also know that the lessons learned and the impressions made when a child is young last a lifetime.

• This is one of the most significant responsibilities that we teachers and parents have as adults.
• Young minds process information quite differently than adult minds do.
• We have to be aware of that constantly. That doesn't mean that we have to dumb down information and concepts.
• It just means that we can assume nothing when it comes to how a child's mind will process the information it receives.

The following is pure fiction, of course, but it makes one wonder how things might have turned out if some of these teachers had tried a different approach. Perhaps if they had framed their arguments differently or taken the time to ensure that their students understood what was taught, there might have been different results.

40 a.d.

Setting: High on one of the seven hills of Rome

Aurelius Flagellus Horribilis looked up from his table. The three discipuli in his charge were supposed to be working on their times tables.

Many people enjoy successful careers only to realize that something is missing. That 'something' is often supplied by a desire to teach. Can you become a teacher later in life? The answer is a qualified 'Yes!' What is involved? It would be best to ensure that your credentials are in order. A master's degree in your subject will always get your resume noticed. The most effective ways of networking teaching certificate and education courses will powerfully support your application.

Questions You Need To Ask Yourself

Are you a digital dinosaur?
If you have not interwoven technology into your life, look at some profession other than teaching. Private schools have been in the vanguard of technology use in the classroom since the mid-1990s. Being a digital dinosaur will not cut it if you plan to become a teacher in a private school.

This TED Talk discusses the changes in classroom teaching that digital learning has made possible.

Communications are almost entirely digital. Instant messaging and email allow you to ask questions, give instructions, alert people, and so on. Keeping your lesson plans in Microsoft Word or Access enables you to update those valuable lesson plans efficiently. Presenting your lessons on a powerful application such as PowerPoint will give your presentation a dynamic, state-of-the-art feel. Your students will operate in a work environment where these tools are used.

Have you stopped

Years ago if you wanted to be a private school teacher, you went to college, got a degree in your subject, took a few education courses and began teaching. It's not that easy these days. Most private schools want you to be a trained teacher as well as to have a degree in your subject. But most private schools also want you to be trained to teach the way they want you to teach. After all the teaching is what a private school is all about. The better the teaching, the better the students learn.

The bottom line is that parents send their children to private school for the most part to receive the very best education their money can buy. As a result, employing well-qualified, credentialed faculty is a top priority. This short video clip is one of several clips explaining how to become a private school teacher.

Duties of a private school teacher

Miss Porter's School's description of the duties of a teacher are fairly typical.

"Classroom responsibilities involve four or five courses per academic year and faculty members are expected to contribute to the extra-curricular life of the school and share some dormitory and residential school responsibilities. Qualifications for all teaching positions, therefore, include a demonstrated interest in coaching or coordinating extra-curricular activities and a willingness to fulfill evening and weekend duties.Bachelor's degree required for all faculty positions; Master's preferred."

What does a teacher earn? "Not nearly enough" is the almost universal answer. Scan a site like Salary.com and check out competing jobs. You will see that the problem with teaching is that we demand highly qualified, well-credentialed individuals with experience to take jobs for which we literally pay them less than a dog catcher.

The cynics will say that teachers are well-compensated for what they do. After all, they get all those holidays. And they only work for ten months anyway. The reality is that teachers invest inordinate amounts of time preparing lesson plans, learning new techniques, keeping certifications current and so on. And then there is the cost of that bachelor's degree, the masters and doctorate. Let's face it, the ROI is job satisfaction, not financial reward.

This video discuss the effect teacher compensation has on teacher quality.

Private school teachers are more fortunate than most public school teachers. Why? Because they get to teach their subject to small classes. Real learning takes place in most private school classrooms as a result of low student to teacher ratios. Discipline is rarely a problem. What does this have to do with teacher compensation? Combine job satisfaction with a reasonable compensation package and you will have a happy teacher.

Private school teachers enjoy many perks which are not generally found in the public sector. These include free or reduced tuition for faculty children,

You can send a resume and use an agency to find a private school job. However, using your network is the best way to find a private school job. You do have a network, don't you?

In truth, the private school job-hunting season never ceases. The main window of opportunity is from December through March. Not much happens on either side of those months unless a school has an unexpected vacancy. This is where your network comes in. Let's say you are considering finding a new position for the next school year. Firm up your decision by the end of October or November so that you can begin your active job search.

The First Steps

Check the job boards in the areas you are thinking about moving to. Register with an agency that specializes in placing private school teachers. They will know about openings. That will get you thinking about the possibilities.

Know why you want to make a move. Are you making a lateral move, i.e., moving to another school to do the same thing you've been doing? Or are you seeking different responsibilities, such as being an administrator? You need to have your goals clearly understood. That will be invaluable during the interview process when the question "Why do you want to leave St. Swithin's and come teach at our school?" is asked.

This brief video offers three tips to advance your career by networking.