Your Creature Teacher

K-12 LBD Special Ed. Upcoming 1st year teacher. Kentucky. Lesbian. Atheist. Geek. Goosebumps nerd & Halloween junkie. Hopeless daydreamer. 26 years around the sun. In like a lion, out like a lamb.

[bob-belcher]

September 30th

October 1st

November 1st

December 1st

[vuruncaherseycalisir]

[crossconnectmag]

Photo Collages by Justin Peters

Selected works by Justin Peters, the German digital artist who merges reality with his imagination. For more check out his Instagram.

View similar posts  | selected by Margaret  via

[sagansense]

Incredible.

[mscreatureteacher]

Alternative School

Well, I haven’t entered into the teaching field the way I thought I would, but I now work as a special ed. paraeducator at an alternative school.  This school is the last stop in the district’s public school system.  Basically, instead of being expelled, the students end up here.  They’re searched with a metal detector and pat-down as they come into the building.  And there’s a fight that breaks out every day, on average.  Many of these kids behave so aggressively toward each other or the teachers that half the staff that work here is trained in physical restraint just so they can keep everyone safe.  It’s actually the safest school in the district because of that.  I work primarily one-on-one with a student that has a severe Emotional Behavior Disorder.  At best, she’s yelled at me to “shut the fuck up” and at worst, she’s come very close to hitting me (though nothing happened since I remained very calm and some other staff members took her for a walk). This is a high-stress environment to work at, so the best I can do is keep myself relaxed while I’m there. 

I’m riding a wild mustang until next year.

[teachinginreallife]

When I’m in a job interview and they start asking a question I have a really strong answer for

[mscreatureteacher]

Any Advice?

Hello fellow educhums,

Do you all have any advice on how to improve myself so I can land my first teaching job?  I’m certified for K-12 LBD Special Education and have had no trouble getting interviews.  I’ve had about 10 interviews so far and in a really difficult district for teachers to get a job in due to it being one of the highest paying in the state.

I’ve had about 10 interviews for various special ed. teaching jobs and 4 paraeducator interviews as well.  But I haven’t received any offers and it’s very frustrating to me...sometimes I feel like giving up.

I’ve rehearsed my answers for hours and a lot of my answers give accounts that pull from my peer tutoring, student teaching, and substitute teaching experiences.  I’ve had a lot of interviews that I felt I truly NAILED and would walk away feeling really good about myself, but...no job offers. 

I also have my Rank 2 in the form of a Master’s of Art in Teaching, but I have this because it was the only way I could get my teaching license, as I was unable to get it through my Bachelor’s.  I’m not sure if this is what’s hindering me or not...

I know this is a hard school district to get into and lot of people get in because they have personal connections with administrators and come from teaching families, but I don’t have those advantages.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[tastefullyoffensive]

“I’m right here, guys.” (via britneydortiz)

[faeryofblackstone-deactivated20]

@half-human-machine

[advanced-procrastination]

I see posts that say shit like, “teachers grade students based on how obedient they are” and like… you’re intentionally skipping the part where their disobedience means they are actively choosing not to learn what the teacher is trying to teach. We grade students based on how much they learn, and many of us are willing to pass students for just attempting to learn, even if they fall flat – but some students just decide they don’t want to learn. When you try to shame teachers for failing students who haven’t listened to anything we’ve said all year, what you’re actually saying is, “students shouldn’t be expected to learn the material or even try to.”

[teachinginreallife]

When I go to a job interview and have to sit beside another candidate while waiting

I’m like:

[teachinginreallife]

When I try to teach interviewing skills

Students are like:

[idiopathicsmile]

transcribing an interview of a family friend for this teaching award she’s up for

she teaches elementary school and she’s talking about, like, the importance of listening to kids and respecting them and connecting with them as people

and i’m sitting here in this coffeeshop getting weepy-eyed

every sensitive absent-minded person has a horror story or seven about the teachers that tried to crush our souls but holy shit, man. 

good teachers are a fucking national treasure

[tbdteacher]

Teaching Tip:  Learn How to Survive Your Interview Without Dying!

Today, I was lucky enough to have lunch with one of my past students who is starting to do interviews for a teaching job.  (Yes, I am that old.)  Between having interviewed MANY teachers in my past and my job of teaching public speaking, I felt I should give her some tips for her interviews.  When I got home, I started thinking of other tips I would have given her.  Here are my top ones:

1) Dress for Success!  Even if you are interviewing at a school, and you know the teachers will be in shorts and t-shirts because it is the last day of school, we still expect you to be dressed up. Wear something that is comfortable but business-like.  

2) Learn your nervous habits and do what you can to take them away.  If you tend to play with your hair, wear it back.  If you play with the ring on your finger, don’t wear a ring that day.  If you play with your sleeves or clothes, don’t wear anything.  Kidding.  Wear something that you can’t play with during the interview. If you end sentences with “And yea” or “Sooo…” work on completing your thoughts.  If you don’t know your nervous habits, ask a friend or family member. I always tell my students to ask their siblings because they are honest with you, whether you like it or not.

3) Study the school’s website.  Nothing drives me more crazy than when someone asks about something that is blatantly on our website.  That tells me they may want a job, but they aren’t dying to work at OUR school.  

4) Once you learn about the school on the website, develop questions that you are curious about when it comes to THAT school.  I like an interviewee who comes in prepared with questions.  I once interviewed someone who remembered what each of us did when we introduced ourselves, and then asked each of us a question that pertained to what we did at the school.  Now, THAT was impressive!

5) Walk in thinking that they will be lucky to get you as a teacher at that school. Remember, you are interviewing them also to see if you really want to work at their school.  

6) Before you go in, practice your “Power Poses.”  They help to build your confidence.  I teach my public speaking students to say this before their speech, “I am going to ROCK my speech, and the audience is blessed to hear me.”  If you don’t know about Power Poses, I highly recommend this video by Amy Cuddy, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are.” Now, who can do a GREAT Wonder Woman pose?

7) I don’t know if everyone will agree with me, but I like when the interviewee shakes my hand when he/she comes in.  If you don’t have a strong handshake, learn how to do one.  A wimpy handshake sort of freaks me out.

8) It’s okay to use humor in your answers; it makes you a little more likable. However, don’t overdue it (unless you are interviewing for a comedy class). When I was interviewing to be a language arts teacher, the first question was, “Tell me about yourself in three adjectives.” I asked them what an adjective was (yes, to be funny).  The principal wrote down that I had a sense of humor, and it helped all of us to relax.

9) If they ask you about a weakness that you have, always turn it into a positive.  Don’t say that you sweat like a horse on Back to School Night because you get so nervous, or that your weakness is playing Words With Friends while you are at work.  If you are a detailed person (which isn’t a bad thing), you could say that sometimes you spend too much time on the details of your job, and it means giving up some time with your family.  If you are someone who can’t sit still, you could say that you have your students up and moving a lot because you know that you can’t sit still for very long either.

10) Be prepared to know what you are passionate about when it comes to teaching.  I am passionate about making sure students have choices when they read, making sure all of their writing is done for a real audience, and teaching them public speaking/communication skills many times throughout the year. When you know what you are passionate about, direct their questions toward your answers.  If they asked me about the last time I had a problem with a parent and how did I handle it, I could say, “There was a time that a parent didn’t like the book that their child was reading for my class.  Luckily, since I do book clubs only, I was able to give that child another book and put them in a new group.” I turned that question into a positive, AND I was able to work in one of my passion spots.

Lastly, remember that it’s okay to be a little nervous.  As I tell my students, if you aren’t a little nervous before a speech, it means that you don’t care.  Take some deep breaths before you go in, know that it’s okay to pause and think about your answer (rather than starting your answer with “um….”), and smile a lot.  Oh, and don’t forget to mention the kids in your answers.  I actually keep a tally of how many times interviewees mention the kids.  That is the reason we are there!

What advice would YOU give to new teachers?

(Thank you A.S. for being my inspiration today. I KNOW you’ll make a wonderful teacher and any school will be lucky to have you.)

[idiot-titan-shifter-deactivated]

wake up america

[enrichmentpumpkin]

this is to educate my non-American followers. This really is how the US sees itself. (and yes, 95% of the time, Florida = WHAT?!)

In Florida the more North you go, the more “South” you get 

In Florida the central part pretends to be the south, the western part pretends to be the northeast and the south pretends to be the west I’m not even kidding you 

[ninjaboots]

… Please tell me you guys are kidding.  

[savannahgambino-deactivated2023]

Florida is like it’s own country I swear

[interruptingpanda]

I’m from Florida and I can confirm this. Also, South Florida is basically Miami and alligators.

[pumpkinskull]

oh, i always assumed florida was part of The South?

[jimmyfury]

north florida is yes. The rest is not.

[kittydoom]

I’m from Florida, and grew up in SC/NC. Can confirm all true. 👍

[wilwheaton]

Um. This is so wrong.

[oswinstark]

You’re forgetting the part where California sees itself as its own entity.

We do not want to be grouped in with everyone else, thanks.

[kichizone]

[manwiththesquidhat]

clearly none of you have ever met someone from texas

[lerayon]

Reblogging for the Texas of it all. So true, so very fucking weird.

[hipindie]

[dennybitte]

last light in ice

by Denny Bitte

[writerswritecompany]

Grammar Zombies

[mscreatureteacher]

Teaching Interview!

I have my first teaching interview today!  For a local middle school special ed. LBD position.  I’ve had one scheduled for tomorrow at a local high school since last week, but I got called in for another interview this morning that’s to be held today! 

I’m now grateful that I rehearsed my answers to certain questions until they flowed well.  I rehearsed for three hours yesterday, so I’m feeling more confident now than I ever have before.

I’m ready for action!