With any program or any job, we encourage you to ask some hard questions of yourself and your prospective employer. As a new teacher one of the most important things to look for is adequate support. Think about the following questions posed by faculty at Brown
University's Education Department:
Will I have a mentor?
Does the school administration understand that I will need support during my first few years as a new teacher?
Will I be linked to other beginning teachers actually or virtually?
Are there veteran teachers at the school I can observe and learn from?
Is support built into the job or program?
Will I be working as part of a team of teachers?
Do I have to ask for support or will it be offered?
Who provides the support? Are they experienced teachers?
More questions to consider about joining any community program, compiled by the staff at Brown's Swearer Center for Public Service, are available here.
You should also ask some questions of yourself. The following questions were suggested by people who are currently working in education:
Am I willing to give up large amounts of my personal time for my work?
What kind of schedule do I want my life to have?
Am I prepared to work with students on issues outside of the subject matter I will be teaching?
Am I prepared to deal with discipline and being an authority figure?
You might also consult 'I Won't Learn from You:' And Other Thoughts on Creative Maladjustment by Herbert R. Kohl, for other thoughts.
