Qualified job seekers trying to find teaching positions in today’s competitive job market may want to consider first working as a teaching assistant (TA) at Questar III BOCES.
According to Seth Stanton, human resources specialist, there are countless examples in which Questar III hired one of their teaching assistants for a certified teaching position.
“When I interview people I always stress the opportunities for advancement,” said Stanton. “And internal promotion is my default.”
Promoting from within allows the teacher to be confident knowing they have the experience needed to run a classroom on their own.
Jessie Green was hired as a TA at Red Mill Elementary in 2009 and a year later was hired as a teacher to cover a maternity leave. Now she is a special education teacher at George Washington School in Troy, but prior to working as a TA, her only experience was student teaching and field placement.
“I didn’t have the experience working with students with multiple disabilities,” she said. “So being a TA gave me an idea of the day-to-day issues and gave me a chance to see how I might do things when I got my own classroom.”
According to Special Education Director Robin Sobol, this kind of internal promotion also allows teachers to become familiar with the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) framework used in the the Questar III academies. The PBIS is intended to reduce disciplinary incidents and improve student achievement.
“Teachers who were not first TAs don’t have the benefit of knowing what Questar III is all about,” said Sobol. “We are very different than a traditional public school.”
Having first worked as a TA before being hired as a teacher not only provides confidence for the teacher, but it also allows Questar III to identify which TAs would make the best candidates for a teaching position, explained Sobol. “It’s part of the reason why we have such a strong staff.”
Stanton agrees. “Special education is doing really well in a time where programs in many school are being chopped left and right,” he said. “The reason it’s doing so well is because of our staff.”
Green recommends would-be teachers try working at Questar III as a TA. “It’s a good way to get in, see what it’s all about. It gives you a chance to build your confidence and also to showcase your abilities!”
For more information about Questar III’s Special Education program, please click here.
Interested in working at Questar III? Click here.
