Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Charter School Teachers and Aides
Charter schools offer flexible entry-level options like teacher's aides or instructional aides, the latter involving "pulling a small group of students," while programs like Teach for America allow direct entry into teaching; however, volunteering in after-school programs provides valuable experience in classroom management, a crucial skill that "takes new teachers by surprise."
Entry-Level Positions, Teaching, Educational Administration, Charter Schools, Volunteer Opportunities
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alma Zepeda
Charter School Principal and Administrator
Middle School
Yale College 2012
Johns Hopkins School of Education, MS in Elementary Education, 2015
Political Science, American Studies
Education
Operations and Project Management
International Student, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level positions such as teacher's aide or instructional aide provide opportunities to explore the field before committing to a teaching role.
2. Teach for America is a program that allows students to go straight into teaching, offering a direct entry point into the profession.
3. Volunteer opportunities in after-school programs offer valuable experience in managing and supervising children, a crucial aspect of teaching that many new teachers find unexpectedly challenging. These opportunities can also be paid positions.
Transcript
What entry-level positions in this field might an undergraduate college student consider?
It really depends on how ready you feel to take on a teaching position. If you're just looking to get your feet wet, experiment, and aren't sure if this is the field for you, I would recommend looking at charter schools. They're the most flexible.
Some district schools are also becoming very flexible. For example, a teacher's aide and an instructional aide are slightly different. A teacher's aide helps with things like bulletin boards, grading, and sometimes shadowing a teacher.
An instructional aide, in the way I've seen it done, is someone that actually does tutoring and pulls a small group of students. This can be very rewarding and a low-lift option for someone entry-level wanting to see if education is for them.
There are also opportunities for students to go straight into teaching with programs like Teach for America. I did Teach for America, and I had a positive experience. You have to approach it with grace and know that teaching is never easy.
This is true whether you enter through a program or with a degree. So, I think that's important for people to know.
There are also volunteer opportunities. After-school programs consistently need help, but they need consistent help. If you're going to pursue an after-school opportunity, my ask is that you commit for at least a semester, being there every day.
If you decide it's not for you, give very long notice that you can't return at the end of the semester. After-school programs are a great way to have fun with kids, but also provide academic support and supervision.
This supervision aspect is something that surprises new teachers. They think they only need to know how to teach, but you also need to know how to manage 30 children. They will challenge you every step of the way.
After-school volunteering is a great opportunity. There are even paid jobs in after-school programs that pay well.
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