Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Science Teachers
Christina, a Science Teacher at Education for Change, suggests that undergraduate students seeking entry-level positions should consider experiences beyond traditional classroom volunteering, such as tutoring or working as a tour guide. These roles, as Christina explains from her own experience, unexpectedly provided valuable skills like "helping people set goals and helping them reach those goals," directly transferable to the demands of teaching and working with students.
Communication, Goal Setting, Interpersonal Skills, Mentoring, Working with Diverse Populations
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Christina Craig
Science Teacher
Education for Change
UC Davis 2015
Loyola Marymount University - Masters in Urban Education
Psychology
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Education
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Volunteer in a school classroom
2. Tutor international students to practice conversational English
3. Work as a tour guide and train new tour guides to help them set and achieve goals
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
If you're in your undergrad, there are obvious choices like volunteering in a school classroom or being a TA for a specific grade level. But there are many other opportunities that I personally found incredibly valuable for my current career.
For example, at UC Davis's Extension Center, I worked with international students. I tutored them in English and practiced speaking with them through a program called "talking partners."
I would engage in conversations and practice talking with them. These were small moments where I wasn't explicitly teaching English, but I was learning how to interact with people. It was a relationship where I had knowledge to share respectfully and helpfully.
Any opportunity to work with people, whether at an Extension Center or a camp, where you gain experience interacting with others in situations where you have knowledge they might not, or vice versa, and learn how to engage in those conversations, is valuable.
I also worked as a tour guide in college. A significant part of that role involved training new tour guides. I helped them set personal goals, like preparing for a test within a month to become a tour guide.
We'd establish reachable, attainable goals to ensure their success by the end of the month. At the time, I was simply helping peers get hired, but looking back, I realize I was helping them set goals.
This is something I do with my students all the time now. So, any work where you interact with people, help them set goals, and assist them in reaching those goals, I would say that's a great opportunity as well.
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