<p>Daughter graduated in May 2013/teaching degree (Physical Education). We are in New York where teaching jobs are scarce and competition is fierce. Please don’t ask why she choose this field…we taught her to follow her heart, which she did. So, just yesterday, the school district she attended posted a job opening, for guess what, a Physical Education teacher. Of course she’ll be applying for the position, so my request for advice centers around should she contact any/all of the teachers she knew there to see if they could provide any support for her application? She was a 3 sport athlete at her high school, was awarded female athlete scholarship at graduation, so many know of her, and would most likely be happy to help in any way they could. I’m not sure who in the district handles the applications (of which there will be many!), or if her name on the application will ring a bell with them. I’m really not a helicopter parent… I just want to make sure she uses every resource available to help herself, but I’m just not sure if its appropriate to contact old teachers to ask for help…
As always, I’m thankful for this website and all the parents who come here!</p>
<p>She should get in touch with any PE or athletic team folks she is close to at the school to tell them she saw the ad, applied for the job, and is hopeful she’ll be working with them in the fall. IMHO, she should not ask directly for help in getting the position. I think just letting them know that she applied implicitly asks them to put in a good word for her.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Are there coaches she would want to use as a personal reference for any teaching job in PE? If so, that could be a good way to approach them. She could ask if she can use them as a reference and also mention that she is applying within the district.</p>
<p>I think she definitely needs to reach out to her former coaches. I’m not sure how schools work in NY. Was there an athletic director? What about the head of the PE department? Did she know him/her? If she knew them, she should definitely let them know she has applied. She shouldn’t depend upon some one recognizing her name. She needs to make her interest known to those that might be able to help her secure an interview.</p>
<p>Yes…she should contact them. Our daughter did some substitute teaching. She got a permanent short term leave job because she showed her competency as a sub…but I think it helped that the principal of the school was her former teacher and a coach. And the teacher she was subbing for had her as a student too. They knew her work ethic!</p>
<p>I knew I would get good advice here…as a May graduate, daughter has not yet had opportunity to substitute teach, however she has some kicka__ letters of recommendation from principals, teachers where she did her student teaching…one of them had been her former coach as well… I know I’m a little biased, but she is going to be one of those teachers who might make a difference… one of her the teachers who wrote her a letter said that as a result of watching her teach and interact with the kids “she has changed me and reminded me why I wanted to be a teacher” .</p>