On nearly every description for online teaching positions there is a requirement of previous teaching experience. Can some of you who have already travelled this road share how they first started accumulating teaching experience? Thanks, Jon
I volunteered at a tech school to get experience. They instead hired me as a sub for a week while the full time person when on vacation. I also listed my training experience at my corporate job and highlighted "...training nurses on medical applications..." Hope that helps
That's good, Randell. I have 1 year experience as a graduate assistant while at seminary plus 2 years experience as a manager/trainer at my job. I never thought of using the job-related training as teaching experience. Do you think that would fly at a school like Liberty?
I lived in the general vicinity of a community college that had a "Faculty in Training" program, where they brought in recent grads (or those about to graduate and already had at least 18 hours in the teaching field). They assigned the participants two freshman comp classes (or the equivalent in what field the other would teach. I teach English), and also had the participant come in one day per week for "training" which was basically a discussion/pointers. The program lasted for 2 semesters, or one academic year. By the end of my first semester, I has the opportunity to pick up another class at a different school and the ball got rolling. By the way, the school with the faculty in training program was Guilford Technical Community College, in the Greensboro, NC area.
I don't know in the US, but in Canada the easiest way is by applying to be a substitute teacher at a high school or elementary school at a school board. Many have computer based information systems so you can locate which school is looking for a substitute. As jobs are normally for a short period, schools do not seem to be that picky about the credentials or experience of the substitute. Many people actually make careers out of being a substitute.
Great point - my wife was going to do that to make some extra cash. There was a automated system that would call each morning when there was an opening. You "press 1 to accept" and you have the work for the day. She was told it is basically year round work if you want it.
Come to China, they'll hire anyone to teach. You could do a year in a Uni here, and then try back home perhaps.
These are all great ideas. The faculty-in-training program is especially interesting. One issue in my personal case is that any training has to work around a full-time job.
