Should I take the job?

amother

OP ↓

Thu, Aug 26 2021, 10:56 pm

I finally finished my teaching certificate in EY and am now facing into my apprenticeship year (not sure if that's how you say it in English...) I've been offered 8 hours a week in a co-ed high school which is less than 10 mins walk from where I live.

From one perspective, it's ideal because it allows me to work the minimal amount of hours to finish the year and get my teaching license. It's a short walk from where I live and there's a future in terms of continued employment.

On the other hand, I'm charedi and the school is mixed and in a very socio-economically disadvantaged area with all the complexities that entails. I also have 5 kids under 5 years old, including a 6 month old baby who doesn't agree to take a bottle. Added to that are all the uncertainties regarding covid - if mossdot will open, and if they do how it will work at all...

Would you take the job?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 12:01 am

TravelHearter wrote:

Well what’s the other option? Not taking any job or looking for a different one?
You should figure that out first. That will give you direction…

The other option is being a SAHM with the baby at home with me and having more breathing space while all the other kids get settled in (we moved to this city about a month ago). Then the year after I can start looking for an alternative. Financially, I don't need to work BH.

amother

Gardenia ↓

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 12:45 am

I would take it.
I'm a teacher in Israel with almost thirty years experience, so I know where you are coming from.

The co-ed part would not worry me at all. Most co-ed schools I've taught at have been better disciplined than the separate dati schools.

The low socio-economic side of it is a problem. The kids will likely be difficult. And the school will likely give you, the newbie, the more difficult classes that no one wants. You will need to make the best of it. Be tough, show authority, but always keep in mind that these kids could be your own kids. Compassion above all.

You will still be a SAHM. It's 8 hours. 8 hours is absolutely nothing. Two classes I assume. Even if you need to stay a few extra hours (oz letmura etc) - it's very few hours.

And there is a good chance that your school will be starting online, if you live in a 'red' city and 70% of the pupils are not vaccinated yet. That can be a plus or a minus for you. Personally, I don't mind teaching online. It's certainly much easier if you have a difficult-to-discipline class. OTOH, if you have 5 little ones at home, you will need to find a different place to teach online (you can do it at school).

Make sure that your 'staj' still counts if it's partly or wholly online.

Anyway, IME it's best to go with the momentum. It's not a huge commitment. Best to finish it now. It won't be easier in a year or two or three, and sometimes when we postpone things, we never get around to them (BTDT).

amother

↑ OP ↓

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 1:25 am

Many thanks for the thoughtful post Gardenia, it gave me a lot to think about. And it's true that when we postpone things we never really do get around to them... story of my life!

My Hebrew is very good. I only speak Hebrew at home with the kids and DH (which is a mistake in terms of teaching the kids English, but that's a subject for another thread...)

I don't think I'll ever get an offer in the charedi sector since I became religious after attending university and when I spoke with the woman in charge of placing teachers in charedi institutions she basically said that a university education is looked down on in charedi circles and there's no point even sending them my CV.

amother

Acacia ↓

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 1:41 am

I am also a high school English teacher in Israel. I agree with Gardenia! She's a smart lady!

The first year is really really hard. But you are likely to get the most difficult classes no matter where you are.

More things to keep in mind:
1. You make more money for every year you work in the following years. So choosing not to work this year will put you one year lower on the pay scale for all of the future working years of your life! Ultimately that will add up to many thousands of shekels.
2. Many Charedi schools do not follow the misrad hachinuch pay scale, so you would make less money for the same job.
3. If the school gives you a good mentor teacher it can really help.
4. Not every school has an opening every year. There is no guarantee that there will be a space at a school that is ten minutes away when you decide you want it. No commute is a HUGE advantage I would not pass up so quickly.
5. If there is a seger and you teach online, you can pre-record parts of your lessons and give some digital assignments. You won't have to be on zoom for the full lesson, every lesson.

Bottom Line: Take the job! Start racking up experience! Build your vetek as early as possible! Get the challenging first year behind you so you can get to the real nachas of empowering your students personally and academically sooner. You can do it!

amother

↑ Gardenia ↓

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 1:47 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

That's great that your Hebrew is so good.
A piece of advice, take it or leave it - speak English with your kids. No matter how difficult it is. I also married an Israeli, lived in an Israeli environment, and speaking English was too much of a hassle for me. More so, some of my kids were embarrassed when I spoke English to them in public! So I gave up. And now - as teens and young adults - they are quite upset that I didn't make more of an effort. English is so crucial to getting ahead, and they could have been several steps ahead of the game.

Make the effort to speak English at home, to read English books in front of them, to bring English magazines and books for them. It's so worth it in the long run (I speak English with my kids now, because they really want to - but they wish I would have insisted on it when they were little!)

Second - I don't know much about the charedi sector. But you can definitely send your cv to any dati school, ulpana, yeshiva tichonit, etc. They will be happy with your degree.

And lastly - lots of teachers drop out after their first year. The important thing to keep in mind is that not all schools are the same. Some schools are very difficult to teach in, some are much easier. Things like size of class matter (sometimes it's better to teach in a difficult school with small classes than a 'good' school with huge classes). There's some trial and error involved in finding a school you like.

amother

Valerian

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 2:13 am

Raisin wrote:

I have no experience but it sounds like a great opportunity. And if you don't like it, its only a year.

Your 6 month old is old enough to be eating solid foods so that shouldn't be such an issue going forward. Especially the first month when there is almost no school because of yom tov.

Going to add- don't worry about a bottle for 2 hours a day. Once you're past newborn stage she can just not have milk while you're out- a jar of baby food is she's hungry will be fine.

amother

↑ Acacia ↓

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 2:43 am

amother [ Valerian ] wrote:

Going to add- don't worry about a bottle for 2 hours a day. Once you're past newborn stage she can just not have milk while you're out- a jar of baby food is she's hungry will be fine.

It's probably not 2 hours a day, but 4 hours a day over 2 days plus prep and meetings, and breaks between classes (which also might not be consecutive), so more like 5-6 hours 2 days a week.

amother

↑ Gardenia ↓

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 7:59 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Many thanks for all the wonderful advice ladies! I think I'm going to go for it. It will very likely be online at the beginning (I think DH said that we're living in the 'one of the reddest neighborhoods in Israel'...) and as was mentioned, it will only really get going after the chagim. Hopefully they won't eat me alive Surprised

You'll do great. Remember, confidence is the most important thing! And don't take anything they say seriously - remember they are struggling kids going through the throes of puberty. Don't be sensitive about yourself, don't show them you are sensitive. Tough is the name of the game. Tough and compassionate.

Remember that you are coming from a different world than them. You may be one of the only charedi teachers there. They will be curious about your background, your family size, your hashkafa, etc etc. Even your age! These are Israeli kids remember. Decide ahead of time how much you are willing to share.

amother

↑ OP

Sat, Aug 28 2021, 10:28 pm

amother [ Gardenia ] wrote:

This is amazing advice, thank you so much! Especially the final sentence- I wish I had thought of that before my work placement last time. They ask everything!!

amother

Hawthorn ↓

Sun, Aug 29 2021, 12:13 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Yes, I would take it.

I'm not sure why you think your kids ages and baby nursing would be a negative here? If anything it is a positive that you have just 8 hours, right next to your home - you would be able to take advantage of breaks in order to nurse, if you needed to do that.

That you are a charedi is just a chance for you to make a kiddush Hashem. I have never had negative experiences in mixed schools, the staff are always very accepting. The kids might be curious but that's it. You are there to help them and they all realize that, just do your best and IYH you will have a good year and have done a tremendous chessed for the kids and also for the charedi sector as a whole.

It's very hard to find jobs sometimes, so if there is a future there in terms of employment, then I would definitely say that is an important factor.

Also many people don't manage to find staj the year they look for it. Consider yourself lucky.

amother

↑ Hawthorn ↓

Sun, Aug 29 2021, 12:15 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

It will be easier for you, career-wise, to do staj on time and then take a breather.

But from a personal and family perspective maybe it's better to take the break now. Only you can know.

Remember that for staj you need at least 8 hours. But if you need to work less hours next year, you can ask to drop hours, and if you are good enough, they will keep you on anyways for the years after.

amother

↑ Hawthorn ↓

Sun, Aug 29 2021, 1:36 am

amother [ Acacia ] wrote:

Yeah, but you also need 8 hours for vetek, kviut, keren hishtalmut, going up a darga in ofek, etc. Something to keep in mind. A year you work 8 hours helps your future salary just as much as a year with 30 hours, but 7 or less doesn't.

Fine but if she works less hours next year she still gains experience and her place in that school (if she wants to stay there) is held for her. She'll have an advantage if she wants those extra hours - whether it's 4 more hours or 10 more hours - than if she's not working there. It could be the difference between her being asked to take more hours/ being given more hours, and the school just finding someone who can do all the hours they need, without her.

And the hours she works, she's still putting away for pension, they still count towards tlushim for her next maternity leave, and she's still earning an income.