SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN APPLYING
FOR A TEACHING POSITION

The list of questions below is designed to assist prospective teachers in arriving at a judgment on the nature and quality of a particular school. The list is long, and few candidates will have either the time or inclination to seek answer to all questions; and clearly, some questions are more crucial than others.

The choice of questions reflects the bias of the MAT Program in judging a school but, of course, each candidate enjoys full freedom in using this document as he/she sees fit, and in evaluating the evidence secured.

We believe that both a prospective teacher and a school system will be well served if an investigation in depth is conducted before a teaching contract is offered or signed. The questions below may provide an instrument for pursuing such an investigation:

1.    Teaching Assignment

• What role do teachers have in curriculum planning?
• Are their meetings of the teachers of each department to discuss and make recommendations on curriculum, course planning, course assignments, etc.?
• How are teaching assignments made? If the teachers are consulted, what weight do their views carry?
• Will the beginning teacher be able to teach his/her specialty?
• Does a teacher have more than two preparations?
• How many different ability levels or "tracks" does a teacher have?
• What is the policy of the school in assigning new teachers to low-ability sections or classes?
• When does the school system make a definite commitment on the new teacher’s exact teaching assignment?

2.    Supervision and Planning Aids

• What kind of supervision and help in planning courses can a beginning teacher expect?
• Does the supervision allow the beginning teacher freedom and flexibility in teaching methods?
• Does the school have material available to teachers that would be helpful in planning lesson plans, periodicals or books with suggestion for use of teaching aids in presentation material, recent periodicals to keep the teacher informed of the latest materials and publications available for teaching.
• Is the teacher informed of any areas in which he/she is judged weak by the supervisor’s evaluation? Is the teacher given specific suggestions for ways of improving?
• Is their censorship as to what materials may be used or read? If so, what is the extent of censorship in each field? Who determines what materials are appropriate or inappropriate? What specific books or materials are currently excluded?

3.    Teachers’ Work Day

• What is the length of the school day?
• What is the length of each period?
• How many periods per week are there in each major academic subject?
• Does a teacher have more than 100 students in all?
• What is the average class size?
• How many free periods a day does a teacher have?
• Is the teacher assigned to extracurricular activities? If so, how many and what kinds? How many hours a week do these activities take? Do these activities cut into free periods?

4.    Interruptions of Classroom Teaching

• Are administrative or non-academic considerations allowed to disturb or take time from class periods?
• Is there a loud speaker system in the school? If so, how is it controlled? Is it used to interrupt classes?
• Are classes interrupted regularly by messages delivered in any other way?
• How many and what kinds of special assemblies or programs are there in a normal week or month?
• Are students dismissed early from class for extracurricular activities?

5.    Student Body

A.    School Organizations of Students

• Are students grouped homogeneously?
• Is there a track system?
• Does administration cooperate fully with the teacher in disciplinary matters? What measures are open to a teacher in controlling students?
• Is there time during the day for student use of the school library?
• How many major courses does a student take? How many minor ones?

B    Achievement and Activities

• What is the proportion of students going on the post-secondary education?
• What is the proportion of dropouts?
• What proportions of the students regularly engage in non-academic, extracurricular activities on weekday evenings (i.e., evening sports, attendance at evening sports events, club meetings, etc.)?

6.    Counseling Services

• Is professional help available or the severely disturbed student when necessary?
• Is there a waiting time or can the student receive immediate attention?
• Is remedial reading work available for all students who need or want it?
• What is the ration of full-time guidance counselors to student enrollment?
• What kinds of information and records about pupils are available to teachers?

7.    Physical Facilities

• Does each teacher have his/her own room?
• Is there a satisfactory teacher’s room for work in free periods? Is there a lounge for relocation and discussion in free periods?
• Does the library have a wide variety of books for different fields and on different levels?
• Is clerical assistance – typing, mimeographing, etc. – available to teachers?
• Is there sufficient money available or the purchase of books and materials?
• Does the school have good audio-visual equipment and materials available?

8.    Community Attitudes

• How is the school making use of community personnel?
• How has the school attempted to gain support for its efforts?
• What is the community’s attitude toward the school system?
• Does the school system receive adequate financing?
• Does the community support an intellectually rigorous program for able students?

9.    Administrative Policies, Salary, Housing, Etc.

• What is the rate of teacher turnover?
• Is teacher attendance required at any conventions or workshops? If so, which ones?
• What provisions are there for teachers to present grievances to administrators?
• Does a union or a NEA affiliate act as the bargaining agent for teachers? Are teachers encouraged to continue their graduate studies on a part or full-time basis?
• What is the present starting salary for a student with a MAT. degree?
• Are their opportunities for promotion both in terms of responsibility and salary?
• What is the maximum salary?
• Are there merit raises other than those for advanced degrees or study? If so, on what basis and by whom are teachers evaluated?
• What are the details of the pension plan, health insurance, and other benefits?
• Do the majority of present teachers live in the community?
• Does the school provide assistance to new teachers in securing housing?