The Queens Job Fair, Sparsely Attended And Few Schools With Vacancies Participated.

I went to yesterday's job fair in Queens with very low expectations and was not disappointed.  A smattering of teachers actually showed up, mostly ATRs over 50 years of age and the few schools that were there were not interested in hiring them, while the schools who did show up were looking for Special Education, Math, and English teachers.  The schools were mostly middle schools and the majority were in the worst neighborhoods or had bad reputations.  As a High School teacher I did notice very few high schools were represented.  Of course there was the terrible Math and Science Magnet school at Campus Magnet run by the infamous Jose Cruz and, the equally horrible Flushing high school, a renewal school with 5 principals in 6 years.  I gave both schools a wide berth.

I did drop off a resume to a relatively high achieving middle school for an 8th grade replacement position for the second semester since I must keep my options open in case the DOE tries to place me in the many horrid schools that need a teacher in my shortage area subject.  Better to be appreciated in taking a leave replacement than abused by a "gotcha" administration who force places you in their school.

The games schools play were very evident at this job fair when I checked the Open Market Transfer System, I noticed few positions I saw at the job fair were listed, while schools with vacancies on the Open Market Transfer System were not represented at the job fair.  Incompetence, laziness, or are these schools hiding their vacant positions with the appropriate licensed teachers?  Probably all the above applies.

It was an experience going to this job fair but an experience that was a bad experience as few schools and teachers participated and it looked hastily arraigned and unorganized.