Amber Said:

Can someone give me a list of Chicago area school district websites?

We Answered:

Try searching for the name of a "city + school"

Also look at school directories like schooldigger, great schools.net

May I suggest you need to hone your search skills? Being able to find information is an important part of being a teacher.

Kathy Said:

Where are the teaching jobs?

We Answered:

I would recommend trying out the JET program in Japan, or the NET program in Hong Kong. Asia in general has a lot of work for teachers. Try the webpages below for more information.

Sherri Said:

What is the outlook on teaching job prospects in the Chicago area?

We Answered:

I dont know about Chicago, but Harrisburg Inner City schools are ALWAYS hiring elementary teachers, especially males. It is a rough school, but not as rough as some. You get paid about $8000 more than the surrounding school districts too

Rosa Said:

Does anyone have any Chicago job search advice?

We Answered:

Best Advice:Use Yahoo Hotjobs.

Melvin Said:

What are the best and safest schools/neighborhoods in Chicago?

We Answered:

I would contact the real estate office in Chicago. It's their job to sell homes. An area that has a safe school is extremely attractive to potential buyers.

Catherine Said:

I am a future teacher thinking about moving to Chicago after I graduate. What are the costs of living?

We Answered:

I'm not sure it would be a good idea to work as a teacher in the city of Chicago. The schools there are poorly funded and subject to a lot of criticisms, political fingerpointing, downsizing, and strikes. You'd be better off teaching in one of the collar counties such as Lake, DuPage, or Kane. My mother has worked for School District 200 for about 20 years. I believe the salary for elementary school teachers in that district is around $50,000 to $60,000, but the more seniority you have, the more you get paid. For example: my fourth grade teacher makes $95,414. Her daughter teaches in the same district (CUSD 200) and makes $60,597.
In the city, the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree is $46,761. With a Master's degree, it's $50,000. You would need a car outside of the city, and possibly even within the city. Not everything is quite within walking distance, and the cost of public transportation is on the rise.

The cost of living is not something I'm going to be good at helping with. Some Chicago neighborhoods and communities are quite expensive, while others are quite cheap. One-bedroom apartments start at around $700 per month in the suburbs, and are, on average, 27% cheaper than in the city. Gasoline is currently around $3.50 in the city; $3.25 in the suburbs. A gallon of milk is about $3.50; a loaf of bread is about $2.50.

Ruben Said:

I want a teaching job in the suburban schools of chicago, how will i get them to even consider my application?

We Answered:

Chicago has a highly competitive teaching job market. There's a huge surplus of teachers fighting for very few openings-- suburban jobs are much sought after.

I am a third grade teacher who has helped on hiring committees before.... A few tips--

1. Don't go too traditional (aka boring) on your cover letter. Be sure you have a catchy introduction sentence.... be sure you describe your philosophy and what you can do for them.... use bold face letters and highlight key words..... use a bulleted list in your cover letter (perhaps in describing your philosophy) to make yourself stand out... add color to the letterhead..... Principals and HR will be sorting through a hundred cover letters for a single opening-- you need to stand out among the sea of white papers. Do something to catch their eye and then they will actually stop to read your cover letter.

2. After you've applied for a job through the HR office, be sure the PRINCIPALS ofthe schools you want to work at get a paper copy of your resume. Generally principals (not HR) have direct control over who is hired. So, print out a paper copy of your resume, walk into a school, briefly introduce yourself to the principal, and leave a copy of your resume.

3. Kind of related to #2-- network. Like it or not, truth is principals like to interview people they "know." So walk into schools and introduce yourself.... if you introduce yourself to a principal and he/she likes you, you will be MUCH more likely to get an interview. You don't need to "know" a principal super well to get an interview-- but by introducing yourself you are going to stand out in their mind and leave them wanting to know more about you. He/she can easily request your formal application from HR and set up an interview.

Here's an article that kind of backs up what I'm saying.. it kind of illustrates the difference between applying to district HR offices versus going directly to schools (aka principals). http://www.epinions.com/content_16596092…

I hope this helps a little.... There's also a good eBook that you might find useful. It's "Guide to Getting a Teaching Job" http://www.iwantateachingjob.com It has lots of information about how to find unadvertised openings for teaching jobs, how to make sure your cover letter and resume are up to par, 50 sample interview questions and answers for teachers, interview tips, etc. Maybe the book can give you some helpful tips.

It WILL take a lot of hard work on your part to get a job in Chicago suburbs..... but if you're a good candidate and present yourself well.... and if you put a lot of hardwork into your job search, you should do well..... Good luck to you.