by Claire Miller
Qualyn McIntyre stood before an audience of College of Education students in Georgia State University’s Speakers Auditorium and asked a simple question: “How many people didn’t look in the mirror this morning?”
The students looked around at one another, but no hands went into the air.
“We all do that physical self-assessment in the morning, but as a professional, it’s important to do an internal self-assessment, too,” said McIntyre, who works in Atlanta Public Schools’ Department for Learning Excellence. “Most of you are just starting out in your field and there’s always room for growth.”
McIntyre was one of several speakers who presented at the Oct. 21 Professional Educators Induction Seminar, an annual COE event that offers students vital information for transitioning from collegiate life to a career as an educator.
While McIntyre discussed professional development and ways to improve performance, Kevin Gaw, director of University Career Services, told students about the career center’s commitment to helping them find internships and jobs.
John Adams, executive director of Educators First, also spoke at the event, offering details about the 11 standards, set forth by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, that all teachers in the state must follow and what can happen when teachers violate those rules.
Attendees also had the opportunity to hear from a seven-person human resources panel made up of representatives from several area school districts, including KIPP Metro Atlanta, Atlanta Public Schools, Decatur City Schools and DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Henry County Schools.
The panel gave an overview of each of their school districts, explained the job application process for their systems and offered advice on how best to interview for and secure a teaching job.
“In these economic times, there are hundreds of people who are certified teachers looking for jobs,” said Prince LeBoo, employment specialist for DeKalb County Schools. “You have to be proactive and go the extra mile because you have a lot of competition out there. But you’ve got a lot of things going for you – number one, you’re graduating from Georgia State, which has great programs. And a lot of our principals are aware of that.”
COE student Samantha Melotte appreciated the seminar because it gave students the chance to hear more about the job market and the current state of education for college graduates joining the workforce.
“I wanted to come to learn more about education today, because it’s always changing,” she said. “This was very informative. I think everyone in the education field should attend this event, even seasoned teachers because they gave us important information.”
For more information about the COE and how it prepares students to work in education-related fields, visit http://education.gsu.edu. For more information about Georgia State University Career Services, visit http://www.gsu.edu/career/index.html.
