Would you like a permanent teaching position but so far have not been hired? Here are some reasons this may be happening and things you can do about it.

1.Problem: There are not enough jobs and/or a surplus of teachers.

Answer: Patience – eventually you will get a permanent job, it just takes time – a lot of time.

Alternative Answer: Flexibility – you may want to look into related careers e.g. adult education or you may want to continue substitute teaching and do something else on the side like tutoring or baking or professional wrestling etc.

2. Problem: If you believe that everything happens for a reason, it may be that you are supposed to be a substitute teacher for some reason. I have chosen substitute teaching as my profession and I love it!

Answer: Are you happy? Can you make your life work with substitute teaching as a career? Then, no change is needed – the best answer, really!

3. Problem: There is an area/skill that needs improvement before principals will hire you.

Answer: Get training and help in the area that needs improvement. This involves being willing to hear constructive criticism. Most principals will be honest if asked why they did not hire you and what you could do to improve your chances next time. It may be taking a course of classroom management or how to engage students with the curriculum will help. It’s also really helpful to spend time in a class with an excellent teacher and copy their methods. Sometimes it’s social skills (people are less willing to be honest about this so it may take some persistence or you may need to ask someone you to know to be courageously honest). In this case, working with a counsellor on increasing your social intelligence may help. People want to work with others who make them feel comfortable.

No matter the reason why you have not been hired as a permanent teacher yet, there is hope that you will be hired in the future. It may just take courage and hard work and time. Sounds like normal life to me!