First Impressions Count!First Impressions Count!

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Maureen Caouette BFA, MEd, CAGSMaureen Caouette BFA, MEd, CAGS2011 National Middle Level Art Educator2011 National Middle Level Art Educator

Past NAEA Elem. Div Dir.Past NAEA Elem. Div Dir.2006 Mass Art Educator of the Year 2006 Mass Art Educator of the Year

Ralph Caouette BFA MA, CAGS, ABDRalph Caouette BFA MA, CAGS, ABDNAEA Research CommissionNAEA Research Commission

NAEF TrusteeNAEF TrusteePast NAEA Secondary Div Dir.Past NAEA Secondary Div Dir.

2004 Mass Art Educator of the Year2004 Mass Art Educator of the Year

The 3 Bs The 3 Bs oror

Saying no to:Saying no to:Boobs, Butts and Bellies –Boobs, Butts and Bellies –

A short guide to the new and interesting A short guide to the new and interesting world of an art teacherworld of an art teacher

So…. You are now an:So…. You are now an:

Art teacher,Art teacher,

Student TeacherStudent Teacher

Practicum StudentPracticum Student

Pre-practicum studentPre-practicum student

But you are no longer the But you are no longer the studio slave, who can studio slave, who can only care about their art only care about their art …….you now must …….you now must present yourself present yourself professionally….but is professionally….but is this the answer?this the answer?

Personal Assessment:Personal Assessment:The objective is to get a job so you The objective is to get a job so you can make a difference in a child’s can make a difference in a child’s

life.life.

Follow these directions…Follow these directions…

You may work with children…You may work with children…

This is not camp, This is not camp, the locker room, or the locker room, or the lounge…the lounge…professionalism professionalism gets noticed and gets noticed and respected by respected by students and students and faculty.faculty.

First…Be Yourself! First…Be Yourself! ButtButt….….Keep your undies under your clothesKeep your undies under your clothes

Slippage does happen….Slippage does happen….

Clothes should fit you Clothes should fit you within a sizewithin a size

Wear a beltWear a belt

No sagging below your No sagging below your hipships

Bend, squat, and reach Bend, squat, and reach before you leave for before you leave for school…check out before school…check out before you check in to school.you check in to school.

Pretty, yes but not professionalPretty, yes but not professional

Tats should be privateTats should be private

Say ‘No’ to CrackSay ‘No’ to Crackin the front or the back!in the front or the back!

Yes…Art teachingYes…Art teaching can be physical can be physical

save it for the weekend or the gymsave it for the weekend or the gym

Yes, wear comfortable shoes, not Yes, wear comfortable shoes, not your studio shoesyour studio shoes

And not your dancing shoes!And not your dancing shoes!

Or your beachwear either.Or your beachwear either.

Leave the tee shirts for the studioLeave the tee shirts for the studio

Bring a paint shirt or lab coatBring a paint shirt or lab coat

Or purchase a NAEA apron Or purchase a NAEA apron

Aprons come in a Aprons come in a variety of shapes and variety of shapes and sizes and are super to sizes and are super to put on for any task.put on for any task.

And the hoodies tooAnd the hoodies too

Take out all facial piercing!Take out all facial piercing!

And tone down the perfumes and lotionsAnd tone down the perfumes and lotions

Be careful with your butts Be careful with your butts if you smoke, keep it private or better yet – QUIT!if you smoke, keep it private or better yet – QUIT!

Hats are for laterHats are for latereven if your students can wear themeven if your students can wear them

And no beer logos on ANYTHINGAnd no beer logos on ANYTHING

Jeans, ripped or not are for the Jeans, ripped or not are for the studio, even if some teachers wear studio, even if some teachers wear

them at your school.them at your school.

So, remember to bend and So, remember to bend and

stretch and see what hangs outstretch and see what hangs out

Before you leave for school.Before you leave for school.

CommunicatingCommunicatingClean it up! Check on all sites!Clean it up! Check on all sites!

Cell PhonesCell Phones

Most schools Most schools have a policy on have a policy on visible usage of visible usage of cell phones and cell phones and electronics - electronics - ipods, pads etcipods, pads etc

Voice Mail should Voice Mail should be assessablebe assessable

Music to whose ears?Music to whose ears?

Your ring tone, Your ring tone, cell phone waiting cell phone waiting music and music and anything that is anything that is audible does audible does represent you.represent you.

What goes around What goes around comes around…. comes around….

Computer usageComputer usage

Is your personal email Is your personal email address appropriate?address appropriate?

Clean-up your Clean-up your facebook account and facebook account and check what is out check what is out there on youthere on you

Your personal life Your personal life should stay should stay

personalpersonal..

Eyes and Ears are on You!Eyes and Ears are on You!

Most districts have Most districts have access to your access to your computer and all computer and all correspondences are correspondences are archieved for up to 7 archieved for up to 7 years.years.

Be a role modelBe a role model

Be earlyBe early

Be preparedBe prepared

Be positiveBe positive

Be involvedBe involved

Be a teacherBe a teacher

Inside and outside the Inside and outside the classroom, eyes will classroom, eyes will be watching you. be watching you.

In many states, you In many states, you can be dismissed in can be dismissed in the first 90 days for the first 90 days for anything and not anything and not rehired at the end of rehired at the end of each of the first three each of the first three years.years.

You are not losing who you are:You are not losing who you are:

You are entering a You are entering a selection process and selection process and you never want it said you never want it said that you still look like that you still look like a college student. a college student. Yes, even teachers Yes, even teachers are judged by the are judged by the ‘cover’ they present.‘cover’ they present.

Now…Tips on Getting Hired!!!Now…Tips on Getting Hired!!!

Get all the training you can. Attend Get all the training you can. Attend workshops and put that on your resume.workshops and put that on your resume.Get certified in more than one area…Get certified in more than one area…Special Ed, ESL, etc.Special Ed, ESL, etc.Mention all the RECENT training you’ve Mention all the RECENT training you’ve had in the job interview.had in the job interview.Attend all teacher conferences & job fairs Attend all teacher conferences & job fairs that you can affordthat you can afford

Join NAEA, Join NAEA, start a student chapterstart a student chapter

Focus Focus on what you bring to the school on what you bring to the school community.community.Try and turn any perceived fault into a Try and turn any perceived fault into a positive.positive. No experience No experience = clean slate ready to learn = clean slate ready to learn

YOUR way. No bad habits. Eager to learn.YOUR way. No bad habits. Eager to learn. Older teacher Older teacher = you get all the life experience = you get all the life experience

and wisdom of a veteran teacher for the cost and wisdom of a veteran teacher for the cost of a brand new one!of a brand new one!

Know & Show Know & Show Know the age & levels you are Know the age & levels you are

interviewing for, bring an actual piece of interviewing for, bring an actual piece of student artwork to the interviewstudent artwork to the interview

Subbing….Subbing….

Should I substitute?Should I substitute? Can be a sure fire way to get hired.Can be a sure fire way to get hired. Can be a HUGE waste of your time if you Can be a HUGE waste of your time if you

choose the wrong school!choose the wrong school!Make sure there will be positions available.Make sure there will be positions available.

WORK YOUR BUTT OFF. Stay and clean the WORK YOUR BUTT OFF. Stay and clean the room before you go. Teachers will want you back.room before you go. Teachers will want you back.

Always check in with the office at the end of the Always check in with the office at the end of the day.day.

To sub or not to sub….To sub or not to sub….

So why NOT sub?So why NOT sub? Subbing eats your time.Subbing eats your time.

The GOAL is to help kids.The GOAL is to help kids.

To help kids you need a job!To help kids you need a job! My advice is sub only if you can’t get a job My advice is sub only if you can’t get a job

any other way, but if you do sub… be the any other way, but if you do sub… be the VERY BEST SUB!!!VERY BEST SUB!!!

If you are a long term sub, attend all dept. If you are a long term sub, attend all dept. meetings and professional developmentmeetings and professional development

Afterschool programmingAfterschool programming

Start an art clubStart an art club

Work on the school Work on the school playplay

2121stst Century Century Afterschool programsAfterschool programs

Art MuseumsArt Museums

Be a visiting artistBe a visiting artist

Help with YAMHelp with YAM

Take your resume to the school you are Take your resume to the school you are interested and (if possible) meet the interested and (if possible) meet the principal and give it to her personally. principal and give it to her personally. Stress to the secretary, receptionist, etc. Stress to the secretary, receptionist, etc. you are NOT wanting an interview, you you are NOT wanting an interview, you simply want 30 SECONDS to shake hands simply want 30 SECONDS to shake hands and introduce yourselfand introduce yourselfWait if you have to!!!Wait if you have to!!!

Arrive EARLY for the interviewArrive EARLY for the interviewAGAIN - Dress professionallyAGAIN - Dress professionally

(we don’t advise wearing jeans (we don’t advise wearing jeans even AFTER you get the job)even AFTER you get the job)

Smile and laugh (not a nervous laugh) so Smile and laugh (not a nervous laugh) so they committee sees you as yourselfthey committee sees you as yourselfKeep your answers to the point and on Keep your answers to the point and on target…don’t showofftarget…don’t showoff

Most teachers on the hiring committee are Most teachers on the hiring committee are more worried about whether you will fit in more worried about whether you will fit in on their team than whether you can teach.on their team than whether you can teach.

Be careful about the question, “How does Be careful about the question, “How does art & teaching fit into your life?’art & teaching fit into your life?’

Don’t broadcast your shortcomings.Don’t broadcast your shortcomings.

Be honest, but don’t say more than you Be honest, but don’t say more than you need to. need to.

Some statements can instantlySome statements can instantly

kill your chances of gettingkill your chances of getting

job!! Do your research, job!! Do your research,

bring notes and questions.bring notes and questions.

You are now part of the workforce You are now part of the workforce and an example to the youth of the and an example to the youth of the

USA!USA!You are not a geekYou are not a geek

You have a job!You have a job!

You have a job that you You have a job that you love!love!

You have health You have health

care!!care!!

You have a careerYou have a career

You are a You are a workingworking

Art Professional, &Art Professional, &

an Art Educatoran Art Educator

Top 10 Things to NOT SayTop 10 Things to NOT SayIn an InterviewIn an Interview

All of the following statementsAll of the following statementswere actually saidwere actually said

inin job interviews…job interviews…

Top 10 Things to NOT SayTop 10 Things to NOT SayIn an Interview In an Interview

10) “A Rubric? Well, I know what an ‘A’ looks like!10) “A Rubric? Well, I know what an ‘A’ looks like!

9) “I need a job while I apply for grad school.”9) “I need a job while I apply for grad school.”

8)8) ““If you call me about the job, I won’t be home If you call me about the job, I won’t be home this weekend. I’ll be on vacation in Florida.”this weekend. I’ll be on vacation in Florida.”

7) “I’m just curious, but does your district actually 7) “I’m just curious, but does your district actually do do drug tests?”drug tests?”

6) “If you hire me how soon (6) “If you hire me how soon (cough coughcough cough) ) before the insurance kicks in?”before the insurance kicks in?”

5)5) ““Why Art Teaching? Well, I’m not really Why Art Teaching? Well, I’m not really good at anything else.”good at anything else.”

4) “So what’s this job pay, anyway?”4) “So what’s this job pay, anyway?”

3) “Will I have any afterschool duties?”3) “Will I have any afterschool duties?”

2) “Who takes care of discipline?” 2) “Who takes care of discipline?”

The number ONE thing to not say…The number ONE thing to not say…

““I just want the kids to love me...” I just want the kids to love me...”

Thank you:Thank you:

To our Anna Maria College undergrads & gradsTo our Anna Maria College undergrads & grads

To our graduate students at Fitchburg St Univ.To our graduate students at Fitchburg St Univ.

And to all former student teachers who have left And to all former student teachers who have left indelible images etched in our memory!indelible images etched in our memory!

Some of the slides were adapted off of slideshare.netSome of the slides were adapted off of slideshare.net

mgcaouette@gmail.com

caouettem@fitchburg.k12.ma.us

Ralph_caouette@wrsd.netRalph_caouette@wrsd.net

““May you all touch the lives of May you all touch the lives of children in very special ways. children in very special ways.

May you find the joy in teaching May you find the joy in teaching that I have found all these years. that I have found all these years.

May you find a tiny bit of May you find a tiny bit of wisdom in my words. May you wisdom in my words. May you start off better prepared than I start off better prepared than I ever was. May you grow and ever was. May you grow and bloom and make this world a bloom and make this world a

better place just for having lived. better place just for having lived. May you all find a job.” May you all find a job.”

Kram LlahtnebKram Llahtneb,,““How’d I DoHow’d I Do