Jobs in Boarding Schools

Thinking about teaching in a boarding school? Got some questions? In this fictional conversation, a job seeker and I chat about looking for employment in a private school.

Credentials

Q. Do I need a teaching certificate to teach in a private school?

A. Not necessarily. It depends on the school. Some schools will employ you without a teaching certificate with the understanding that you become certified within a stated time frame, typically a year. Job advertisements are usually clear about requirements.

Q. Do I need an education degree to teach in a private school?

A. Most private schools value degrees in a subject more than an education degree. For example, if you are presenting yourself as an English teacher, the school will look for a bachelor's degree with a major in American or English Language and Literature. The teaching skills and methodology that you could learn if you did an education degree will be useful; however, most private schools will require you to teach in their own proprietary way. After all, that's why parents are sending their children to boarding school. They value the curriculum and how it's taught.

Q. Do I need to have a master's degree or a doctorate?

A. Your resume will stand out from the competition when you offer a master's or terminal degree. Once again, schools understand that a highly-credentialed faculty is a powerful asset when it comes to marketing what they do. If you have started work on your master's or doctorate,

Keep these three job search tips in mind if you have not looked for a teaching job in a couple of years or are just beginning to think about a career move.

1. Be marketable.

The job market for teachers in boarding schools is generally competitive. Schools want the best possible candidate to work for them. As a result, dozens of candidates apply for available positions. So, what sets you apart from other candidates? Offering three or more of the following skills or credentials can position you for success in the boarding school employment market.

This TEDTalk offers some ideas for effective job searching.

Speak and teach a second language. Teachers who speak French, Spanish, and Mandarin are in much demand in any school. Add a degree and certifications in those subjects to your credentials, and you will be much more marketable.

Hold specialist certifications. An ESL certificate or a reading specialist certificate will virtually guarantee you employment for life at many schools. An ESL-certified teacher is an integral part of the teaching strategy and an essential element in a diverse community. Boarding schools attract an international clientele. Immersion in the English language is a factor in that decision. A reading specialist can effectively remediate reading and comprehension skills allowing the language arts teachers to focus on coursework. She also can provide extra help for ESL students.

Be an AP exam reader. If you are

If you went to a boarding school, you know what teaching in one is all about. It's a multi-faceted job with many unique benefits. So, for those of you who didn't go to a boarding school, here's what's involved?

First of all, teaching in a boarding school is not a 9-5 job. (Well, strictly speaking, 8-3, but let's not quibble.) So, if you are looking for a job that you can leave behind you at the end of the school day, teaching in a boarding school is probably not for you. You see, boarding school teachers teach. That is, after all, their primary function, but they also function as parents. A Latin phrase describes this concept succinctly: in loco parentis, i.e., in place of a parent. Because families have sent their children to a residential school away from home for weeks, even months, the school staff functions in place of the parents. Boarding school students are supervised 24/7, just like they are at home.

A boarding school teacher's duties

Teachers in a boarding school wear many hats. They teach. They coach. They manage a club.

Yes, teaching is your primary responsibility and function. When you submit your application for a teaching position, that's one of the first things the school will evaluate. A school's clientele expects an excellent academic curriculum taught by top-notch, highly-credentialed professionals. That afore-mentioned clientele is paying handsomely for that experience.

One of the other hats you will wear is a coach's hat. Did

Teaching or working in a boarding school is quite unlike any job in a day school. Why? Because in most schools you will live above the store as it were. Most faculty, deans, and heads of school as well as some key support staff such as the admissions and development directors are housed in school accommodations as part of their conditions of employment.

Home and School

Boarding schools are self-contained communities. Students and faculty eat together. They share relaxing times watching TV and playing games together. That is because teachers and staff in a boarding school function in loco parentis. They take the place of parents literally and figuratively. They play a powerful role in shaping and guiding their young charges while they are at school. Because the students cannot escape at the end of classes, they cannot avoid teachers' strong influence on them. This is a major reason many parents send their sons and daughters off to boarding school.

This video offers an overview of Woodberry Forest School.

Finding a Job

How do you find a job in a private school? The best way is to use your network. Alums, colleagues past and present, friends, and family constitute the most important group of people who know you and can attest to your suitability, skills, and experience for employment better than anybody. They will often be