Math teaching jobs often go unfilled. If you are looking for math teaching jobs, you will not be short on opportunities, but it will be important for you to choose the right job for you. Salary is certainly a prime concern, but other important factors will help you decide on the best math teaching jobs for you, including the size of the school as well as the size of the classes you will teach, the amount of support you will receive, what kind of restructuring has happened in the past at the school, and much more.
A teacher's salary will vary depending on the state or region in which that teacher works. While teaching is not often a high-paying job, there are competitive salaries and opportunities to increase your salary over time. Many schools or school districts also compensate teachers depending on performance, so be sure to research any such processes when searching for math teaching jobs. Most schools have little room to negotiate salary, but it is not impossible to do such negotiations.
Look for math teaching jobs that will offer you the opportunity to advance your own career goals while developing a strong math program for students. A welcoming and well-functioning math department with an organized department head will make your teaching experience much smoother and more enjoyable, and a school with an administration that has a good working relationship with teachers and students will also contribute to a good experience while teaching. Be sure to talk to other members of the math department as well as other teachers within the school to get an idea of the successes and challenges associated with that particular school and program.
Check with the department members to find out how much funding is allotted to the program, and what teaching resources are available to you should you decide on this particular job. Updated textbooks, smartboards and other relevant technology, and adequate classroom supplies should all be available or attainable. If the department is underfunded, you can be sure your job will be more difficult. Do not discount such schools, however, as this may be an opportunity for you to help develop or improve a math program at a school that needs such development.
If you are interested in a math teaching job where you can work with students one-on-one, you may want to look into tutoring jobs. You can start your own independent business as a tutor, or you can work with a larger tutoring organization. When considering a position with a tutoring company, you should compare positions between major tutoring companies, such as Mathnasium vs Sylvan. Factors to consider include work-life balance, benefits, room for advancement, and the company culture.
