OOT Chinuch/Kiruv Jobs

amother

Sun, Jul 22 2012, 9:05 pm

For those of you whose husbands work in either chinuch or kiruv out of town (in the US)... How did your dh find his job? Was it hard to get? Did he have training? Anyone know of any current opportunities in any communities?
Thanks

PinkFridge

Mon, Jul 23 2012, 11:11 am

I see no one answered so I'll get things rolling.
Not in chinuch but some things I've seen - Torah Umesorah, being part of an OOT kollel, the Ohr L'golah program at Ohr Sameach.
Hatzlacha!

amother

Mon, Jul 23 2012, 11:31 am

I have many friends who went into kiruv and it did not work out for them. It's hard to work virtually 24/7 for peanuts, no job security, etc. Idealism is great until you can't pay your bills and your kids are getting older and tuition is a fortune and oops, the donor who was funding your job just lost a lot of money and can't help anymore. IMO it's better to train for a good reliable job, and if kiruv is your passion, then have lots of Shabbos guests, give shiurim, etc. when you're not working.

Chinuch jobs you can sometimes get through Torah U'mesorah, if you're willing to live in a tiny community. Make sure you love teaching before you make that commitment. Lots of great people realize that handling a classroom full of kids requires skills they don't have, either you work hard to get those skills FAST, or you leave the field feeling deflated by your lack of ability to control a class, and the kids in your class didn't learn much the whole year. Also chinuch jobs in more desirable communities are impossible to get unless you have connections.

PinkFridge

Mon, Jul 23 2012, 2:23 pm

Going back to the original post, I can't imagine walking into a classroom without any training. This could be through Torah Umesorah (lots of stuff on the east coast that looks excellent) and/or lots of experience subbing and observing. At least that latter bit is how our kollel people segued into teaching and I have no idea if they've taken classes as well.

Wherever you are now, make sure you seize all the educational opportunities available.

ceo

Wed, Jul 25 2012, 12:07 am

All of my husband's friends who got kiruv/chinuch jobs got them through the connections/placement services from a program that they learned it (ie- ner l'elef, ohr lagolah, etc). I hope I don't sound like a naysayer, but these jobs are very hard to come by. My guess is that the employers have dozens of applicants to choose from.

hatzlacha! May Hashem send you a job that is suited to you b'shaah tovah!