u/Slow-Cat70

At a total crossroads rn and don’t know what to do next. I’m 23 and just (literally 2 days ago) graduated with a masters in ECE and became certified. I’ve been applying to DOE schools since April (over 70) and have gotten nowhere. My end goal has always been to work in the DOE for the pay, benefits, hours, etc.
Right now I work at a daycare which I’ve been doing since college. To add more confusion… I quit my previous center in April bc it was a nightmare, and got a new job right after. My thought process was that this would just be for the summer as I’d find a DOE job but that didn’t happen.
I was offered a TA position at a great school on the UWS. I did accept but it’s not legally binding. I love the location, reputation, etc of the school but TA pay is abysmal. I accepted with the hopes that if I grit my teeth and get through the year, I can network internally and get a lead role. Even if not at that school I figured it would look good on my resume.
However… I ended up loving the daycare I work at. The staff, admin, and environment is amazing. The pay that I make rn as a daycare teacher is obvi not a lot, but still better than the ridiculous TA salary. Keep in mind I’m broke lol and need to be practical. The daycare has UPK classrooms, which hire certified teachers and pay DOE salary/hours/benefits all that. I spoke to my boss and she told me there’s no open positions but she really likes me, and when something opens up she’ll let me know.
I’m really not sure if I should go with the TA or stick with the daycare. Both seem like a gamble and tbh I don’t really like either choice. I’m worried i’ll do the TA thing and hate it or it won’t pay off and I won’t get a lead opportunity. I’m worried I’ll get stuck as a daycare teacher forever which isn’t what I want either. That being said my complete failure to find a job this year hasn’t left me feeling good and I’m starting to think I wasn’t meant to be any more than a daycare teacher. I would like to go back and get certified in special ed but I don’t have the money…
Any advice from seasoned DOE teachers who know the system better than me would be appreciated.

just moved to the UES and looking for a good, cost effective local grocery store. i’m in the high 70s/low 80s near the river. the closest to me is gristedes and i couldn’t believe the prices… and ive lived in manhattan my whole life. love trader joe’s but its a bit of a schlep

Hi all. Early childhood teacher having a hard time finding a job, looking to specialize my certifications some more so hopefully I have an easier time next year. Since EC is so saturated i’m considering going back and getting some other sort of certification that’ll help me stand out. My first thought was TESOL- I already speak not totally fluent but good French which I enjoy learning and really like the idea of working with ELLs. Is TESOL certification worth it and will it make me stand out more, or are there any other specialties or additional certifications I should consider? Willing to go back to school, really not hoping for more than a year but I’ll do what I have to. Thanks in advance 🙏

Hi all, looking for some advice on DOE job searching/ assistant teaching positions.
I just graduated with my masters in Early childhood B-2 and also passed the certification exams. I have good recommendations from student teaching and from daycare experience. I felt confident about getting a job this year but it’s mid July and I’ve had absolutely no luck. I’ve been offered an assistant teaching position at what seems to be a very nice public school in district 3- just the sort of place I’d want to work. The woman I interviewed with told me that assistant teaching positions often lead to lead positions after a year or so, and I figure it’s a good way to get my foot in the door if nothing else. That being said, the pay is awful (I’d need a second job) and I really was looking for a lead position. I’m unsure if I should accept this position for fear nothing else will show up, or keep looking. Right now my plan is to accept and also continue looking but I’m worried I’ll have to sign a contract… I’m not sure how it works. Any advice would be appreciated

just started a new job in battery park and going straight from work to starbucks for online classes, however the starbucks closes at 8 and one of my classes ends at 9:15. is there anywhere in battery park i could sit like a cafe that's open that late? needs to be close to new york stock exchange so i can run there after work as i have a quick turnaround time