I had a job interview this past week for another teaching job. I really wanted this job as it was a full time English position at a school with similar demographics to the one I am at. I liked everything I had heard about the school and district. I went in for the interview feeling good about myself, but as the day went on after the interview the feeling good part waned. I felt that I was not really prepared for the interview. There are about 10 common teacher interview questions about a range of topics from classroom management to describing how you help certain students to philosophies. I had practiced these questions with my dad and mom. I rehearsed all the other questions in my mind that aren't the common ones on the way to the interview on Wednesday because I felt I wanted to be prepared because this was my going to be my job, and I was going to get it. Perhaps my overconfidence led me to not trying as hard because I felt the job was mine. Now, before I go too far, let me say that I have not received any official word that I did not get the job. It has been nearly 3 business days and now 1 day into the weekend. I have felt a sort of sadness and anxiety in that I am going to probably have to student teach in the fall for free. I have a sadness that I let myself down.
I know what went wrong in the interview in my mind. I didn't explain myself probably enough on several questions. I didn't have as many details that were relevant to a couple questions that would have showed I know how to help these students. I have since asked a friend to help me with this because I want to be prepared for future interviews, I want to learn from this experience and get some feedback as to how to improve my answers so next time won't be like this.
It is a tough economy right now. So many teachers are out of work and have not even received interviews. I am so thankful to have received calls for interviews. I am thankful for the experience and I know that each interview will help prepare me and make me better for the next. I know I'm competing against those with more teaching experience and other qualifications. I just have that bad tendency to dwell on things and beat myself up, which is unhealthy.
I need to redirect my thinking, and I will do this over the next few days, and I will be fine. I know the student teaching experience will probably be a good thing as I'll get ideas for lessons, experience and feedback teaching. I know that each interview has prepared me, and maybe the school I was interviewing at was not the best fit for me.
3 comments:
If you did not get the job, you have already identified how much of a learning experience it was.
If you do get the job, then you just plain rock!
The real rub is that there actually ARE enough teaching jobs, it's just that the school districts and governmental authorities aren't ponying up enough money to provide them. The teacher unemployment numbers are a grisly façade for a very unstable educational system. In reality, they've cut teaching positions when there were too few positions to begin with anyway!
I find it charming that the state government's first reaction to an unstable economy is to destroy our primary and secondary education systems. Because nothing secures a state's future economy like raising a simple and untrained work-force.
You and all the others trying to get hired ought to be hired. We'd probably still be short teachers, but at least our educational system wouldn't be circling the drain. The administrators of our educational system never cease to amaze me with their seemingly increasing levels of idiocy.
::Keeps fingers crossed::
Perhaps you're dwelling too much on minor things that may or may not have any real impact on your interview? At any rate, it's still a tad too early to give up over this. And even so, you'll be that much more prepared next time! :-)
Post a Comment