Live from New York, it's one last post
Well, today it's all over. I've done all I can do. I gave the best lesson I knew how, and it's all past tense now. Then, I had to get my last interview. This is what happened.
Well, first let me set this up, first interview was with a white Canadian named Steven. He is the good cop. This interview was with a little japanese woman. She is the bad cop.
Makoto asked me how I thought I did. I thought I did pretty well. She then asked me what could I have done better. I said while I thought my time management was one of the best parts of my lesson, I went a bit fast for part of it and had to stall. She asked 'anything else?' She then offered her criticism. She said she had a few things to talk to me about.
Thing one: I was 'scary.' I was shocked. She said I didn't smile at all. I was so serious that a Japanese student would be scared of me thinking I was angry at them. Part of that was nerves because I was definitely NOT serious as a chem TA, but I admitted that smiling is not my strong suit nor has it been since I broke my front teeth. They are fake after all.
Thing 2: I talked too much. I expected that. I thought I made it 50/50 but it was more like 70/30. Those numbers should be reversed. Part of this problem tied into thing 4 which was minor but it was I explained too much. GEOS wants students to figure things out with less teacher assistance. I explained how some things worked. I should talk less if I get to do this again.
Thing 3: I didn't follow my target correct. She had me read my target statement again. I did. Then she read the target I presented and practiced. They were similar. Really similar actually, but not what I was supposed to. I didn't even notice that I had slightly changed the wording. We did the whole thing wrong, but I'm sure I'm not the only one to do that.
Then, she said something positive. Out of the 16 left, she said she could tell that I wanted to go to Japan more than anyone and that I was a strong person. But she said some of these flaws were large. I'd need to speak ONLY English at GEOS school. Could I separate my desire to learn Japanese from my desire to teach? I answered that I want to go to Japan more than anything. I'd do whatever it took, and that she was right. No one wants it more than me. I said talking too much is a habit. Not smiling is a habit. They can be worked on. They can be broken. She said it's hard. I said if I am truly desirous of going to Japan, then I'll do what it takes. Otherwise, I wouldn't want it more than anything.
She then asked me should we hire me? At first I didn't know how to answer. I had made serious mistakes. I was quite humbled and knocked down. So, I answered 'I would like to think so, but you have pointed out some serious errors. However, I am extremely interested in GEOS and moreso than ever. More than JET, more than NOVA, more than AEON, more than anyone. I want GEOS. I promised that I would do what it took to be what they needed, so I thought they should hire me.
She then asked me about placement, and she asked a few other things, but her phrasing was positive. It sounds like she wants to hire me. But she kicked me around a bit.
Well, I'm almost out of time.
Here's hoping.
Sayonara
Well, first let me set this up, first interview was with a white Canadian named Steven. He is the good cop. This interview was with a little japanese woman. She is the bad cop.
Makoto asked me how I thought I did. I thought I did pretty well. She then asked me what could I have done better. I said while I thought my time management was one of the best parts of my lesson, I went a bit fast for part of it and had to stall. She asked 'anything else?' She then offered her criticism. She said she had a few things to talk to me about.
Thing one: I was 'scary.' I was shocked. She said I didn't smile at all. I was so serious that a Japanese student would be scared of me thinking I was angry at them. Part of that was nerves because I was definitely NOT serious as a chem TA, but I admitted that smiling is not my strong suit nor has it been since I broke my front teeth. They are fake after all.
Thing 2: I talked too much. I expected that. I thought I made it 50/50 but it was more like 70/30. Those numbers should be reversed. Part of this problem tied into thing 4 which was minor but it was I explained too much. GEOS wants students to figure things out with less teacher assistance. I explained how some things worked. I should talk less if I get to do this again.
Thing 3: I didn't follow my target correct. She had me read my target statement again. I did. Then she read the target I presented and practiced. They were similar. Really similar actually, but not what I was supposed to. I didn't even notice that I had slightly changed the wording. We did the whole thing wrong, but I'm sure I'm not the only one to do that.
Then, she said something positive. Out of the 16 left, she said she could tell that I wanted to go to Japan more than anyone and that I was a strong person. But she said some of these flaws were large. I'd need to speak ONLY English at GEOS school. Could I separate my desire to learn Japanese from my desire to teach? I answered that I want to go to Japan more than anything. I'd do whatever it took, and that she was right. No one wants it more than me. I said talking too much is a habit. Not smiling is a habit. They can be worked on. They can be broken. She said it's hard. I said if I am truly desirous of going to Japan, then I'll do what it takes. Otherwise, I wouldn't want it more than anything.
She then asked me should we hire me? At first I didn't know how to answer. I had made serious mistakes. I was quite humbled and knocked down. So, I answered 'I would like to think so, but you have pointed out some serious errors. However, I am extremely interested in GEOS and moreso than ever. More than JET, more than NOVA, more than AEON, more than anyone. I want GEOS. I promised that I would do what it took to be what they needed, so I thought they should hire me.
She then asked me about placement, and she asked a few other things, but her phrasing was positive. It sounds like she wants to hire me. But she kicked me around a bit.
Well, I'm almost out of time.
Here's hoping.
Sayonara