(no subject)
" I just don't know what to do with myself. Don't know just what to do with myself." ~dusty springfield
Have I mentioned that I'm sick of this whole job search thing? I don't know if I've written much about it. The general situation is that I'm guaranteed a job in the NYC public school system, but I've been spending all summer interviewing with principals and going to placement fairs in order to find my specific school. If I don't find a job for myself, they'll put me in the reserve pool of teachers and I'll act as a permanent sub until job openings come up. I would much rather just find a job. Last week I had another brilliantly organized placement fair (can you sense my sarcasm?), at which there were even more people than the previous fairs (which I didn't think could be possible). Here are some highlights:
~After I interviewed with a school and walked away from the table, a guy pulled me aside. He whispered in my ear, "I saw you interviewing for that school, "nodding towards the table I had just left. "I can't tell you my name," he continued whispering, "but I want to warn you. You don't want to teach there. I taught there last year. There's a reason that they have vacancies." And then he walked away. I felt like I was being brought into some mafia plot or something. It was bizarre. But funny. And now I'm not too disappointed by not getting a call back from that school.
~Best interview question: "Do you cry very easily?"
~A principal looked at my resume and muttered, "Oh, you're a Richmond grad. My dad would kill me if I didn't hire you. He went there." After the interview, though, I have a feeling that he might be facing his dad's wrath. I don't think I impressed him too much.
~I pretended to be familiar with balanced literacy when an interviewer mentioned it. I recognized the term, didn't know what it meant, but gave the impression that I knew something about it. Then she asked me to explain the concept. I wanted to kick myself. After a long "Um...." I tried to make something up, but she interrupted me and told me that I was describing differentiation (which is not the same thing). Whoops.
I had two interviews last week and now I have 2 demo lessons next week (for the two schools that I interviewed with). And I can't just use the same lesson plan for both, because they have to be geared towards completely different levels (one's middle school, one's 10th grade). The first one is tomorrow. I worked on the lesson plan all weekend and I guess it's finished, but I'm so nervous about teaching it. I'm pretty sure it's too long (15-20 minutes, the time-frame they gave me, is impossibly short), and I'm not even sure whom I'll be teaching. The secretary called to set it up, and when I asked if I would be teaching actual students she said, "I have no idea, I just organize these things." I know that there will be a hiring committee there (I have to meet with them as well). I have a little more information about the demo lesson I have to teach on Wednesday, but planning that lesson is not going very well. I need to go to the library but it's closed today. Ugh. I just want a job!
Have I mentioned that I'm sick of this whole job search thing? I don't know if I've written much about it. The general situation is that I'm guaranteed a job in the NYC public school system, but I've been spending all summer interviewing with principals and going to placement fairs in order to find my specific school. If I don't find a job for myself, they'll put me in the reserve pool of teachers and I'll act as a permanent sub until job openings come up. I would much rather just find a job. Last week I had another brilliantly organized placement fair (can you sense my sarcasm?), at which there were even more people than the previous fairs (which I didn't think could be possible). Here are some highlights:
~After I interviewed with a school and walked away from the table, a guy pulled me aside. He whispered in my ear, "I saw you interviewing for that school, "nodding towards the table I had just left. "I can't tell you my name," he continued whispering, "but I want to warn you. You don't want to teach there. I taught there last year. There's a reason that they have vacancies." And then he walked away. I felt like I was being brought into some mafia plot or something. It was bizarre. But funny. And now I'm not too disappointed by not getting a call back from that school.
~Best interview question: "Do you cry very easily?"
~A principal looked at my resume and muttered, "Oh, you're a Richmond grad. My dad would kill me if I didn't hire you. He went there." After the interview, though, I have a feeling that he might be facing his dad's wrath. I don't think I impressed him too much.
~I pretended to be familiar with balanced literacy when an interviewer mentioned it. I recognized the term, didn't know what it meant, but gave the impression that I knew something about it. Then she asked me to explain the concept. I wanted to kick myself. After a long "Um...." I tried to make something up, but she interrupted me and told me that I was describing differentiation (which is not the same thing). Whoops.
I had two interviews last week and now I have 2 demo lessons next week (for the two schools that I interviewed with). And I can't just use the same lesson plan for both, because they have to be geared towards completely different levels (one's middle school, one's 10th grade). The first one is tomorrow. I worked on the lesson plan all weekend and I guess it's finished, but I'm so nervous about teaching it. I'm pretty sure it's too long (15-20 minutes, the time-frame they gave me, is impossibly short), and I'm not even sure whom I'll be teaching. The secretary called to set it up, and when I asked if I would be teaching actual students she said, "I have no idea, I just organize these things." I know that there will be a hiring committee there (I have to meet with them as well). I have a little more information about the demo lesson I have to teach on Wednesday, but planning that lesson is not going very well. I need to go to the library but it's closed today. Ugh. I just want a job!