I have been avoiding this post since Sunday, when I had my interview. First I was exhausted (flying in and out of New York in one day is one thing. Making it a 23-hr journey on 3 hours of sleep....slightly less than wise), then I was deeply disappointed, then I had already gotten into the swing of chatting obsessively with other applicants on facebook, going over and over and over, trying to identify the outcome in perceived facial tics and compared questions. Big surprise, that got me nowhere fast. But today I have the day off, no real obligations, and time. Therefore I'm finally posting about the interview experience. Here are things you Simply Must Do: Dress Conservatively.
No, more conservatively than that.
No, now really.
Better. But button that collar. And I hope that skirt goes at least mid-calf. And you'd best not have naked legs! Next, now that we've got the appearance settled, are your bits of paper completed, in triplicate, and labelled accordingly? In a file? With the check list they gave you? And, just in case, have you made colour copies of everything? EVERYTHING? No? Well, do that. Also, have it all on a usb drive. Great. So now the superficial stuff is all taken care of. Well done. NOW it's time to prepare for the questions. Prepare for the questions. ADEC's history with Western teachers is chequered, you might say. They are very concerned that you'll do a runner. They're also concerned that you'll be an embarrassment to them, to your principal, to education itself. In past years the interviews may have been chatty and easy, with a pleasant conversational vibe - but those days are over now. They want teachers. (Hard to say exactly what they want, as I know well qualified and highly interesting teachers who haven't been hired, but I think that's even more reason to prepare thoroughly.) You need to have a good understanding of pedagogy and jargon, and you need to have a strong handle on classroom management. Be aware that "saving face" isn't just an East Asian custom, it's an everyone custom.
Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
I was interviewed by two women who work for ADEC but are Western (Canadian and Scottish). They were very well trained in not giving anything away, to the point that I left that interview sure I didn't get the job. After the preliminary document check and whatever, the questions were tough, with follow-ups and challenges. My degree from a seminary was challenged (not "Oh surely this isn't a real degree" but "We do not want proselytisers") both at the beginning and end of the interview. There were questions about integrity (have it!); working with a principal who doesn't want you there (pick your battles!); how will you handle complaints because your students are used to getting EVERYTHING they want, including A's without achievement (document document document!); what your classroom will look like (student work! word walls!); how you will measure achievement (rubrics!); getting the quiet students to talk (multiple intelligences! group work!); etc. I used current non-political news to develop a classroom project on the spot. I talked about the necessary use of technology to both celebrate and inform my students and their parents. I talked about real-world outcomes and preparing my students for their actual lives, be that marriage or university or both. Over the course of my interview, I found that all my months of voraciously reading blogs, books and websites had been useful. I felt prepared. I was prepared. It was good. Then they hit me with their flags.
And this is what I've been mulling over for the past few days.
Nonstop.
Obsessively.
Shamefacedly.
Angst-ridden.
Trying to decide on a course of action for after I heard the news officially.
Failing.
Trying not to cry like a little girl who just dropped her ice cream cone because this didn't work out.
And finally it was time to suck it up and post my experience, bring the blog to its right conclusion.
Today.
I didn't want to.
Instead I decided to watch House Hunters International.
Then my recruiter called me. This was it. The final nail in my coffin.
And they're offering me a contract.
No, more conservatively than that.
No, now really.
Better. But button that collar. And I hope that skirt goes at least mid-calf. And you'd best not have naked legs! Next, now that we've got the appearance settled, are your bits of paper completed, in triplicate, and labelled accordingly? In a file? With the check list they gave you? And, just in case, have you made colour copies of everything? EVERYTHING? No? Well, do that. Also, have it all on a usb drive. Great. So now the superficial stuff is all taken care of. Well done. NOW it's time to prepare for the questions. Prepare for the questions. ADEC's history with Western teachers is chequered, you might say. They are very concerned that you'll do a runner. They're also concerned that you'll be an embarrassment to them, to your principal, to education itself. In past years the interviews may have been chatty and easy, with a pleasant conversational vibe - but those days are over now. They want teachers. (Hard to say exactly what they want, as I know well qualified and highly interesting teachers who haven't been hired, but I think that's even more reason to prepare thoroughly.) You need to have a good understanding of pedagogy and jargon, and you need to have a strong handle on classroom management. Be aware that "saving face" isn't just an East Asian custom, it's an everyone custom.
Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
I was interviewed by two women who work for ADEC but are Western (Canadian and Scottish). They were very well trained in not giving anything away, to the point that I left that interview sure I didn't get the job. After the preliminary document check and whatever, the questions were tough, with follow-ups and challenges. My degree from a seminary was challenged (not "Oh surely this isn't a real degree" but "We do not want proselytisers") both at the beginning and end of the interview. There were questions about integrity (have it!); working with a principal who doesn't want you there (pick your battles!); how will you handle complaints because your students are used to getting EVERYTHING they want, including A's without achievement (document document document!); what your classroom will look like (student work! word walls!); how you will measure achievement (rubrics!); getting the quiet students to talk (multiple intelligences! group work!); etc. I used current non-political news to develop a classroom project on the spot. I talked about the necessary use of technology to both celebrate and inform my students and their parents. I talked about real-world outcomes and preparing my students for their actual lives, be that marriage or university or both. Over the course of my interview, I found that all my months of voraciously reading blogs, books and websites had been useful. I felt prepared. I was prepared. It was good. Then they hit me with their flags.
- my appearance. It wasn't as conservative as I posted above (though it WAS as conservative as picture 2).
- my reason for leaving the UK. I put "family emergencies". I should have written "visa expired". Both are true, but the second one would not have raised any flags. Family emergencies has been the excuse for other teachers to disappear like a thief in the night and has become an excuse as transparent as "Not tonight, honey, I've got a headache."
- my World Mission past. They were really quite concerned about the fact that I used to be a missionary (they asked, I didn't volunteer - I'm not stupid) and that my MA came from a School of World Mission. I feel I responded well to that last concern, as I too am quite against proselytising.
And this is what I've been mulling over for the past few days.
Nonstop.
Obsessively.
Shamefacedly.
Angst-ridden.
Trying to decide on a course of action for after I heard the news officially.
Failing.
Trying not to cry like a little girl who just dropped her ice cream cone because this didn't work out.
And finally it was time to suck it up and post my experience, bring the blog to its right conclusion.
Today.
I didn't want to.
Instead I decided to watch House Hunters International.
Then my recruiter called me. This was it. The final nail in my coffin.
And they're offering me a contract.
1 comment:
Mimi, this post makes me laugh, smile, feel terribly nervous but absolutely delighted for you. I can't wait for my interview... Just 4 more days now.
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