So, the interview....

I went to an interview yesterday at an all-girls' academy.  It's a very small school - the principal said there are about only 20 girls in each class (and by class, he meant grade).  They are run by/staffed by some of the Benedictine sisters, who live across the street.  It wasn't that hard to get to, either; I took a more roundabout way to avoid tolls and insanity, but I still got there in less than an hour.  The position was for a 9th grade English teacher, with a possible Shakespeare elective class and perhaps sometime Latin (since he saw my credentials).  He said I had a very impressive resume for teaching, but his only concern was whether or not I'd be able to handle it plus do the masters' program...but I told him that I need to start somewhere and that I know it's going to be hard work. I didn't come to interview for anything less. This school has an extremely diverse population because it mostly draws from girls in the area (Elizabeth, NJ) who have come from other charter schools/etc wherever they've come from.  I told him I would definitely not be afraid to use the resources I was given to be able to perform my job well.

He asked me about my educational philosophy, what he would see if one day he would walk into my classroom, and he told me how hard it would be and not to have any fantasies about it being an easy job....which I didn't come in expecting anyway. I feel the most qualified for this job out of all the ones I've applied to, plus here, there's a hope of teaching Latin.  He told me the girls there are struggling with Latin and they only have Latin 1 and 2, maybe Latin 3 (I can't remember).  The focus I would have is grammar/vocab/writing, which is what I did when I was tutoring, anyway - it would just be in front of a class of 20 girls.  They have a 7 period day which starts at 8 AM and a daily faculty meeting at 7:45 AM, and they meet as a school after 2nd period to pray and have daily announcements.  Teachers are expected to stay after school for at least 20 minutes to tutor or participate in some way with extracurriculars.  They have a retreat for teachers at the beginning of the year.   The potential pay is about the same as the other places.  I really like this school.  The principal said I was the first to interview for the position, and that he's interviewing someone else today from the EPICS program, but then he's going to be away on vacation until August (but I hope there's some way I could know before August, since the program starts July 30...I can't believe I'm going to be back in school if that's the case in 10 days because all I've been doing all summer is either working or looking for work).  I feel very happy with this school.

Now, in terms of all the schools I've interviewed with, I've only heard back from Interview #1 saying that they filled the position with another candidate.  Interviews #2, 3, and 4 (just yesterday) I am still waiting to hear back from.

Re-Cap:

• Interview #1 was a co-ed high school with a position for 9th and 10th grade English (I believe) at a tech-savvy and diverse school in Scotch Plains, so the commute was an hour away - but I was turned down for the position.  
• Interview #2 was a co-ed high school with a position for a 10th and 11th grade English teacher and it was a nice, easy commute.  It had an urban population in a suburban setting, and it was a college-prep school.  I had a very good interview there, but they were starting the process of interviewing, so I may not know for another week or two.
• Interview #3 was a co-ed elementary school with a position for a 6-8 grade English teacher and it was a little bit more of an arduous commute, but their extremely spiritual atmosphere and tech-savvy school trumps the commute. They are almost done interviewing and I should know soon whether or not they want me for the job.  
• Interview #4 was an all-girls' academy/high school with a position for a 9th grade English teacher/Shakespeare elective with a possibility of  being able to teach Latin at a more basic level and the commute, though a little lengthy, was pretty easy.  It has an urban population in an urban setting (though I'd define "urban" here like "New Brunswick" - it's not anything I haven't seen before). I should know by early August at the latest if I was chosen.  

Somebody's got to eventually, right?

In the meantime, I will keep looking and trying to secure more interviews.  I am happy that my resume is very strong and I am starting to get better at being interviewed: knowing the questions, the dress, the demeanor, etc.  It does help.  The key thing for all of them is being honest, whether or not you have everything else.  You don't want to end up in a job that you aren't ready for.  I really want to teach.  Tutoring is good, but it  is only one step on the journey, or part of it - just because I become a teacher doesn't mean I won't stop tutoring. 

I'm starting to fall back asleep because of how dark it is in here, so I am going to stop blogging before my writing turns into fushgluiagughhgahuiyer8a3y7xshghajkah.  I know it's probably pretty repetitive (and alliterative) to hear about all these interviews I'm going on, and I really wish I could be talking about being behind the desk already, but well, everyone has to start somewhere.  Tomorrow I am tutoring a girl in Latin, if that helps.  Once I finally get a desk to be behind, THAT will be very exciting!! I feel like I am getting closer each time I interview.  

Onto the next (whenever that shall be)!