Looking back

I had my second interview with the high school yesterday. It was absolutely delightful. Reflecting back, I marvel at how very different it was from my two public (middle) school interviews...where they were formal, highly structured, and left me feeling a bit shellshocked, my two interviews here were more discussion-based, informal, and holistic. It could be compared to taking two different types of exams: one is a fill-in-the-blank test that evaluates what you've memorized and the other is an essay exam that lets you make connections and explain things in your own terms. Frankly, I hate fill-in-the-blank and short answer tests. I made two B's in my second college career, both of which were in classes taught by professors who evaluated learning based on specific details. I am not a memorizer. I know my content, but I can't simply pull "facts" out of the air (one of the questions in my Rise of Medieval Civilization class was 'What is a wergeld?' I missed that one...I studied overarching themes and major characters and events rather than random trivia. The professor even described that section of the exam as "Jeopardy questions"). When the interviewers at the public schools asked me for specific examples of things, i.e., "tell me about a time while you were student teaching when a student stood up to you" or "tell me which learning models you found particularly useful while student teaching," I struggled. It felt like my portfolio panel, including the sense of relief when it was over. Looking back at my earlier reflections, I kept going back to what I wished the interviewers had asked. Maybe it's a middle school thing...I've never interviewed at a public high school so I don't know what questions to expect from a high school interviewer.

Anyway, this was an amazing experience. I was sold from the get-go. Everything the principal said about education and social studies spoke to my heart. As I listened to him, I kept thinking to myself that THIS is what a school should be. The school's college preparatory focus matches my own. One of my goals as a teacher is to prepare my students for their future academic lives. Education isn't just about the here and now or about the next test, it's about the future. As a substitute, I preface many of my statements with "when you're in college." I teach the way I drive, looking ahead as far as possible to anticipate what's coming. From all indications, it matches this school to a tee.

I hope I get this job. If I don't, I'll understand. I'll be disappointed, but I'll move on and I will take something positive out of it. I already have...I know I have what it takes and I'm continuing to learn more about myself as I reflect back on my interviews. Every experience is a step in the right direction.