Feeling very excited about getting an interview for the year 1 job I had applied for, I decided I would work hard to prepare for this interview so that I could not possibly let this job get away. Although I have applied for jobs from year 1 right up to year 5, I really prefer to work with the younger children and so getting the opportunity to work in year 1, despite it being for 2 terms only, was very exciting.
They asked me to prepare a 30 minute lesson for 15 children on "an aspect of literacy". As this seemed a bit vague, I called to ask for more information. They said I could teach anything I felt comfortable with. Fantastic! I already had the outline of a lesson based on "The Gruffalo" (if you are not familiar with this story, you should have a read. It's my favourite children's book ever.)which I had used for a previous interview lesson I had done. It would need tweaking as there were more children this time and I had an extra 15 minutes, but I had struggled last time to confine it to the time allowed so I would not have any problem extending the activities. I was grateful for having this lesson already prepared for me, as I was trying to work as much as possible that week as the following week was half term and I would not have any work at all.
Thursday came and I was feeling a bit nervous, as a few people had said some less-than-positive things about the school and I was starting to worry that I might get the job and end up really hating it there. I was grateful, however, for an experienced teacher-friend with whom I talked through my lesson, as she made me realise that I was not very clear about the objective of the lesson. I apologise to non-teachers who may not think this is significant, but the teachers and especially those who have just come out of teacher training who read my blog will know how much emphasis is put on the "Learning Objectives". If I had gone to the interview not knowing what the objective of my lesson was, there would be no chance of being offered the job.
I got to the school in plenty of time, took a deep breath and went in. The great thing about teaching jobs is that you invariably find out whether you have been successful by the end of that day and if you are not successful, most schools offer helpful feedback so you know what to do differently next time.
My lesson went very well. The children were little stars: very well behaved and participated well. I enjoyed it and almost forgot that I was being observed. I felt comfortable and I think because of that, I was able to be myself. When I left the classroom they gave me feedback straight away, which I really liked as it put me at ease. It was very positive. They said lots of nice things about my lesson which made me feel so much more confident. After doing weeks of supply where you go into the class, teach and go out again with no feedback at all, it was refreshing to hear that what I am actually doing is good.
The interview was quite relaxed although I was not prepared for some of the questions they asked. I knew what I wanted to say, but it just wouldn't come out. As anyone who knows me will confirm, I never have trouble talking. Although I know I often talk rubbish (I don't think I am alone!) I can usually express myself fairly well in language which is acceptable in the classroom as well as the sort of language which would probably render me unfit to work with children.
I had to wait until late that afternoon to hear that I had not got the job. They said they had loved my lesson, that I was one of the strongest candidates for classroom practice, but unfortunately I could not articulate well enough during interview some of the aspects of teaching they had asked me about. So, do they want me to teach or do they want me to talk about it?
"You are clearly going to make a very good teacher," he said, "but you need to have some 'ready answers' to interview questions." (???)
I am starting to lose faith in teaching. I am really loving supply with its lack of planning and assessment, the great money and the flexibility to take a day off when I want to. Judging by the emails I have received from my Newly Qualified Teacher friends this week, I am not the only one to become disillusioned. At least 2 of them have admitted that they are going to quit teaching at the end of the summer term if not before and I get the impression that others are considering it. They are all good teachers and it would be a real shame for them to give up so early, but I think the expectations are often unrealistic and speaking to more experienced teachers, although it does get easier after the first year, the pressure is always on.
Work with the most stressed out people in the world...use your head....TEACH!
