First I want to say a huge thank you to everyone. I have lurked here and asked a few questions and I am so thankful for all the helpful information. I interviewed this morning at 8:30 and it went great and I felt confident (except for being alternative cert) and the principal said they would let me know by the end of the week (I knew she hired fast) anyway she called me at noon and offered me the job!!! It is at my dream district (my daughters school) and my dream year-Kindergarten!!!! I am so excited. Thank You for all your help!
Congratulations... enjoy the rest of your summer knowing that you'll start your dream job soon!!! YEAH!
Congratulations! I am also alt cert. I'm beginning my search here in Houston. What was the format of you interview. Where you required to teach a lesson?
Hi. I have subbed at the school for almost 3 years. Luckily no lesson (I would have had a hard time doing that to the principal and 4 others) It was a panel interview with the principal, counselor, vice principal and 1 teacher from 2nd (another teacher (from K)was suppossed to be there but hadn't arrived and they didn't want to make me wait) They asked about 2-3 questions each-It was really informal and laid back. When I left there was a young girl (probably recent grad waiting) and one outside in her car reading her interview notes==she was dressed in jeans. I wore a suit even though I knew the campus was casual (they wear jeans, capris and flip flops) It really helped that I had subbed there and knew how they did things. At one point that said oh you must have had all this in your training and I said no I learned that here my acutual classroom training doesn't start until next week and the vice p goes wow we must train well and laughed. Sorry so long. Send me a private message if you want me to let you know anything else. I will be glad to tell you the questions I remember. I'm a little to typey (chatty) to answer it all here. LOL
Congrats!! And include all the details you can think of. Anyone who isn't interested can stop reading, but something you remember may help someone else!!
Ok guys just remember you asked for it! LOL 1st they asked me to tell them about myself and then they asked about how my previous employers would describe my work ethic. I said organized dependable and a few other things and added that I had seen the last two after leaving and they asked me to come back What would they see in my classroom (how it would look and what we might be doing) Huge one was reading Luckily I knew how they taught reading in K-2 (all the same) and just stated the same--that seemed to impress them the most. How would I keep parents informed. I mentioned weekly newsletter (which I know they require) early get to know you type meeting. Any problems (poor performance consistent poor behaviour I would set up a meeting or atleast a phone call) Behavious program (again I just used what they all use there---lots of praise for positive, move name to a different color --the colors all have a certain meaning. What would you do with a child that has a lot of behavious problems and had I dealt with any in my subbing exp. Again my subbing there helped me because I knew of a few in K and I just talked about how I handled them (One had extremely bad behaviour at times (probably ADD) and he threw a fit at the end of the day when I was lining them up-I told him to go to bus # and he thought his mother was picking him up. I told him I would make sure he got to his mother and I would stop by and double check at the office and finally got him in line then he threw another fit in the gym (after I checked and mother was not coming) and the vice pricinpal got involved and basically did the same that I did. And they asked me if I liked to work in a team and why. Ofcourse I said team and then went on to say I would be a huge thief and that anytime a teacher popped in to see me they would probably be able to say hey I do that in my class. Well they laughed and said all teachers are thiefs we are constantly stealing ideas. They asked me about integrating subjects and I said since I had never developed a lesson plan the only example I could use was my daughter and our summer project using the summer program they sell (History of Australia, studied great barrier reef-life form around, made boomerang, compared size of the reef to other things ie grand canyon eiffel tower etc. ) They asked me what I like to do outside of work. And then they asked me a few questions about the alt program. The only 2 questions I asked at the end (it was hard to come up with some since I knew a lot of them already) was new programs for the upcoming year and did the k follow a set curriculum like 1st and 2nd. That is all I remember. If I have totally confused you let me know and I will try to be clearer LOL. I am so scattered right now trying to get ready (I have 3 weeks of classes starting Monday) I have to sign my contract next week and I get my keys then too. Yeah...Scattered but excited!
Whoo hoo! Congratulations! That is great to be hired the same day as your interview. Have fun with the Kindergartners! (that is my dream year, too!)
Congratulations! It's inspiring to be hired soon after your interview and not be left hanging in thin air of suspension. Celebrate, kiss the kids, enjoy the rest of summer!
