A Job
Well, even though I posted on Facebook about my job several times, I haven't done so on my blog, and it appears that a lot of people are somehow in the dark about it. So here's the scoop.
I interviewed at Taylorsville High School in Granite District. It went really well, but I did not get the job.
A couple of days later, I get a call from the secretary at Jefferson Junior High School in Kearns (near West Valley/Salt Lake). It's obviously for an interview.
When we started the interview, Mr. Anthony, the principal, informed me that the spot at Jefferson was opened because the teacher was hired on at Taylorsville High. So they didn't even post the position at all. They just called Taylorsville and asked for their top seven interviewers. I was one of them.
The position was for four classes of regular 9th grade English, and two classes of reading. The new hire could be hired depending on their willingness to get a reading endorsement.
Mr. Anthony (the principal), a reading specialist, and another woman were the interviewers. They asked the basic questions. I actually had a copy of the sheet of questions that they asked, but I think I tossed it. I did really well and felt very confident about how I answered all of the questions in the interview. I had no doubts about any of it afterward. I didn't think, "Oh man I should have said this or added this or said this differently." It was the only interview I walked out of 100% confident.
After the interview was over, the reading specialist wanted to know what my experience was with reading. What the heck kind of question is that? Um, well, I read a lot. I've read since I was 6 years old. Books are fun?
Good thing I didn't say that. I asked for a little clarification, just if she meant in general or in regard to education, etc. I informed them that I had taken a teaching reading class at BYU under the fabulous Sirpa Grierson, where she included many reading strategies for students to use before, during, and after reading. I also added that I spent almost a whole term on reading strategies alone. The reading specialist said, "Wow! Really?" I could tell she was impressed, so I went on. I told her that they had a chart that they had to keep track of--the name of the strategy, when to use it, and how to use it. And that we went on to practice the strategy together. I said if I had to do it over again, I'd have done the reading strategies at the beginning of the year so that we could use them throughout our novels. She said, "Well that would have been ideal, but you know, you were a brand new teacher, you're still learning. We're ALL still learning! I've been teaching for 20 something years and am still learning!" She was very enthusiastic and seemed impressed.
Needless to say, I felt that this little "off the record" bit at the end really helped persuade them to want to hire me. That and that I understand and speak Spanish--being that there's a Hispanic population of 37% at that school.
They said they'd let me know very soon because they want to get that spot filled. I interviewed on Friday, June 4. They had their last interview the following Monday, so I thought I wouldn't know until the end of that following week for sure. Surely they'd need time to discuss if their last interview was Monday.
Well, I was at work at Blockbuster on Monday, June 7. I was telling my friend Dan how anxious I was to know about what job I was going to have, where I would live, etc. I heard that I had a voicemail on my phone. I called and checked it.
It was Mr. Anthony, the principal, wondering if I'd return his call.
Last time a principal left a message like that, it was from San Juan School District, offering me a job. My heart started racing a little bit.
I asked Dan if I could PLEASE call right now. So I did.
Mr. Anthony told me that I was their top candidate. They wanted to extend the open position to me. As he told me this, I was jumping up and down, my mouth wide open (trying not to make any sounds), and I started going in circles as I jumped... Plus I let out a little squeal, and I hope he didn't hear it. But I was ecstatic!
I asked how much time I had to give an answer. He said I certainly have time, but that they'd want one of their top candidates so the sooner the better, hopefully the next day. I thanked him repeatedly and said I'd get back to him the following day.
It's not that I really needed to think about it... It's that I wanted to pray and make sure it was right. Never once did I or have I felt any hesitation or turmoil about my answer. So I called back on June 8th from the airport in Phoenix, Arizona, to inform them that I would accept the position.
And off I went to vacation in Hawaii for two weeks with a job to come back to!
So, the school seems pretty old actually, and it will have its challenges (there was a shooting there last year, I guess?). I've made a comprehensive chart of the apartment complexes I would consider moving to. It's going to take a lot of driving and note taking for me to decide, though I am mostly considering living in Murray for a 20 minute drive to work. I'd like to not live in the same city as my students. It's no fun seeing them around town, as much as I love them.
Tomorrow at 11 I am going to the school to get a tour, receive my keys, and enter my classroom. I am EXTREMELY excited for this new phase in my life and career. It feels so much more real than my internship, so much more deserved and permanent. I hope I like it here, and I'm so grateful to have gotten a job and to have had so many interviews and opportunities.
The Lord looks out for our interest.
I interviewed at Taylorsville High School in Granite District. It went really well, but I did not get the job.
A couple of days later, I get a call from the secretary at Jefferson Junior High School in Kearns (near West Valley/Salt Lake). It's obviously for an interview.
When we started the interview, Mr. Anthony, the principal, informed me that the spot at Jefferson was opened because the teacher was hired on at Taylorsville High. So they didn't even post the position at all. They just called Taylorsville and asked for their top seven interviewers. I was one of them.
The position was for four classes of regular 9th grade English, and two classes of reading. The new hire could be hired depending on their willingness to get a reading endorsement.
Mr. Anthony (the principal), a reading specialist, and another woman were the interviewers. They asked the basic questions. I actually had a copy of the sheet of questions that they asked, but I think I tossed it. I did really well and felt very confident about how I answered all of the questions in the interview. I had no doubts about any of it afterward. I didn't think, "Oh man I should have said this or added this or said this differently." It was the only interview I walked out of 100% confident.
After the interview was over, the reading specialist wanted to know what my experience was with reading. What the heck kind of question is that? Um, well, I read a lot. I've read since I was 6 years old. Books are fun?
Good thing I didn't say that. I asked for a little clarification, just if she meant in general or in regard to education, etc. I informed them that I had taken a teaching reading class at BYU under the fabulous Sirpa Grierson, where she included many reading strategies for students to use before, during, and after reading. I also added that I spent almost a whole term on reading strategies alone. The reading specialist said, "Wow! Really?" I could tell she was impressed, so I went on. I told her that they had a chart that they had to keep track of--the name of the strategy, when to use it, and how to use it. And that we went on to practice the strategy together. I said if I had to do it over again, I'd have done the reading strategies at the beginning of the year so that we could use them throughout our novels. She said, "Well that would have been ideal, but you know, you were a brand new teacher, you're still learning. We're ALL still learning! I've been teaching for 20 something years and am still learning!" She was very enthusiastic and seemed impressed.
Needless to say, I felt that this little "off the record" bit at the end really helped persuade them to want to hire me. That and that I understand and speak Spanish--being that there's a Hispanic population of 37% at that school.
They said they'd let me know very soon because they want to get that spot filled. I interviewed on Friday, June 4. They had their last interview the following Monday, so I thought I wouldn't know until the end of that following week for sure. Surely they'd need time to discuss if their last interview was Monday.
Well, I was at work at Blockbuster on Monday, June 7. I was telling my friend Dan how anxious I was to know about what job I was going to have, where I would live, etc. I heard that I had a voicemail on my phone. I called and checked it.
It was Mr. Anthony, the principal, wondering if I'd return his call.
Last time a principal left a message like that, it was from San Juan School District, offering me a job. My heart started racing a little bit.
I asked Dan if I could PLEASE call right now. So I did.
Mr. Anthony told me that I was their top candidate. They wanted to extend the open position to me. As he told me this, I was jumping up and down, my mouth wide open (trying not to make any sounds), and I started going in circles as I jumped... Plus I let out a little squeal, and I hope he didn't hear it. But I was ecstatic!
I asked how much time I had to give an answer. He said I certainly have time, but that they'd want one of their top candidates so the sooner the better, hopefully the next day. I thanked him repeatedly and said I'd get back to him the following day.
It's not that I really needed to think about it... It's that I wanted to pray and make sure it was right. Never once did I or have I felt any hesitation or turmoil about my answer. So I called back on June 8th from the airport in Phoenix, Arizona, to inform them that I would accept the position.
And off I went to vacation in Hawaii for two weeks with a job to come back to!
So, the school seems pretty old actually, and it will have its challenges (there was a shooting there last year, I guess?). I've made a comprehensive chart of the apartment complexes I would consider moving to. It's going to take a lot of driving and note taking for me to decide, though I am mostly considering living in Murray for a 20 minute drive to work. I'd like to not live in the same city as my students. It's no fun seeing them around town, as much as I love them.
Tomorrow at 11 I am going to the school to get a tour, receive my keys, and enter my classroom. I am EXTREMELY excited for this new phase in my life and career. It feels so much more real than my internship, so much more deserved and permanent. I hope I like it here, and I'm so grateful to have gotten a job and to have had so many interviews and opportunities.
The Lord looks out for our interest.
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