Today I had my last observation for student teaching (woot woot...8 days left baby!)! This was an event in and of itself. So as we're driving home from VA Sunday, my advisor emails me and asks if she can push up my last observation from next Thursday to...TUESDAY!
 |
| source |
SURE! LET ME JUST WHIP UP A 9 PAGE LESSON PLAN WITH ALL KINDSA CRAP IN IT THAT I'LL NEVER NEED TO WRITE. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO. THIS ISN'T A HOLIDAY OR ANYTHING! I DON'T HAVE AN INTERVIEW IN 12 HOURS OR ANYTHING! SURE I'D LOVE TO BE OBSERVED TUESDAY AT 10!
So I obviously kept this all to myself and replied with a "Sure! Sounds great! We can't wait to see you!" *My advisor told me I could turn in a short lesson plan on Tuesday and the 9 pager later this week. Later this week means Sunday at 9 pm, correct?*
So anyway, the observation went great and she told me that I have grown so much since her first observation. The Fail Whale Lesson you can find a link to here ----------> Fail Whale
Okay, cut to yesterday. I had an interview in a town near TCNJ for a 3rd grade general ed position!
 |
| source |
I love 3rd grade! It was my favorite grade in school and my 3rd grade teacher was my everything! She was one of the main reasons why I went into education. She was a flawless teacher! I'm hoping to hear back about a possible demo lesson by Friday. Fingers crossed and prayers!
So on my way to my interview I realized I have some weird Pre-Interview Rituals. Instead of keeping them to myself and keeping up the facade that I'm not a total weirdo, I'm going to share them with you and the information super highway!
- Pre-Interview Playlist! Feel free to copy this playlist because it is a rocking good time! This a time for pump up jams!
 |
| source |
- Can't Hold Us- Mackelmore
- Settlin'- Sugarland
- Eye of the Tiger-Survivor (Don't judge! You know that is the universal pump up jam of the human race!)
- Don't Wake Me Up-Avicci
- Pompei-Bastille
- Jesus and Gravity- Dolly Parton (Any time you can involve Jesus on an interview day is a good thing)
- Man I Feel Like A Woman-Shania Twain
- Live Your Life-T.I. feat. Rihanna
- Stronger- Kanye West (yes Kanye is a jerk, but that song pumps. you. up)
- Jock Jams-Any and all Jock Jams songs work to pump you up!
- I'll Make A Man Out of You-Mulan
----Also, they only work if you sing loudly and off key-----
2. When I get to my interview (20 minutes early...to show commitment my hatred of being late), I touch my make up up and fix my dress and head in. Also, I say a prayer that I don't forget how to speak and to make sure that no curse words slip out. All the while, I listen to my inner Captain America, Chris Evans and his words of wisdom. I was watching an interview with him a few weeks ago and he said that if he could give his younger self advice it would be to say "SHHHHHHH" to his inner voice. SHHHHH to all the doubt, the inner running dialogue, the inner everything, and just...be. To watch the full interview -------> SHHHHH
It's really good advice. And who better to dispense life advice than Captain America? Captain America has zero super powers--he's just a solid, patriotic, formerly short and skinny, good guy. The kinda guy you wanna take home to mom. Does it strike anyone strange that Captain America NEVER gets the girl?! Like...ever! He's visually appealing and fabulous! He even wears a uniform! The casting directors and Stan Lee can't write him a girlfriend?! The things that keep me up at night! Also, if Stan Lee is reading this, please send my contract via the email address located in the upper right hand corner.
Anyway, it's great advice. Often times I have 19952353523 ideas, thoughts, things I want to remember, junk, running through my mind. If you need a visual, just think of Captain America running around Monument Park in D.C. Just random, boisterous, nervous thoughts! No bueno por favor!
So now, I just tell my inner goober to SHHHHHHHH!
3. I want to thank the random little girl at the school who sat down next to me and chatted me up about her Vegetable Play! Yes, a little child sat next to a very nervous (but trying to play it cool) me and began talking about her Vegetable Play. She was chatty, personable, and calmed my nerves. We talked about her play, the veggie songs and dances she did, and how she was a french fry! Can we pause and talk about how adorable that is? When the principal came out to bring me back, I bid her adieu and good luck with her future acting in produce themed plays. Fingers crossed she gets that role as a tomato!
4. Okay, so this might seem stupid and a horrible idea but aren't great ideas just one step away from being horrible?! Yes! So....drum roll please....drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...When I am getting ready for an interview, I pretend that I'm a guest on the Ellen show. Some might think this is dumb but hear me out!
Guests on Ellen are all super relaxed and comfortable (except for Chelsea Handler...does anyone else remember that interview? AWWWWWKWWWAAARD!), funny, and personable. No one goes on Ellen tense. No one is a robot. Everyone is genuinely themselves but perkier! That is what I pretend to be when I'm in an interview. I just pretend that my good friend Ellen is interviewing me. Don't we all consider Ellen our friend?
Think about it, these people have interviewed dozens of people for the same position...probably for the past couple of hours or days on end. They are bored. They don't want to hear the same canned answers over and over and over again, no they want to be entertained. You need to make them smile and REMEMBER you! You want to stand out as being someone who is smart, qualified, and personable. This is especially important in the field of education. In education, you are constantly dealing with people. There is NEVER a time when you are alone (seriously, even in the lav someone will inevitably knock on the door.). The principal and other interviewers want to know that you can interact with people. If you can make friends with people you just met (your interviewers) then you can probably be trusted to interact with colleagues, students, support staff, and parents.
5. Pray! I pray all day everyday but after an interview I pray super duper hard!
6. Write thank you notes! Jennifer Aniston wrote Ellen a thank you for having her on her show. If Jen and Ellen are thank you note kinda ladies, YOU are a thank you note kinda lady. Handwritten of course, on pink paper. Thank you notes are just good taste. These people took the time to interview you and picked you to come to their school. That is YUUUUGE!
So I hope you enjoyed some of the weird things I do during an interview! Do you have any weird interview pump up rituals?
xoxo,
Er
No comments:
Post a Comment