Over my 25 year career as a teacher, I prepared for and went through over 20 interviews. The number is so high because I chose to live and teach in 3 different countries, and 3 different provinces to acquire more 'tools' for my teacher tool box. Later on in my career, I went through several interviews as an experienced teacher whom had just finished her masters in education in Special Education. I received a lot of no's during interviews because most schools didn't want to pay for my expertise. Sad, yet true. Yet what I want to share with younger teachers is it so important to prepare well for each interview and rehearse answers to possible questions over and over again in front or a mirror by yourself, with a trusted family member or friend. You can never prepare too much!
Often I would write up some notes on what I wanted to share about myself, my skills as a teacher, my experience with kids, my knowledge on education on a Google Doc. Typing it up was the first step. Reading it over several times is the second step. Remembering to plug in those sound bites about yourself seamlessly in an interview takes a lot of practice. I prided myself on the fact that I secured all my teaching positions on the first interview during 20 years as a teacher. I just had difficulty in the end, where decisions were made to hire younger people than myself as a result of lower pay.
I hope you look at my list and it helps you create your own. Remember: "You are GREAT at what you do." You just have to express that "Greatness" often to complete strangers in the interview process.
Carrie, Remember to:
“Be myself.”
“School is focused on creating a safe place where each child feels a sense of belonging.”
“Focus is on knowing, guiding, helping each child be the best they can be.”
“Be my engaging, funny, authentic self.”
“Speak to my experience in different cultures and my ability to respect and work with children seamlessly from different cultures.”
“Talk about being a mother and making choices as a family to stay in each place knowing each member was happy and flourishing.”
“Mention that I have an adventurous spirit and had previously spent four years in N.C. as a student-athlete and university student and a year as a Catholic student volunteer all before deciding to become a teacher. I chose to be a teacher for three reasons: I love kids and wanted to make a difference in their lives and also saw it as an opportunity to travel and educate children in different cultures.”
“As a student-teacher at OISE from 1995, 1996, I learned the importance of self-reflection as a teacher. For over 20 years I have carried on that daily practice of self reflection into my all my positions in education and have grown tremendously over the years as a result. At the end of each school day, I take a few quiet moments to think about my day, my students, what went well and what didn’t and try to learn from the moments that did not go well. I make mental notes and jot notes down for the next day.”
“Talk about travelling to N.Z., to the eastern arctic and to the west coast has really influenced/formed my knowledge, my beliefs, my attitude, my pedagogy and how I educate the students within my care.”
“Over the year I realize that I am effective as a HPE teacher and classroom teacher for I teach and approach each student from a Sociocultural Perspective. I look at who they are, their own attitudes and beliefs and try to understand them for who they are and where they are at in the learning process...this approach helps create lessons for the class that are in each child’s zone of proximal development and to provide meaningful lessons that speak to their culture. That is my success as a teacher, treating each child like a human being. How I would want to be treated!”
“When I became a mother, I began to look at children differently. I constantly asked myself as a Teacher, “How would I want my child to be treated? How would I want my child spoken to? How would i handle this situation if it was my own child (in difficult behavioural situations)?”
“While teaching in Vancouver I had several parents approach me over the 5 years I spent there as a classroom teacher in grade 1 and 5. They said, “Ms. Powers we have never met another teacher like you. Thank you for all the work and care that you give my child! We really appreciate it!” I remember being and feeling surprised the first few times, yet upon self- reflection I realized I was just doing my professors taught me to do as a student-teacher at OISE….to be professional and to do what you could to help students feel safe, included and cared for and it will all work out. I take that lesson to heart every day I step in a school. I realize I am the teacher that I am today because of my education, my journey as a teacher and my desire to seek out new knowledge in order to meet the needs of my students. I am a life-long learner and always will be.”
Carrie M. Powers M.Ed… OCT (25 year career)