I GOT AN INTERVIEW!!!!

[Tacori E-ring]

Good luck! I also have an important interview coming up. Nervous. I know you will do great and hope it goes well!

 

[CJ2008]

oh, this is great, Haven! Hope you get the job!

tons of dust your way!

ETA: Elmorton, wish I was going for a teaching position just to take advantage of that awesome advice!

 

[Haven]

Thanks so much for all the dust, everyone!

Tacori--Best of luck to you for your interview! Loads of dust right back at ya!

 

[April20]

Haven, that is awesome! Congrats on getting the interview. I am sure you will do wonderfully, but PS dust to help that along!!

 

[icekid]

Congrats, Haven! I suspect you didn''t need the PS dust with all of your skills and talent, though

No doubt you''ll do a fab job at the interview. More PS dust coming your way

 

[katamari]

Wow, Haven! The interview alone is an AMAZING accomplishment!

I am guessing this is an MLA field since you used to teach English, and that market is unbelievably hyper competitive. The interview is a HUGE and AWESOME success in and of itself, so even if you don''t get the job, know that you seriously ROCK!

But, because you really deserve more than just the interview, GO GET THAT JOB!

************DUST!********DUST!*********DUST!**************


I just went through the TT search myself, and here''s some unsolicited advice I can add to Elmorton''s wonderful suggestions:

The classroom experience questions I encountered the most were: How do you know when your teaching is successful? What is the most challenging situation you faced in the classroom and how did you address it? Why do you use the materials/textbooks you do? How would you teach Course XXX? If their ad calls for someone to teach a specific course or topic, have that course or those courses at least mentally prepped. What would you assign? What would they read? What would the course meetings be like (mostly lecture, mostly discussion, etc.) and why?

For your teaching demo: While I agree to do something comfortable, I think you have to do something captivating (or at least entertaining). I suggest incorporating discussion questions as a minimum (even if you demo to a canned audience which makes it strange), but you could also incorporate an activity, a thought experiment, or supportive media. Obviously make sure it is relevant and not gratuitous, but it is something that can set you apart from other candidates. Also, DON''T GO OVER THE TIME YOU ARE GIVEN! Not even by one second. And don''t go under by more than 2 minutes.

In preparation: Find out if the college has uniform standards for courses or not. If they teach one uniform section of Basketweaving 101 with standardized readings and assignments, you don''t want to go in talking about how you want to do it differently or why your way is better. But, if not, you want to have a plan. Also, to build on Elmorton''s suggestions, know where students come from/go to as well as retention. Given that there are students who either come from Nearby State Flagship University or transfer in after being less than ideally successful at NSFU, be prepared to discuss how you will prepare students for NSFU''s curricula while also succeeding in education where NSFU failed (while also acknowledging that you will also be dealing with students who are interested in a terminal AA or just continuing education with ideas on how to tie them in, too). I also think it is important to know the college''s mission statement and what they are doing to accomplish it. Especially if you have to meet with higher ups (Deans, Provosts, Chairs), this will be very impressive.

Easy enough, right?

YAY! Congrats!

 

[Haven]

April and icekid--Thank you!!!!

Kata--WOW! Thank you for all of that advice. Between you and El, I feel like I have some amazing insight. Thank you so much!
I'm really glad you mentioned the timing of my teaching demo. I'll have to get some serious practice runs in before the interview day.

I went out to the college today so I could scope out where to park, and find the department office so I wouldn't feel lost the day of the interview. It's a huge campus, so I'm glad I went.

I also went on the school's online bookstore and figured out that they use common required texts for all of the classes I'll be teaching. Of course, it's a special text published just for the college so I couldn't find out much about it online. So, I popped into the bookstore and the nice young man working there pulled out the books for me and unwrapped them so I could look inside. I ended up buying one of them. I'm *really* glad I did that because it's obvious from the books that our approaches to the teaching of reading are really in sync. I was happy to see that, because I'm even more confident that this would be a good fit.

Thanks again for all the support and advice, everyone. I'm so looking forward to the interview.

 

[monarch64]

Haven, just wanted to add some dust towards your interview! Very exciting! It sounds like you are well-prepared and the interview itself should be a breeze for you. They won''t know what hit them!

 

[Blair138]

Haven CONGRATS!!! I wish you all the best and I know that you will do fantastic in your interview.

 

[katamari]

No problem, Haven! Glad it helped. I think it was a great idea to pick up the book. Fit is everything in a TT search (that and making sure you will be an enjoyable colleague, which you have in the bag).

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thanks Haven! I know you will do great.

 

[zoebartlett]

Much dust to you, Haven! I''m so excited for you!

 

[Haven]

Monnie, Blair, Kata, Tacori, Zoe--Thank you for your support!

Okay, my interview is this Wednesday, and I get unusually nervous every time I think about it. I don''t typically get nervous when it comes to these things, but I feel my heart rate go up every time I start to mentally prepare for the interview.

I think it''s a combination of the following:
- This position is a really good fit. From the college''s mission to the way the department chooses to teach and assess students, my philosophies about teaching and pedagogy could not be more aligned with theirs.
- This is what I left my high school job to pursue--a FT college position--and I think the weight of that is making this interview feel even more important.
- I''ve never been on this side of an interview panel. I sat on five interview panels in my former job, but my lack of experience as the interviewee is making this feel like I''m wading through uncharted territory.
- I know this is a rare opportunity, to even interview for a position that is such a great fit, so I really want to get the job.

SO, my new question is this: How do you calm your nerves before an interview, or any other situation where you feel extremely nervous?

This is what I have been doing:
- I''ve practiced my teaching demo repeatedly. Poor DH knows quite a bit about main idea and theme by now.
- I''ve compiled El''s and Kata''s advice with other advice from articles about higher ed teaching interviews, and I''ve been going through each point to familiarize myself with the process and mentally prepare for various possible interview questions.
- I think of a ridiculously funny situation every time I get very nervous, and that snaps me out of it for a bit.
- I''ve been flying through the last Harry Potter book because I put the interview prep stuff away whenever I get too worked up about it, and seek refuge in a book. (But I don''t want to finish HP too soon because I''m very sad that this is the end of the series!)

Am I spending too much time thinking about it? Do I need to back off a bit? What do you do?

Thank you for your advice, everyone!

 

[elrohwen]

It sounds like you have the preparing part down, so I would put a time limit on it. Say you''ll practice for an hour, or two hours, or whatever, then be done for the day and do something else. I believe it''s possible to spend so much time preparing that you psych yourself out.

 

[zoebartlett]

Well, I''ve never interviewed for college teaching positions (only elementary), but I generally review typical interview questions (found online or in notes from previous interviews I''ve done while on panels). I also reread my philosophy statement just to remember important points to mention. It sounds like you have the prep down though. I just find that the more I go over these things and my answers to possible questions, the more relaxed I feel. When my mind goes numb from reading the same material over and over again, I put my notes away for a bit and do something else.

I don''t know if that helped because interviewing for a primary teaching position is obviously very different than interviewing for a college position.

GOOD LUCK Haven!

 

[luckystar112]

Haven, I just want to say good luck during your interview, I know you will do great! You are so very lucky to have found an institution that you will sync well with. I will be keeping an eye on this thread to see how you do. Also, the information provided by El and Kat is invaluable. I will be bookmarking it for future use!

While I'm here, I hope it's okay if I ask you a couple of questions. My ultimate goal, like you, is a position at a CC in the future. But, it will be a while for me since I am still an undergrad (I'm graduating in May). I remember that you once said you got an adjunct position at a CC by contacting the Department Chair and basically convincing her (him?) that you will do whatever it takes to be a great teacher. I'm thinking that I may try this approach at my local CC to see what they say...
How did you do it? Did you set up a meeting with the Chair, or did you email? If you emailed, did you include your resume? Were you already accepted to Grad school?

Right now I am doing the Alternative Teaching Certification in my state, and I'll be honest, I don't think I'm as passionate as I should be for k-12. I've been saying to myself that I'll use it as a back-up until I apply for/graduate from Grad school and can find a position at a CC. But I get a sinking feeling when I picture myself teaching ANY k-12. Not only that, but between the 350 people in my ATC programs, all of the OTHER companies that offer it, and the direct hires straight out of college, getting a job will be difficult with or without "passion". I KNOW higher education is where I would be a better fit. I'm continuing on with the Alternative Certification though, because at the very least they teach you classroom management and how to create a great portfolio for interviews. When you met with the Department Chair way back then did you have a portfolio prepared for them? Were you already certified in certain areas? One of the tests I've been approved to take is for ESL. Any other certification areas you think would be good?

This is way longer than I thought. Sorry to hijack your thread with my problems. lol. Answer only if you want to get your mind off of the interview.

Again, good luck! I know you'll be great.

 

[marcy]

Haven, good luck with your interview. It sounds like you are well prepared.

 

[iheartscience]

Good luck tomorrow, Haven! It sounds like you''re as prepared as you can be! Tons more dust headed your way and I''ll keep my fingers crossed for you tomorrow!

 

[jas]

Late to the party, but still tossing lots of dust your way!!!!

It sounds like a great fit and I totally understand how that can "weigh down" your mental state. From all I''ve read from you here on PS, you are a phenomenal educator and...MORE IMPORTANTLY...a phenomenal person. If that comes across in a forum, it will absolutely come across in a RL interview.

Knock ''em dead, lady!

 

[Haven]

Thanks again for all of your support, everyone.

The interview went really well. I was given a half hour tour of the school, which was only long enough to see about 20% of it, it's enormous and really beautiful. Then they gave me the list of questions they planned to ask and I had 15 minutes to look them over. They were really serious about sticking to a schedule, so they wanted the interview to go smoothly. This was really nice, as I felt very prepared walking in to the actual interview.
Then I did my teaching demo and it went really well.

In all, I really liked everyone on the panel. There were only five people, so that was a nice small number. The department seems really dedicated yet laid back, and I can see myself getting on well with everyone. They do expect instructors to contribute to the field, of course, and they made a point that they prefer instructors who plan to publish and present.
I wasn't nervous at all, that tour really calmed my nerves, it's a great setup.

So, I went in there and answered all of their questions honestly, and my instruction wasn't marred by nerves or anything like that. I felt like I was really on point, and I connected well with the panel. At this point, I'm confident that if this is the right place for me that would have been obvious in the interview, so now all I can do is wait.

Jas--You are so sweet, thank you!
El and Kata--Thank you so much for your advice, it was spot on. I felt very prepared going in thanks to you two!

Lucky--Thanks for your kind words!
When I went out for my adjunct position I saw that my local CC had an opening, so I submitted my materials through their online website and then followed up with a call to the department chair. (I have since learned that this is a big no-no, but I didn't know that back then.) She was really receptive, set up a time to meet, and I came in with paper copies of my credentials. I was enrolled in grad school at the time, but it was an MA in teaching, not my reading degree, yet. We had a very informal meeting, she asked me why I was interested in an adjunct position, and she handed me a copy of the course curriculum and a schedule at the end of our time together. I will say I work at a very laid back school, I can't imagine it's that informal everywhere, but it worked! (It's important to note that I teach developmental reading, so my classes are not for transferable credit. THAT is why I was able to teach without my MEd back then.) So, at the time all I had was my BA in English and a couple MA in teaching courses under my belt. No certs, no master's.

Check out your local CC--do they have developmental courses? I would bet that they do. If so, it is likely that you can teach those without a master's degree. What is your bachelor's degree going to be in?

I think it's wise to get your certificate, so it's great that you're staying in the program. My MA in teaching courses really helped me prepare to teach anything, not just grades 6-12.

As for areas of teaching, are you at all interested in reading? All I know is Illinois, but I can tell you that since I started teaching reading it has seriously exploded as the most desired specialization. My MEd in reading and literacy was an unbelievable program, and after earning that I was able to sit for the state reading specialist exam, which qualified me for a K-12 reading specialist cert. There is a high demand for reading specialists at all levels here in IL--kindergarten through college. If you're interested, definitely check out the demand in your state. I love teaching reading, and I plan on staying in reading for my entire career, if possible. I started out as a die hard member of the literati, but I've discovered that working with developmental reading and writing students is pure joy.

I hope that info helps. If you want, start a thread and we can discuss more there. Maybe El and Kata will pop in, too. I think both ladies have far more experience than I do with college teaching.

 

[Lilac]

Glad the interview went well, Haven! I''m sure they loved you and hopefully this will work out for you if it''s what you want! Keep us updated

 

[Smurfysmiles]

I''m glad it went well! I''m hoping this is a good week for us PSers to get jobs, I have an interview tomorrow and I''m very nervous as well! It''s the most challenging job I''ll have had so far and best paying as well

 

[luckystar112]

Hi Haven!
I''m so glad your interview went well! The demo would be enough to make me nervous. Did they give you the material to cover beforehand and ask you to plan a lesson around it, or did you come up with something yourself?

To answer your questions...I''m majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies (BS). I was originally supposed to minor in English but I (regretfully) dropped it in order to save money (I am a joint admission student through my local CC and for some reason my university accepts more transfer credits with no minor). However, I do have a combined 27 hours in English. The CC that I got my AA in does offer developmental courses--developmental reading, writing, and ESL, and the minimum requirement for all is a Bachelor''s degree.

I contacted one of my previous instructors at the CC. She is the English instructor who inspired me with her courses! I owe my love of literature to her. I asked her what I could do to make myself more marketable since thus far I have mostly been focused on k-12. She explained to me that all of the departments are separate (English, ESL, Writing, Reading) but offered to put me in touch with people that might be able to help me. She seemed thrilled that I''m considering it, which was so uplifting. It was in her Creative Writing class that I wrote a short story that went on to win 2nd place prose in the CC''s Creative Writing Contest.

Anyway, I know that the CC I''m interested in doesn''t shy away from hiring recent grads. I''ve had Government and Speech instructors who were my age and fresh out of college (I started school at age 23, hence why I''m so far behind). Right now the only positions available are adjunct, so I am a tad worried about pay. They pay $39.40 per contact hour and they do not allow you to go beyond what would be considered half-time for a full-time instructor. And what I also noticed is that some of the schools (all part of the same CC system) say in the job description that they adjunct instructors are not allowed to teach more than 5 courses in one academic year. That is kind of a downer---and confusing, because I''m not sure if it applies to that one school or the whole system. For example, can I teach 3 classes at one school and 3 at another, or would that be going over the 5-course limit? I still have a lot of questions.

With that being said, I do not mind adjunct because I now (more than ever) am looking into going to Grad school. I wish I was, but sadly am NOT, one of those people who can work and go to school full time and still maintain a 3.8 GPA. I noticed that a university close to me offers a Master of Education in Reading--12 courses, 36 hours. I should probably look into it, huh?

 

[Haven]

Hi, Lucky,

For the teaching demo they gave me a specific student outcome, lesson topics, and a narrative and non-narrative piece to use in the lesson. I thought I would be nervous, but I was the least nervous during the demo because I was teaching--that''s what I do every day! I think after teaching a few years you just turn on whenever you''re doing a lesson.

I can''t believe 27 hours in English isn''t enough for a minor--my MAJOR was English and I only needed 30 hours in it! (At the time, the English dept required English majors to have a supporting minor, so I have something like 36 hours in English and 36 hours in technical theatre.)

Definitely contact the ESL and reading departments. It''s great that you attended the CC, the schools in my area LOVE to hire alums. I will tell you that full time positions are extremely difficult to come by around here. I''d say at least half of the English faculty in my CC moved here from other states just for the job. It''s a crazy competitive job field.

We structure our pay differently. I earn $850 per credit hour that I teach per semester, so I''m currently teaching 9 hours of classes so I''ll earn $7,650 this term. We can only teach up to 9 hours per semester in my school. FT instructors teach 12 to 15 hours. I could teach another 9 hours in another CC though, so I''m not sure if the fact that the schools in your area are all connected means you can''t do that. Most adjuncts I know teach classes in multiple CCs.

If you''re interested in pursuing a reading and literacy degree, let me know if you have any questions. There are a couple of reading specialists here on PS, and we work with different age groups so you could get a lot of different perspectives.

 

[perry]

Glad the interview went well.

Best wishes on getting the job.

Perry