How My Interview for My Professional Development School Went (3/10/2014)

Hi friends!
Yet another day of me talking instead of the pugs, but I promise you will get to see a picture of George later this week as he samples some goodies from Mr. Chewy.  His eye is looking great, but will always have that pink-tongue look but it is not gruesome either that or I have become accustomed to it. (Bare with me!)

Anywho...onto the topic at hand.

I was the first one up in the interview process of being placed in my Professional Development School.  We just had Spring Ahead this past weekend and the caffeine had not had proper time to circulate within the veins of my interview group of educators and administrators; however, I thought it overall was a success, for me it was anyway.

I don't think I interview well because I am not one to "toot my own horn."  When they asked to describe yourself, I simply stated something to the following effect:  Hello! My name is Mindy Slimmer.  I have four pugs and four cats.  I live a simple life.  I work and go home afterward.  (I got a slight laugh).

But, it is the truth.  I am such a homebody outside of being at my "home" of work and school.

I did not mention the fact that I am an instructor for a local university because I did not think it was important enough to mention.  At least, my brain didn't think of bringing it up at the time.

I am going to read "Teach to Your Strengths" a book recommended to me by my advisor, Mr. Warner, and I took the Gallup strength measurement and found my strengths to be Learner (the process of learning is as important as the end result), Harmony (a person who wants peace and will try to bring others together), Input (an inquisitive person who tends to collect things such as books), Restorative (a person that loves to solve problems), and Responsibility (my #1 strength; I keep my promises and honor commitments).

I blame the fact that I didn't talk much about my Master's degree or the fact that I teach college-aged students on the "Learning" strength because I am one that loves to learn and doesn't care about the degree or title or anything of the sort.  At one time, I thought I would have liked "Dr." in front of my name, but I really did not care in the end.

It was a pretty easy interview process, but I think my question at the end (when we were asked if we had any questions of those present in the room), might have been the fork in my back:

I asked two interesting and I thought at the time relatively important questions.
1. Where do you see yourself as a professional or that of your school in 5 years? (Let's just say that the question was unexpected and overall, I felt, unwelcome at such an "ungodly" hour.  I think if I had a time right after the lunch break, this question would have gone over well.  Nope...I was first up and my impression was that of, and to put it nicely, a "brainiac." (Another two-word term with s and a would have been probably the term I was bubbling over their heads, like in a cartoon).
2. What do you look for in an intern?  This was better received, but I think I know exactly who did not like me much at this point.
One teacher stated: "I want a self-starter.  Someone who will jump right in with the kids." The look she gave me made me understand quite clearly that I definitely did NOT fit the profile. 

You must remember that I am one of only a handful of the class that is not a paraprofessional.  I work two part-time jobs and I volunteer with one-year-olds at church on the weekends.  Earlier, I felt (and some agreed) that it was actually a benefit I was not a paraprofessional as I was unlikely to enter my mentor teacher's classroom with preconceived notions.

Bottom line:  I was told by Mr. Warner that I did well on my interview, especially the fact that I arrived before 3-4 of the interviewers arrived.  I am extremely punctual...and sometimes that bothers people especially when they schedule a party and you arrive on time if not 15-minutes early.

I think I did okay...not great...but not as terrible as some interviews I have been on.

I think I am overanalyzing this particular interview, but when all my classmates that interviewed today gave me "glowing" responses to how they think the interview went for them and the fact that they would not describe any of the people as "grouchy" as I had...makes me analyze further.

To this end, I am going to bed, reading my "Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates by Pastor Gary Kurz," and falling asleep.  Prior to that, I will pray, and I hope you will to (when you get a chance to read this post) that I am paired with exactly who I need to be paired with, a mentor teacher that makes me want to move forward with my teaching career decision and makes me feel wanted in his or her classroom.

Bless you all for reading the analyzations (new word?) of a self-critical future intern teacher.

Much Love,
Mama Mindy :)