Just weeks before, I assumed that a job interview simply meant brushing up on answers to tried and true interview questions like "What qualities do you have that make you a good fit for this position?" and practicing your firm handshake. I did not realize that in order to become a teacher, I would have to brave what another friend described as "the Teacher Hunger Games". Luckily, I only had to go through this process twice before landing a job and I am extremely thankful. For those of you who don't know, here is my experience of the teaching job interview.
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| Even Katniss would be nervous. |
It was a Thursday evening. I had finished work and was on my way home, when my phone lit up with an email. My heart raced when I read the words "you have been invited to interview". I read on. "Attached is a letter giving the full details for your interview day". I opened the attachment, and was met with a full-page-long letter explaining that I would need to prepare a 25-minute long lesson, complete a maths-based written task, and then, if I was successful, I would take part in a group task and then, finally I would sit down for a formal interview. My heart dropped a little bit. Not only did I need to brush up on how to answer possible interview questions (for a formal interview that I might not even make it to) and research the school, but I would need to plan a lesson on top of my usual lesson planning for work, and speculate on what this mysterious "maths-based written task" might be. On top of all that, my friend was visiting from Paris that weekend and I wanted to make sure that she had an amazing time in Bristol. The interview was first thing on Monday. In short, it was going to be a busy, anxiety-filled few days.
2. Arriving at the Interview
On the bus, I listened to some meditation videos to calm my nerves. Upon arriving at the school (at 8:15 prompt for my 8:30 start time), I signed in and was taken to the Staff Room where about 5 other candidates were sitting around nervously. "Ok, this isn't too many others," I thought. But then another candidate would be escorted in, and then another, until there were finally ten of us making sporadic small-talk and trying to look (and feel) confident. The Head Teacher and a couple other Senior Management staff came in and briefed us on our day: We were each given different time slots for our interview lessons. Following that, we had time slots for our written task. Then, we were free to stay in the Staff Room over lunch time or go elsewhere, and we would receive a call telling us whether or not we were invited back for the afternoon. After filling out our name stickers, there was nothing left to do but sit around, anxiously awaiting our lessons.
3. The Lesson
Pretty much every teaching interview involves a lesson. This makes sense, as the school wants to see you in action, doing what you're going to be doing every day if you're hired. Sometimes they will give you a topic for the lesson, or tell you to base it around a particular story that the children have been learning. Sometimes they might just say "teach a 25-minute spelling, punctuation and/or grammar lesson for Year 4" and leave it at that. My first interview was the latter, my second was a bit more laid out for me. I think preparing for the lesson component is the worst part, as you agonize over how to write the perfect plan, differentiating your lesson for children that you have never met before and wondering if it's engaging enough. I found though that once I started teaching the actual lesson, my nerves largely disappeared and I just focused on myself and the kids -- not the looming panel of Head/Deputy Head teachers jotting notes in the background.
4. The Written Task
I won't go into much detail about this, as I thoroughly disliked this portion of the interview. We were sat alone in separate rooms, and given a copy of the Year Six SATS Arithmetic paper. We were then given a specific amount of time to complete this. Embarrassingly, I took too long worrying about whether I was answering the questions in the "proper" way that we are supposed to teach them, and I overestimated how much time I had. So I didn't complete the paper in time. With a seriously diminished confidence in my maths skills, I handed in my paper and went back to the Staff Room.
5. The Call-Back
Because we were all given different times to complete our lesson and written task, there was quite a long wait between the morning activities, and learning whether we would be called back. At first I thought I would just sit around the Staff Room and wait, but the tense atmosphere was beginning to get to me and I decided on a walk around the neighbourhood. By this point, I had decided that it was a win-win situation: either I I get called back and have a chance at the job, or I don't -- and I get to go home and the stressful day would be over. On my way back, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I nervously answered -- of course, it was the school. By some miracle, I had been invited back for the second part of the interview in the afternoon! I walked back with a smile on my face. The most awkward part of this was the fact that I couldn't avoid walking past some of the candidates who were packing up their cars or walking home, as they had not been invited back. The Teacher Hunger Games is a cruel game indeed.
6. The Afternoon
Upon arriving back, it became apparent that exactly half of us were invited back. Myself and the other four candidates were brought into a room and given our group task: We had to plan a Theme Day for Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6) and detail which topic we had chosen, what activities each year group was doing, and how we would divide up responsibilities. Then we had to make a brief presentation about our plan. We had 20 minutes to complete this, while the panel watched and took notes. The task flew by -- all of us trying really hard to show what great ideas we had and how well we could collaborate and so on.
Following this, we were brought back to the Staff Room, and given our time slots for the formal interviews. Each were spaced about half an hour apart, and I was 4th out of the five candidates. Meaning that I would have to wait around for almost an hour and a half, watching the others go one by one for their interviews. It was agonizing, and I ended up taking another walk. The interview itself was pretty much what I expected, and luckily the Head Teacher and two senior staff conducting it were very friendly and non-intimidating. After the interview, I shook their hands, thanked them, and was on my way home. It was about 3:30 by this point and I was exhausted and ready to go home, whether I got this job or not.
7. The Results
Teaching is not an easy job, so it makes sense that the interview process would be equally challenging. My advice to any teachers entering the interview Hunger Games: I think the key is to see it as a learning process. This takes the pressure off a bit and avoids too much disappointment if you aren't successful. If you don't get the job, make sure you ask for feedback as to what you could do better next time. Most schools are willing to give it. My other advice would be to make use of your resources -- ask an experienced teacher for feedback on your interview lesson, and tips for answering questions. I did, and it was more helpful than I could have imagined. But most of all, try to relax and remember that this is what you've been trained to do, and you are even better than you give yourself credit for. May the odds be ever in your favour. You've got this.
-- C.
