New Teaching Opportunities

Dear Friends:
     Last night (Sept. 13, 2011), on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, there was a piece about U.S. teachers obtaining teaching positions in overseas schools.  Various teachers were interviewed (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/ns/nightly_news/#44510005) and a web site for a teacher placement company (www.teachaway.com) was mentioned.  If you are looking for some teaching options in these tough economic times, I would like to suggest that you, at least, check out this company (and others) and the possibility of overseas teaching positions.  Many of the overseas positions offer substantially higher salaries (than in the U.S.), free housing, and paid travel.  It's worth a look!
Best Wishes,
A.D. Fredericks

How do you deal with stress?

     Q:  How do you deal with stress?
     A:   I went into teaching knowing full well that it would be a stressful profession.  During my teacher education program I have developed several strategies to deal with the day-to-day stressors that inevitably come with the job.  I belong to a health club which I visit four times a week.  On weekends I take long “power walks” through the woods near where I live.  I’m learning about yoga and some of the benefits it offers to help individuals achieve a sense of harmony.  I belong to a book discussion group, take watercolor classes at the local art association, and I have an active circle of friends.  I try to maintain a wide diversity of physical and mental options that help me achieve balance in my life.

            Don’t make the mistake of saying that you are not stressed by teaching – the interviewer will know, right away, that you are less than honest.  He or she has had numerous years of experience as a former classroom teacher and will know that stress is an inevitable part of the job.  Be up front and let the interviewer know that stress + teaching go hand in hand.  But, also share the strategies and techniques that help you maintain a balance in your life.

How have you handled criticism of your lessons or teaching performance?

     Q:   How have you handled criticism of your lessons or teaching performance?
     A:   My college supervisor sometimes mentioned that I had time management issues – that is, I found it difficult to get everything done that I had planned.  Some parts of a lesson would go too long and others didn’t have enough time to develop.  I learned that this is a common problem with pre-service teachers.  So, I took the opportunity to talk with some of the more experienced teachers in the school to see what kinds of tips or strategies they had that would help me master my time a little better.  One of the best ideas I got was to list my lesson objectives on the board for students to see and then check them off as the lesson develops.  That gave me - and the students - visual proof on how the lesson was progressing.

            This question often provides the interviewer with insight into your accountability and professional character.  How do you handle criticism – positively (as a learning opportunity) or negatively (the reviewer didn’t know what he/she was talking about).  It would be most valuable to take this opportunity to demonstrate (with specific examples) how you were able to use that criticism to become a better teacher.

What is the most exciting initiative happening in education today?

     Q:  What is the most exciting initiative happening in education today?
     A:   For me, the most exciting initiative is the emphasis on Differentiated Instruction.  I know that DI is a way of teaching that relies on a toolbox robust enough to provide different learning pathways to a wide range of learners.  I cannot say, for example, “I taught it, so they must have gotten it.”  What is critical for me is knowing the essential curriculum and the individual learners; plus developing the wisdom to know which developmentally appropriate strategy to use with whom.  The challenge for me is to learn, and be able to use, a repertoire of strategies that will make a difference in each and every student’s learning.

            Talk to your former professors.  Read the latest journals.  Consult with area teachers.  Know what is happening in education…not yesterday, but today.  And then, show how you will address that initiative in your own classroom.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK:      “If I ask ‘Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?’ I’m always impressed when a candidate – in two minutes or less – can effectively summarize the basic interview theme: matching his or her qualifications to my school’s needs.”

Tell me about one of your lessons that flopped.

     Q:   Tell me about one of your lessons that flopped.
     A:   During my student teaching experience I put together a science lesson on making homemade ice cream in a zip-loc bag.  It was an activity I had learned in my “Teaching Elementary Science” course.  The lesson was designed to demonstrate how liquids change into solids.  I provided my third grade students with all the materials and with a set of printed directions.  It was halfway through the lesson when I realized that I had listed the wrong amount of salt to use to melt the ice.  In short, the ice wasn’t melting and the milk mixture wasn’t turning into ice cream.  In fact, nothing happened.  In hindsight I should have practiced the activity at home before using it with the students.  I explained to the students that scientists make mistakes all the time – in fact, there are many scientific discoveries (penicillin, electric light bulb) that are the result of unintentional mistakes.  I wanted to let them know that even teachers make mistakes and that it’s O.K. to flub up every once in a while.  You could discover something new.  Next time, however, I’ll test any experiment before teaching it.

            Every teacher has had lessons that bombed.  Don’t make the mistake of saying that you haven’t had at least one or more “duds” in your student teaching experience.  The interviewer will know, instantly, that you are trying to con him or her.  By the same token, it’s always a good idea to approach any disappointment or problem from a positive angle.  Never blame anyone (but yourself) and always demonstrate how you were able to turn a potential negative into a positive.  Demonstrate an ability to reflect on your mistakes and use those mistakes as stepping stones to become a more accomplished teacher.