Reflection and the Interview Process

I have been working at my current school for 13 years. I have grown so much-I look at even my blog posts from when I started writing them and can see a very different voice has evolved. I will be forever grateful for my amazing mentors and leadership over the years that have shaped me into the teacher I am today. It was a very difficult decision for me to make, but I have been searching for a new school to be my new home.

When I first approached this whole process I was a little nervous. I have been on hiring committees before and actually relished asking those tough questions. Now I would be on the other side of that table! As I am wading through the process I actually like it. I feel like it's a great way to reflect on my practice and my contributions to my campus. If I was an administrator I think I would interview all my staff at the end of the year. :) 

I decided to create a digital portfolio and a brochure-so I had to highlight what I was most proud of. I have literally tens of thousands of pictures from my classroom. I printed my brochure through Vistaprint and it came out really cool! Was not very expensive either for the number I needed. I also had prints made of snapshots from both Twitter and Seesaw to show an overview of what I've shared with peers and with parents over the past year.

I haven't been asked any really tough questions yet. What was your biggest challenge? How will you contribute to our campus? How do you teach phonics? What would my principal say about you if I called her for a reference (that one made me giggle a little inside-she would probably use words I shouldn't repeat in an interview :). The hardest part for me is that I'm a very honest, genuine person. I want to make sure that I will be a good fit for them as much as they are for me. 

I haven't made a decision yet. I plan to make this my school for the next 10-20 years so I have to make sure it's right. There's a school where the principal really wants me, that's a nice feeling, to be wanted. It's a tough population but I know I could make a difference there. I could do my book clubs and Student Council groups that are so important to me. I know I will end up where I'm meant to be.