Day one of being a bum and so far I'm not taking being a bum seriously! I need to seriously take a trip. Instead, I decided to take an interview that was probably as crazy as first interviews in a profession will go!

The Lowdown? It started off really pleasant, a member of the student council took me around the school (which was, in short, amazing!) and I got to ask her a lot of questions. It's a dual-immersion school that really believes in collaboration and community. Really. I'll explain in a second. BUT - The first neat thing was that the classrooms are not self-contained, there is an open wall between two classrooms! Neat in that you can pop into your partner's class and ask her a question without really "stepping out of the room". But, a little scary in that you have a sense of what's going on in the other class at all times... And there are times where you really just need to have a talk with your class

Anyway, fun part was over, serious business came next - First, a "conversation" that ended up being a thirty minute casual interview with three teachers, answering questions and scenarios. Done and done. Off to the next group. A "formal" interview with four more teachers who ask more questions. Not too bad. THEN... A "fishbowl" style collaboration where I and three other interview candidates had to work together on a scenario concerning multicultural curriculum and role play as if we were going to work and perform a presentation to a school district... all of this planning took place in forty five minutes in front of the entire faculty! the goal? to see how well we collaborate with others. intense! three others I'd never met before and had no idea how to monitor! the principal asking us to speak louder so the faculty could hear us collaborating just added to the pressure! It was an odd experience of trying to make sense of the individual trying to show off everything he knew that yet did not relate to what we needed to get done, trying to wrestle with who's idea to use, and trying to not go in circles with the same ideas over and over and over and over again. Writing this, I feel sorry for the faculty to have to hear our mumble jumble! And it was hard not to entirely step in and say, HEY, you're wrong, we're totally off task! ... when I knew the qualities of being a team player had to be displayed by me!

Regardless of the end result, it was a neat (although i won't admit it yet!) learning experience that'll give me more confidence in future interviews - after all, they can't get as intense as that, right?

Six years of college and it's finally done. What'd I get? Bachelor's, Credentials, and half a masters.

Now I can be a bum.



Hopefully not for too long

Currently Listening
Silent Alarm
By Bloc Party
see related
YES! I passed the RICA

Five thousand tests down, 0 left to go It is preposterous how many exams one must go through in order to teach in California. Fortunately, I've finally gone through all of them (without repeat!) and can focus my attention on getting a job instead of worrying about not getting my credential. Speaking of which - I have an interview set up for a Kinder position. It's definitely not my ideal grade level, but, I think I will do it for experience, the interview that is - Some day I feel I can teach Kinder, but at this point I feel like I will just be cheating the educational experiences of the future. It is amazing the amount of socialization that occurs just based on week one of Kinder, am I ready to make such an impact?

Speaking of which, throw me a few grades higher - I subbed in fourth today and, aside from not being able to count all thirty two students (it is insane!), I had a pretty good time.

Summer's coming (as goes the Sean Watkins tune) and I'll write much more in a short time.

Next post should include pictures of last week's Kaboom! show with KT Tunstall.

So long since I've posted.  Sooo busy.  Sending out applications to every district in my county, waiting for one of the hundreds of schools to call me back.  Finishing up a crazy six months with third graders I love but drive me insane.  Coping with lack of sleep.  All that crazy stuff. 

In the meantime -

Glen's new album, Mr. Lemons, is out.  Get it. Enjoy it.  It's a mixed bag is how I feel, as hard as I have to admit.  A number of amazing songs that rival his best work, such as Waiting, Thank You, and Blindsight, but some underperforming studio versions of Last Sunset and I Still Love You make it hard to entirely love. 

The latest Calexico is great, so is the latest from the Streets.  Give Snow Patrol's latest a listen, it's not as great as the last but a good listen. 

Caught Hem at the Great American Music Hall last night, Sally's vocals are amazing, but it was a little underwhelming with only half (four/eight) of the full band together.  We sat assembly style!  Imagine a dance floor but with everyone sitting on their bottoms with legs crossed.  Can't say I've ever done that before. 

More when it is all over. 

-j

glen stuff for ya

Waiting (one of my favs on the new album)

Marigolds Live/acoustic video