Wednesday, September 19, 2007

No News Is...

...Reason to be cautiously optimistic? I don't know.

So I had my working interview at Prestigious Private School. I thought that at the end they'd tell me whether I had been accepted as one of the few, the proud, the (extremely) happy with their job, who make up the faculty there. But I was wished good luck and got a handshake goodbye.

That reads like a kiss-off, but it really seemed to go well. They praised my mini-lesson (I based it on the stuff we're doing at Brown on patterns and finalized it at about ten last night). I met with no less than four groups of teachers over two and a half hours; it's certainly no easy feat to be hired there. They asked me round after round of open-ended questions: what do you like to do when you're not teaching, what brought you to this city, why do you like this school, what are your future plans, etc. Coincidentally enough, one of the teachers there went to junior high with me, but I didn't remember her at all.

My life won't be over if I don't get the job, but to be honest, I would be bitterly disappointed. Not only is it more money and better benefits, it's a kind, nurturing and challenging environment, all the things public school isn't. And I was bowled over by the unending litany of praise from the teachers for their place of employment. Two of them said they'd like to be buried on campus. One teacher has been there eighteen years and was still bright-faced and eager. I've yet to see a twenty-year veteran of public schools who has as much enthusiasm and love for their school.

After the interview I went up to Brown and finished up the day. It was nice to be greeted so pleasantly by the kids, who'd been asking for me all morning, Ms. L said. My State School Sponsor is coming to observe me do a math lesson tomorrow, so I've got to prepare.