Ok, so I know I already said that I only really have one fear, but let's be really honest for a minute: I have a lot of fears about teaching. What if I can't figure out how to articulate my thoughts in front of a classroom? What if I'm too mean? What if I'm too nice? What if I spend all day, every day at the school and never see the sunlight and turn into a crazy person?
But here's the kicker: What if I can't even get a job because my resume and interview don't sell my passion for math, teaching, and helping students?
Thankfully, we practiced interviewing in class this week. It was definitely an eye-opening experience. I've learned that I am extremely passionate about teaching. I mean, I already knew it, but I'm fairly confident (now) that my passion does come across when I talk about it. I've learned that I can tie my work experiences into my career as a teacher and that they have helped lead me to this goal. I've learned that ,more than anything, I want to be an influence for good in the lives of children.
Yes. I've learned a lot of good things about myself this week. But I've also learned some things I can definitely improve upon. I am a rambler. You can probably tell from this blog post. Thoughts pop in my head and come out my mouth, and not usually in a highly-organized fashion. When I get nervous, I ramble more. NEWS FLASH! That's not a good thing in an interview! Chances are, I'll be nervous! Because of this, I need to go through my experiences and really think about how I can talk about my experiences and what points from them are most important in an interview. I need to learn how to organize my thoughts and express myself concisely.
Another (actually, sort of related) improvement is learning how to finish and conclude my thoughts and responses. Half of the reason I ramble is because I do not know how to stop talking. Because I don't know how to stop, I just keep going until I realize I am rambling, then I stop and look down awkwardly.
To improve, I have found that I need to think about interviews ahead of time and practice my responses. I need to speak with confidence and end with confidence.
Another thing about interviews? Ask questions! I found this great guide to good interview questions.
First off, your passion for what you do is infectious! I'm sure you will be an excellent teacher when the time comes. The point that you made about rambling in interviews is so true. I find that when people don't know exactly what they want to say, their statements tend to drag on and on. However, it seems like you are deeply interested in your field and you DO have something to say about it! My advice is to always be sure to collect your thoughts before answering the interview question, and then just roll with it!
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