May 2, 2013

Mark May 2, 2013 down as the day I got my first teaching job.

I can't believe it. It won't seem real until I sign my contract.
Here is the process I went through!
I interviewed on Tuesday and it went awesome. I did a lesson demo with ice cream scoop cutouts where the kiddos sorted them into categories and had to determine how many more or less were in a category. The kids were adorable and loved every minute of it.  Immediately following the demo, I went into a conference room where I have a formal interview. They had the questions written and taped on the table in front of me so that was wonderful. I didn't have to try to remember what they said! I felt comfortable and it was a welcoming panel. 
The panel was a board member/parent of a first grader, parent of a first grader, first grade teacher, and principal/superintendent. The principal was wonderful and I really loved him from the get go, he was personable and loving with the kids. A worried student asked him if his mom was coming to get him and the principal responded with, "don't worry babe, she's coming, she hasn't forgotten about you. I promise." I know that is the littlest thing..but immediately I felt at home. He made sure that the student felt comforted and addressed him  like he was his own child.
AHH the best!
Moving on, so after the interview, I immediately was taken back to the front office - into the principals office to be exact and had a prompt to respond to on a laptop. He didn't give me a time frame but he left me with, "you truly did a wonderful job and you are very well-prepared. Looking forward to talking with you soon! Definitely by the end of the week"
The prompt was write a letter home to parents explaining how you are going to grade their student on assignments and give a weighted measurement that you will use.
UH.
Are you serious?
I panicked for a hot minute then thought, RUBRIC. So on the spot I created a rubric grading them on four categories, organization, content, neatness and completeness.
I then proceeded to use the cutest font his computer could handle, titled it, "Miss Silva's Second Grade Stars" and put stars around the page...printed it, signed my name and left. BAM.
It was a proud moment for me. I left feeling like I had a very equal chance of getting the job as the other interviewees. I was told there were "too many to count" applicants, but I was 1 of 4 to get an interview. Needless to say, I was hopeful, but was devastated only four days before when I got turned down from a job so I didn't want to read to far into it.
On Wednesday, my first grade CT came into my fourth grade class telling me that she just got a phone call from the principal!
YES! I am getting closer to my dream! Again, I'm trying not to read too far into it but everyone in my life is like SABRINA THIS IS GREAT NEWS!
On Thursday, May 2, I had a feeling I would know by then because 1. it is technically the end of the week and 2. the principal was calling some of my references.
I go through my day constantly checking my phone and nothing. Then my current CT has a phone call to return - the principal called her! As hours pass, I am becoming more and more hopeful. Then the office manager pulls me from my class and tells me I have a phone call from my supervisor. I was thrown by this..
I answer the phone and Angela tells me she just got off the phone with him and he asked if there was anything she wanted to add. She said, "this is her dream job, working close to her hometown, she wants this so bad and I know she would be a wonderful fit for you." He responded with, "well, I believe I will be making her dream come true today." She told me that she couldn't not call me and tell me what he said. I started to cry a bit and she said, "Sabrina, I'm so proud of you, now get your shit together and go teach those kids. Call me later once he calls you."
I love that woman so much.
So I did. I continued my lesson and blah blah.  I check my phone and see I have a missed called and voicemail. Both from Angela, or so I thought. I had two new voicemails..one from Angela and one from the principal! I told my substitute I needed to call him back.
 I called him and he said that they knew they wanted me from the beginning. My enthusiasm was what won them over! I gave my verbal commitment on the spot but he still gave me 24 hours to think about it even though we both know I'm taking the position. We chatted about salary and benefits for a bit and I am now waiting for a phone call to make an appointment to sign my contract!

That is my "how I got my first teaching job story".
I can't believe this.

Oh, did I mention it is a second grade position?

I AM A SECOND GRADE TEACHER.

Loves.