After reading this article by Thomas Friedman, I wasn't at all surprised to hear what Google was looking for in those they want to have as part of their team. I just had an interview today to teach foods and planning at a high school. However, there were a number of political implications that made the job less attractive. How the process works is based on seniority. I was one of seven home economics teachers that were surplussed in the district this year and there is only one full time position available. Protocol calls to interview three of us with the most seniority. I was disappointed when I hadn't received any phone call. My colleague had a year above me and I assumed the other two selected were also higher than me. Turns out, the other two had less seniority than myself, and one was offered the position.
Both my peer and I were baffled at the outcome. We simply did not understand what the hiring process was, this being our first time surplussed. The union was asked to clarify and we discovered the high school had made an error. Soon enough, I was called in for an interview for today.
There were five questions, and my answers reflected my beliefs outlined in this New York Times article. I know I'm not trying to get a job at Google, but my ideologies reflect my teaching practice. I emphasized my ability to adapt to the diversity of communities and structures of schools, and how I would humble myself to learning with students, as opportunities for leading them. I also, indicated my interest and past experience of teaching students leadership skills as part of their learning and preparation for their future, through community work, volunteering, and workshop participation, where variety is vital to engage interest.
Furthermore, instead of assessing students in perfecting skills or their failure to produce specific expectations, I would observe and recognize their progress and their efforts and contributions to the class. If this was Google, I'm sure I would be hired, (not actually), or at least appreciated for my efforts in teaching "real life" skills to students. I left the interview feeling like I was a pawn in their paper work. They had already decided on their hire, but forced to follow union rules. They explained to me that they had to go through a bunch more interviews before selecting their candidate. However, the person who was offered the position, was never contacted about these further complications nor informed her that her position may be revoked. Does that mean she still has the job either way?
What the final and official results may be, I'm hoping that our district would quickly realize their slow progress compared to our neighbouring districts in adopting the expectations of today's success.The article recognizes that, "For most young people[,]... going to college and doing well is still the best way to master the tools needed for many careers," careers such as our school system. I hope that I will get the opportunity to once again be in the classroom and help my students prepare the essential skills for this innovative world of: "leadership, humility, collaboration, adaptability and loving to learn and re-learn." (Friedman, 2014).
References:
Friedman, Thomas. (2014, February 22). How to Get a Job at Google. Mountain View, CA:New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/opinion/sunday/friedman-how-to-get-a-job-at-google.html?_r=2
Both my peer and I were baffled at the outcome. We simply did not understand what the hiring process was, this being our first time surplussed. The union was asked to clarify and we discovered the high school had made an error. Soon enough, I was called in for an interview for today.
There were five questions, and my answers reflected my beliefs outlined in this New York Times article. I know I'm not trying to get a job at Google, but my ideologies reflect my teaching practice. I emphasized my ability to adapt to the diversity of communities and structures of schools, and how I would humble myself to learning with students, as opportunities for leading them. I also, indicated my interest and past experience of teaching students leadership skills as part of their learning and preparation for their future, through community work, volunteering, and workshop participation, where variety is vital to engage interest.
Furthermore, instead of assessing students in perfecting skills or their failure to produce specific expectations, I would observe and recognize their progress and their efforts and contributions to the class. If this was Google, I'm sure I would be hired, (not actually), or at least appreciated for my efforts in teaching "real life" skills to students. I left the interview feeling like I was a pawn in their paper work. They had already decided on their hire, but forced to follow union rules. They explained to me that they had to go through a bunch more interviews before selecting their candidate. However, the person who was offered the position, was never contacted about these further complications nor informed her that her position may be revoked. Does that mean she still has the job either way?
What the final and official results may be, I'm hoping that our district would quickly realize their slow progress compared to our neighbouring districts in adopting the expectations of today's success.The article recognizes that, "For most young people[,]... going to college and doing well is still the best way to master the tools needed for many careers," careers such as our school system. I hope that I will get the opportunity to once again be in the classroom and help my students prepare the essential skills for this innovative world of: "leadership, humility, collaboration, adaptability and loving to learn and re-learn." (Friedman, 2014).
References:
Friedman, Thomas. (2014, February 22). How to Get a Job at Google. Mountain View, CA:New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/opinion/sunday/friedman-how-to-get-a-job-at-google.html?_r=2