Interview #4

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I left work early, after 7th period to travel down to Union Square for my interview today.  I had already cleared it with the secretary yesterday, and I have to say, the people at my school have been overly nice about everything.  I really wish there was a position open there, I would seize it in a heartbeat.  The school I was to interview at was in the old Washington Irving school.  The time was set for 3pm.   Given it was about 2:30pm as I stepped off the train, I dropped by a CVS to get some deodorant because I had worked all day and wanted to smell nice.

Get inside and give my name to the security guard.  A guy comes down to escort me upstairs.  He brings me to the fifth floor office and offers me a seat there.  There was another guy there, much younger, dressed in loose khakis, a shirt and tie.  Since it was an interview, I was wearing a suit.  Some time passes and I hate silence so I introduced myself and we made small talk.  Then more silence....He leans over and whispers to me "I hope this isn't one of those interviews where they already have someone hired."  I nodded and agreed with that.  Then he explained how he didn't know of the interview until late last night, when he was staying at his aunt's house.  He was from Rockland County, and based on what he told me had about 3 years of teaching experience.  He told me his interview was scheduled for 2:45pm.  It was now 3:15pm.

More time passes and a woman comes in and explains how the principal is dealing with an issue, so it will be some time.  She apologizes and then leaves the room.  Minutes later, another candidate arrives, a blonde girl.  She was mostly busy on her phone, but let in some small talk of how the school she was at had her teaching an Economics class and some Health classes out of her license.   More time passes, it is now about 4pm.  Blonde Girl: "I am leaving at 4:10pm." I couldn't blame her.  It was ridiculous to have to wait so long.  4:15pm comes and the previous woman comes in, the chapter leader "Who was scheduled first?"  I point to the younger man.  They leave to go off to gods knows where.

The blonde girl near me was growing in exasperation. "I'm going to just email them that I am leaving, or maybe I shouldn't.  What if I get sent back here as an ATR?  Screw it, I'm leaving."  She does her email and then leaves again.  By now, all the secretaries had left, with the RISO still going.  There I am, sitting in this office, I could have shoved a ream of paper into my bag and no one would have noticed.

4:30pm comes by, I have now been there about 2 hours (so much for being early!).  The Chapter Leader comes back and I ask if I could use the restroom.  She seems unsure of the question and goes searching down the hall, me in tow.  She calls over one of the custodians.  He takes me to the 7th floor to use an archaic bathroom (I guess the building is 100 years old).  I then go down to room 549.  Finally, the interview takes place.

As I enter, there is the principal, the Chapter Leader and the guidance counselor sitting there.  They direct me to sit but I instead take the moment to introduce myself to each in turn, interview etiquette and all.  They explain how this is an 18D interview  (I would later learn what that is) and they would ask me questions that are taped to the desk in front of me.  I asked them a question and they said they were not allowed to answer any questions.  Strange.

The questions were rather broad and generic.  How would you assist special ed students?  We wear many hats etc.  My problem was with the wait time.  Look, I get it.  It's a school.  Things happen.  This is the 2nd week of school.  You are interviewing people.  I don't even know if the position is still available.  Maybe as a school that has been around two years you have to do certain things.  There was a better way they could have handled it.  I am a teacher.  Just because I am an ATR doesn't mean I shouldn't be treated like a human being.  They didn't even ask for my resume until the end.  And I couldn't ask questions?  What idiot developed this idea?  (When I looked it up, I noticed the UFT stamp was all over it, so question answered).

The education system and evaluation system in this city is a sham.  The interview process is a sham as well.  I am hoping good will come of this eventually, but I won't hold my breath.