tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333162355327458803.post8687865446195945625..comments2024-02-14T08:24:47.509-06:00Comments on On the Fence: Rookie Mistakes and Baby Tiger SyndromeE.W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17106082488141824066noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333162355327458803.post-88880033268127890432017-06-17T01:21:49.359-05:002017-06-17T01:21:49.359-05:00I have read your excellent post. This is a great j...I have read your excellent post. This is a great job. I have enjoyed reading your post first time. I want to say thanks for this post. Thank you... <br /><a href="http://www.RockabyeBabyRentals.com" rel="nofollow">Stroller Rentals</a>Anna Schaferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09633259957714692411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333162355327458803.post-45897687067097885592011-03-26T19:02:36.079-05:002011-03-26T19:02:36.079-05:00Thanks for the link, though sorry to hear you'...Thanks for the link, though sorry to hear you're suffering from BTS. There was a study the Brazen Careerist recently posted that confirmed the tendency of employers to hire more people exactly like themselves. If only there were more people working who were willing to let themselves get spastically enthusiastic about teaching...maybe someday!WorstProfEverhttp://http//www.worstprofessorever.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333162355327458803.post-17862978814353729422011-03-25T14:24:15.831-05:002011-03-25T14:24:15.831-05:00...and let's not forget that there are plenty ......and let's not forget that there are plenty of flat-out, amazing teachers out there on the job market. So often it's less about what you did or didn't do, and more about the teacher who read the room well and has dedicated a career to teaching adolescents and knows a thousand tricks that work with teenagers. It's not that prep schools can't fathom anyone leaving "the academy," but many have been burned before by PhD's who act like they are slumming by deigning to teach high school. Even if you are a fantastic person with genuine interest in the lives of adolescents, you are saddled with the baggage of the jerks who came before you. It's unfair, but the teachers who will be your colleagues do want to like you, but they may be gun shy.<br />If it's useful to anyone out there, the magic word that schools are looking to hear is "community." This is especially true for the 95% of schools that can't rely on name prestige alone. I used this word far more than I ever used the word "school" when I was interviewing. Also, every school wants to hear that their kids are really wonderful, and that you recognize the specialness of their community. In this case, compliments are never seen as sucking up; they are much appreciated. Keep Going Everyone!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333162355327458803.post-67449023927888643852011-03-25T13:30:42.292-05:002011-03-25T13:30:42.292-05:00Again, I'd say this chair is pretty freakin aw...Again, I'd say this chair is pretty freakin awesome. Wish he was my boss. Do you think, Ben, that you'd have a good shot at landing a job there in future? Or has that ship sailed?E.W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17106082488141824066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333162355327458803.post-48535424794242895842011-03-25T08:30:42.957-05:002011-03-25T08:30:42.957-05:00It was actually the chair's suggestion that we...It was actually the chair's suggestion that we talk. It became pretty clear that I was higher on his list than I was on others'. But as he said, he spent six or eight hours with me all told, and everyone else had 30-40 minutes. So maybe he felt bad for me. Whatever the reason, he went way above and beyond.<br /><br />Fiona: I agree that for #1 there are a lot of variables in play. I probably could have gotten away with this: if I were 5-2, 124 lbs, rather than 6-1, 190 lbs; if they had been seniors rather than freshpeeps; if their usual teacher had been someone else...if, if, if.<br /><br />A few of the kids loved me. One hunted down the chair and said, "That's the guy!" Another went to her advisor and said, "He scares me."Benjaminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16378336079777829665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333162355327458803.post-5411820746892360872011-03-24T22:36:22.221-05:002011-03-24T22:36:22.221-05:00Interesting.
I'd say that #1 is a variable n...Interesting. <br /><br />I'd say that #1 is a variable not a constant. I was a maniac in my teaching demo and it was fine. They liked the energy. The students were a little poleaxed, but that was a good thing, in context. <br /><br />#2, though, that's some good, good advice. It's like you're on a date. No one wants to hear why you're *not* out with your ex. They want to hear what you like about *them*. <br /><br />So nice that he gave you detailed feedback.Fionahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13621216725935523487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333162355327458803.post-13078368178228504932011-03-24T12:31:00.001-05:002011-03-24T12:31:00.001-05:00This is really useful stuff to know going forward....This is really useful stuff to know going forward. Thanks for sharing. BTW: How did you end up in a conversation with the chair? Did you call to find out where you went wrong? <br />If only more academic searches allowed us to learn from our mistakes. Instead, we tend to walk away from on-campus interviews having NO clue as to why we either did or did not land a particular TT job. I gave a seriously kick ass job talk at one interview and a pretty good, though not great, talk at another. Guess which talk landed me a job offer? You got it, the 2nd one. Being kick ass doesn't always cut the mustard if other factors are not on your side. These other factors, however, are rarely revealed to us; so we continue to wonder where we went wrong, assuming we did, long after the rejection.Elizanoreply@blogger.com