Interview Tomorrow For Mixed Reception/year 1

[Guest]

Hi I've got an interview for a reception/year 1 teaching post in a small village school. Any last minute suggestions would be gratefully received!

Thanks!

[Lorna]

Talk about the importance of the Year 1 children having access to the same sort of curriculum to the year Rs- lots of play, real experiences and planning for their own play.

 

Find out about support for yourself as teaching a mixed keystage is hard ( I am now doing it for the second year.)

 

What are the schools expectations National curriculum areas of extended foundation areas for the Year One children- how about literacy and numeracy hours?

 

Just a few thoughts Good Luck

 

Lorna

[Guest]

Hi Suze, First, you've got something they want to be asked to interview stage second, Have you got your route sorted, parking ok etc ( of course you have)

Last but not least, Have a nice glass of whatever your tipple is, a long hot bubble bath ( or whatever else you do to relax) and just relax, empty your mind ( you've been thinking about this since you got the interview date) have a restful nights sleep. Tomorrows mantra, "I am worthy of this job, let's hope they are worthy of me" Enjoy the experience.

 

Good luck.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Good luck, Suze

 

Diane

[Guest]

Hi Lorna,

 

Some great ideas thank you - think I am just worrying now! One more quick question, what format does your planning take? Sorry not sure thats a quick one!

 

Thanks

[Guest]

Hi Peggy,

 

Thanks that is a great suggestion!

 

Suze

[Guest]

Just wanted to wish you good luck. After my interview I was certain I hadn't got it as I got myself all muddled through nerves. However, they still offered it to me as they said I had a good sense of humour about it and they felt I would fit in really well with the team. I think this is so important, so smile sweetly and enjoy the day - well as much as you can anyway!

[Guest]

Thank you really appreciate it. Have to read a story to children and worrying about that. Have chosen Going on a Bear Hunt. Do you think thats ok. Not sure how active to make it without risking children getting too excited. Does anyone know if you have to do a lesson plan?

 

Sorry loads of questions

 

Suze

[Guest]

Great choice! I love this book. How long have you got?

Would do a plan if I were you because it shows your planning, shows differentiation, and you could show a follow up activity to link to your objective.

This site has some nice pictures relating to the story you could always sequence them after. Can the children remember the sounds relating to the areas?

 

http://www.literacymatters.com/resources/Bear_Hunt.pdf

[Guest]

Me too! Have only got 10 mins - 15 max so don't want to try to pack too much in. Thought about getting them to think of sounds. Not sure whether to get them up and acting it out. Bit scary when you don't know the children.

 

Though i'd do a lesson plan but did one for an interview last week and they looked surprised when I gave it to them. Maybe it wasn't very good because I didn't get the job!

 

Thanks for your help

 

Suze

[Susan]

hi Suze, good luck!

Be comfortable and smile! Take your cues from the children.

 

Make yourself some notes if you think you need to and it will help you to relax about it.

Dont have any other words of wisdom so hope all goes well.

[Guest]

I agree, sood book choice, the children will most probably know it, and possibly join in with the refrains. It is also a good story to show your storytelling skills with tone of voice, changing speed at different parts of the story, encouraging children to participate, how you react to child participation etc. Agree with Matilda, but it's getting late now so don't spend too long on presentation of plan, just ensure all required is in it

 

Sorry, I can just imagine you preparing your story tonight;

 

Splash Splosh as you wash your face

Squelsh Squerch as you clean your teeth :wacko:

Stumble trip as you forget to turn the bedroom light on

Hoooo woooo went the old central heating :rolleyes:

Tiptoe Tiptoe as you get up in the middle of the night for a wee

What's that? :unsure:

 

One shiny wet nose, Two big furry ears, Two big goggly eyes..........

Oh no, it's your new headmaster at the interview

 

You'll never go on an interview again!!!!!

 

because you get the job

 

Peggy

p.s. Maybe just one glass of wine!! or you will end up like me, insane

[Guest]

Thanks Peggy

 

You are right. I am off to bed with (one) big glass of wine!

 

Suze

[Guest]

Dear Suze,

How did it go? I too went for an interview today - a job I really wanted and boy oh boy did I feel like I fluffed it. My Powerpoint presentation went great - the one thing I really didn't think I would do very well but it went really well but then it all ended up going in a downward spiral and for someone who can talk the hind legs of a donkey lost their voice and certainly the brain and the mouth did not seem to be able to co-ordinate. It's amazing what nerves do and being put into a stessful situation. The thing is I should have been able to talk for hours on the questions that were posed but found it really hard to string a few sentences together.

 

The reason I am saying this is that there are several people here in the past couple of days who all felt the same after they came out and yet still seemed to secure the job - so here's hoping for me and here's hoping you didn't experience the same kind of nerves that I did - let us know.

 

If anyone can let me know how you can relax for an interview then that would also be welcome - it was one hour of torture - came out absolutely drained - 10 minute presentation and 9 questions - shouldn't have been overly difficult but............ especially as all of the questions were areas I should have been able to answer.

 

Let us know how you got on - I don't hear until the end of next week and I would be having a glass of something if it weren't for the fact that Iam antibiotics for a chest infection. So have one on me.

 

 

Nikki

[basilbrush]

If anyone knows the answer to that question - ie how to relax for an interview, they are probably very rich!!!

 

I am the same as you Nikki - always feel like I completely fluff when in an interview, even the most basic questions can completely throw me totally - i have an interview tomorrow, so am hoping it will go well, hope you get good news back from your one today...

 

Cheers

[Lorna]

Suze

 

For my planning- the only way I feel comfortable to do it is to have seperate year 1 and reception planning.

 

I try and dfo the same topic but extend it and add Hist/ Geog etc a bit more concisely.

 

Not a mix I would choose to have.

Very hard work and I feel that I never get the balance right for the two groups.

 

L

[Guest]

Hi Nikki

 

Thanks for your message. Its great to talk to someone in the same boat. Im not sure to be honest. Story was ok but children excited as third story that day and had just come in from play. So difficult to tell, a couple of little ones were messing around in the back. Isn't it hard when you don't know their names but I kept trying to get them back on track.

 

As for the interview Ianswered all the questions but came out wishing i'd said this or that. The panel didn't give alot away so I have come out thinking that I fluffed it too.

 

I guess nothing will prepare you for interviews, maybe they get easier with experience. I think it was probably adrenalin that caused you to forget everything you wanted to say. The interview is bad enough without having to worry about an activity too.

 

Thats hard that you don't hear til next week.What a long time to wait! Heres hoping we both get the jobs!

 

Suze

[Guest]

Hi Suze and welcome to the forum (looks as if this topic was your first post?). Sorry I didn't see your message yesterday, but I agree with all the helpful advice others have given. Do tell us how you got on - and maybe what questions you were asked(?) NOT that I am thinking of changing jobs myself at the mo

[Guest]

Oops, just seen this topic has run onto a second page so you've told us a little about the interview already

[Guest]

Thank you

 

Was asked:-

 

What I thought the role of parents were.

How I would do phonics given a free rein.

How I would envisage a job share working.

How I would use the outdoor classroom.

How I would use TAs.

What were my worst and best lessons and what I learnt from them.

How ICT was of use.

What I could bring to a small, village, school.

Why I had applied.

 

Think that was all.

Not completely sure how it went to be honest. A couple of things I wished I said. Activity was ok but no stand for book so struggled with my big book a bit.

 

Just have to wait and see. Thanks everyone for all your good wishes and ideas. They all really helped!

Suze

[Guest]

Dear Suze,

Well, at least you can remember the questions you were asked I think I would struggle with that I was so nervous?

Yep, a week to wait - they are interviewing 12 people for 4 jobs. They cover four geographical areas so there may be implications here as well as my fluffed interview which might or might not work to my advantage. Just have to hope that there were no other applicants living in my geographical location. Realistically, they would be silly to employ me if I had to spend most of my time travelling to another part of the county and besides I would not necessarily want to spend lots of time travelling. Still I am glad its over now as it seemed to be taking over my life - can now get back in the land of the living - get on the forum, do some study, even clean my house - now there's a thought - but there again perhaps I could think of something else to do.

Have a drink - relax - nothing more you can do now - when do you hear? And as you say it's experience.........

Nikki