Yes I did blow the interview. I missed out on getting the job.
It went to the librarian from the primary school that my children attended.
Even on my best day I wouldn't have been able to compete with her. She is amazing with many years of experience.
Oh well there is always next time.
As I wasn't the perfect mother when my children attended the local school I know I wouldn't stand a chance of even getting an interview for her job so I won't be bothering to apply for her old job.......
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tournament of the minds
I went to a facilitator training yesterday for tournament of the minds after my disastrous interview.
By contrast it was brilliant.
I think TOM is going to be extremely challenging but very rewarding in the end. I actually think I might enjoy it after all.
Just as well I dropped a subject at uni because I think that this is going to be really time consuming.
Unfortunately their will be about 120 teams at my region final so it will be difficult to get through to the next round. I suggested that perhaps we could compete at Armidale's final because there are only about 30 teams there....I figure that would be better odds to get through.
By contrast it was brilliant.
I think TOM is going to be extremely challenging but very rewarding in the end. I actually think I might enjoy it after all.
Just as well I dropped a subject at uni because I think that this is going to be really time consuming.
Unfortunately their will be about 120 teams at my region final so it will be difficult to get through to the next round. I suggested that perhaps we could compete at Armidale's final because there are only about 30 teams there....I figure that would be better odds to get through.
Guess I blew that interview!!!
I can't believe it, I knew all of the answers, I had even rehearsed all weekend, but when I actually had to tell the panel everything just flew out of my head.
Then you should have heard the crap I did say, most of it wasn't even relevant to the job, even as I was hearing myself saying it I knew it was all wrong.
Oh well, just as well I love the school I'm at because I have a feeling I am going to be there for some time to come.
Then you should have heard the crap I did say, most of it wasn't even relevant to the job, even as I was hearing myself saying it I knew it was all wrong.
Oh well, just as well I love the school I'm at because I have a feeling I am going to be there for some time to come.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Interact down....or is it?
Well today has been a frustrating day for me so I thought I would blog it.
I have tried to get onto the ETL401 site to look up the readings, modules and resources as I haven't done much all week. But alas there must be a problem because my screen keeps coming up blank. After posting my dilemma onto the forum I discovered lots of others are experiencing the same problem so I am now feeling slightly relieved.
Unfortunately it means I haven't been able to do any course work today which is disappointing.
I even suggested maybe Roy could give us all an extension. This was met with the suggestion that maybe we should have a plan B.
Oops, didn't think of that.
I guess I will just go on with preparing for my job interview on Monday. At least that will make me feel like I am using my time wisely.
I have tried to get onto the ETL401 site to look up the readings, modules and resources as I haven't done much all week. But alas there must be a problem because my screen keeps coming up blank. After posting my dilemma onto the forum I discovered lots of others are experiencing the same problem so I am now feeling slightly relieved.
Unfortunately it means I haven't been able to do any course work today which is disappointing.
I even suggested maybe Roy could give us all an extension. This was met with the suggestion that maybe we should have a plan B.
Oops, didn't think of that.
I guess I will just go on with preparing for my job interview on Monday. At least that will make me feel like I am using my time wisely.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
I have finally admitted defeat!!!
Well today I finally admitted defeat and pulled out of ETL503.
It was a decision that I didn't take lightly but so much else is happening in my life and I didn't think it was fair to my family to be all consumed with Uni work and constantly cranky because I felt I was always behind.
Too many things have come up to take away from my uni time so I figured this was probably the best option.
Now over the holidays I will be able to spend time with the kids and do some fun things with them which will be nice.
It will be good to be able to totally devote all of my time to one subject. I'm actually really enjoying all of the reading and gaining of information.
I have my job interview on Monday so that is consuming me at the moment. Also on Monday I am attending the Tournament of the Minds facilitator workshop which is going to prove a huge challenge to me. I have never seen TOM operating and I have never had to be a facilitator. It's going to be huge.
Over the weekend I will post more about the reading I have been doing. It really is very interesting and thought provoking.
It was a decision that I didn't take lightly but so much else is happening in my life and I didn't think it was fair to my family to be all consumed with Uni work and constantly cranky because I felt I was always behind.
Too many things have come up to take away from my uni time so I figured this was probably the best option.
Now over the holidays I will be able to spend time with the kids and do some fun things with them which will be nice.
It will be good to be able to totally devote all of my time to one subject. I'm actually really enjoying all of the reading and gaining of information.
I have my job interview on Monday so that is consuming me at the moment. Also on Monday I am attending the Tournament of the Minds facilitator workshop which is going to prove a huge challenge to me. I have never seen TOM operating and I have never had to be a facilitator. It's going to be huge.
Over the weekend I will post more about the reading I have been doing. It really is very interesting and thought provoking.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
fostering collaboration
Haycock, K. (1999). Fostering collaboration, leadership and information literacy: Common behaviours of uncommon principals and faculties. NASSP Bulletin, 83(605), 82-87.
I felt this article stated the obvious on many occasions. The first was when it said that "Teaching partnerships and collaborative programs occur more readily where the school itself reflects a collaborative work culture." well duh! I guess it holds more currency when a professional writes it, instead of me saying it to a friend.
It also says that the Principal is the key factor in developing an effective integrated school library program. Unfortunately many schools don't work this way and library is used for release time because of budget restraints and time tabling issues. Most of the time library is just a 'drop and shop' time where teachers drop their kids for a 30minute lesson and then come back to collect them at the end of the time not really caring what has occurred in the 30 minutes except to make sure that the students have borrowed reading level appropriate books to take home from school until next week. Hmm not really conducive for an integrated library program. If the lessons are longer then the 'research' work you do with the class is only an add on to the classroom work and not considered very important! ( Maybe that's just my experience....)
The article goes on to say that the Principal should hire the best to ensure that this occurs. As I have a job interview for a teacher librarian position next week I am hoping that the principal and panel think that I am the best TL for the job. Oh well fingers crossed and hopefully I will be able to put some of this stuff into practice.
According to this article Principals mostly operate within a framework of their personal experience, as do most teachers I have encountered.
Oh well quite an interesting read and it means I can't keep blaming principals for not having collaborative planning/teaching as the responsibility falls onto me to make changes too....
I felt this article stated the obvious on many occasions. The first was when it said that "Teaching partnerships and collaborative programs occur more readily where the school itself reflects a collaborative work culture." well duh! I guess it holds more currency when a professional writes it, instead of me saying it to a friend.
It also says that the Principal is the key factor in developing an effective integrated school library program. Unfortunately many schools don't work this way and library is used for release time because of budget restraints and time tabling issues. Most of the time library is just a 'drop and shop' time where teachers drop their kids for a 30minute lesson and then come back to collect them at the end of the time not really caring what has occurred in the 30 minutes except to make sure that the students have borrowed reading level appropriate books to take home from school until next week. Hmm not really conducive for an integrated library program. If the lessons are longer then the 'research' work you do with the class is only an add on to the classroom work and not considered very important! ( Maybe that's just my experience....)
The article goes on to say that the Principal should hire the best to ensure that this occurs. As I have a job interview for a teacher librarian position next week I am hoping that the principal and panel think that I am the best TL for the job. Oh well fingers crossed and hopefully I will be able to put some of this stuff into practice.
According to this article Principals mostly operate within a framework of their personal experience, as do most teachers I have encountered.
Oh well quite an interesting read and it means I can't keep blaming principals for not having collaborative planning/teaching as the responsibility falls onto me to make changes too....
Monday, March 22, 2010
Why should principals support school libraries?
Hartzell, G. (2002). Why should principals support school libraries? ERIC Digest, November (EDO-IR-2002-06)
This article was fabulous to read. It supported a lot of my views, not to mention one the obstacles I am going to discuss in my assignment.
I thought that it was interesting that many principals overlook librarians as powerful allies as they are not usually written about in administrator journals. Who would have thought?
It was good that Hartzell made me aware of the 11 characteristics displayed by excellent librarians.
I loved the way he gave suggestions for ways principals can support libraries, and money wasn't listed as the only form of support.
NB. Principal support must be broad-based and multi-dimensional.
This article was fabulous to read. It supported a lot of my views, not to mention one the obstacles I am going to discuss in my assignment.
I thought that it was interesting that many principals overlook librarians as powerful allies as they are not usually written about in administrator journals. Who would have thought?
It was good that Hartzell made me aware of the 11 characteristics displayed by excellent librarians.
I loved the way he gave suggestions for ways principals can support libraries, and money wasn't listed as the only form of support.
NB. Principal support must be broad-based and multi-dimensional.
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