'thank you for your time'

everything is so doggone complicated.

so, the interview that was scheduled for 11 last thursday turned out to be the interview that wasn't. the woman i spoke to at the placement fair had told me they weren't interviewing until the following week, but then when she heard i was therte from out-of-state told me to come in the next day and she would pull together people for an improomptu interview. i was very grateful. however, the next day i showed up at the school, got a tour, started talking to a teacher, and was then informed that the people needed to make up the interview panel could not be scraped together. the woman who had invited me for the interview told me to take my time, talk to whoever i'd like, and then contact her if i was still interested and could make an interview next wednesday or thursday. i took this in stride and enjoyed picking the brain of the very candid english teacher. the school is interesting; its student body is comprised mainly of neighborhood kids from a very specific community of people who came to the US from caribbean nations. despite the interview that wasn't, i am still interested and should hopefully have a real interview there this coming thursday.

i got a phone call thursday from a man who met me at the placement fair inviting me to an interview tuesday with the school principal. the man's name was very garbled over the cell reception, and he failed to mention what school he was from! it sounded like the man i talked to from prospect heights high school. i called the number he left and also e-mailed the yahoo address he left, but haven't heard back. frustration!

i was thrilled to receive an interview from the bronx academy of letters next. i emailed them back immediately to confirm, and have that coming up on wednesday. after confirmation i was sent an email with the details of the portfolio i am expected to bring with me to the interview, which includes:
* Cover Letter – a formal letter of interest that, at minimum, explains why you are interested in joining our faculty, and discusses your ideas for incorporating writing/literacy into the curriculum

* Resume – a detailed CV that addresses the selection criteria
* Observation Records – a copy of a recent observation report
* Satisfactory Rating – Candidates are obligated to inform our personnel committee of any prior unsatisfactory ratings.
* License/Certification – either a copy of the required license/certification, or a written statement confirming that the necessary certification will be issued by September 1, 2005
* References – three professional references available for phone interviews
* Optional
Writing Sample – a sample of original prose writing, five to ten pages
* Optional Work Product – any two of the following items: a complete lesson plan, a complete unit plan, and/or a project outline. We also welcome samples of the student work produced by each. All work product must demonstrate your use of best practices (student assessment, academic rigor, literacy integration, etc.) as applicable to small schools.

so, needless to say, i am in panic mode trying to get this altogether, which is a bit of a challenge in that i am now not at NK anymore, and my files are packed and boxed in different locations. i want this job so badly; everything the school stands for is like a page from my own educatiuonal manifesto. of course i want to do all i can to impress them including bringing all optional items, but the 5-10 page prose is not something i actually have written. i could shape up some of my old short stories but they are so old that i don't know that i want them to represent who i am really. i was thinking of cobbling together some posts into a larger work but i am not sure if that is right, either. and of course, in the background, the clock is ticking and reminding me that time isn't really a luxury here.