Interview #2 (or Success to the Brave)

I am happy to report that I got the teaching job!!! I will henceforth be called by my last name, provoke fear and trembling with my brutal writing assignments, and cause the Board members to shake their heads on a regular basis. I can’t believe I’m going to be a teacher at last, after approximately 20 years of talking about being one!

The principal called yesterday afternoon, and said “I know this is kind of last minute, but can you be here tomorrow morning at 8:00?” Ay ay ay. But of course I said yes. The morning, however, did not start promisingly. The electricity went out about 8 minutes after I woke up. Thus I couldn’t see very well. Thankfully I’d picked out an outfit the night before, or who knows what I would have hit upon in the darkness. And I had to make chai using a match to get the gas stove going. I fortuitously avoided blowing up the house. And of course, my car battery was dead. Providentially dear Uncle Paul was up and gave me the use of another car.

I got down to Aquidneck Island (in less time – new directions this time!) to discover the principal’s day had not started all the promisingly either. He was bleeding (“rough morning,” said the board member, “rough razor,” said the principal), and had been the victim of a flat tire!

But we quickly got down to business, and I was grilled on many hypothetical situations, questioned as to my opinions on this or that subject, etc. At one point I was asked if I was organized. There were no two ways about it – I had to simply say no. But then I remembered that I actually was pretty organized for school out of necessity. So I threw that in, too. The principal talked about the importance of being a good role model, and asked what I would exemplify for my students. All kinds of things flitted through my mind (perfection and things like that), but finally I hit upon a super answer all about how the role of a teacher itself is an example of the selflessness required of the Christian, and the laying down of ones life for something greater than the self. The principal nodded, and said “good answer.” Yesssssss.

The interview was drawing to a close, the salary was brought up and agreed to, and I was hired!!! I got home and called my parents and KJ and we had a wonderful, joyful conversation, which even included singing The Doxology together, right over the phone. And I thanked my parents. I know I am a good fit for this job, and it is because of their training. It was no surprise to me to hear of a place where every single area of life ties into Christianity – I have been trained with a Christian worldview from the cradle, even though I never slept in a cradle. And I am coming with no baggage – no weird liberal ideology that I will have to be trained away from – no “issues” (well… except the little OCD thing). I thank them for what they did in laying down their lives to bring me to this place. And most of all, I thank God, who heard my prayers for my future, and heard the school’s prayers for an English teacher, and answered both prayers on this day.