Good gravy...I got the job!

Some of you may know that I applied for an early recruitment program through one of the large school districts here in Colorado Springs and the University of Colorado. This is how the process went:

We had to submit a detailed application that listed our trainings and what-not, along with short essays for several questions. That was the easy part! We had to go for an interview with a panel that included the superintendent for the district. We had to teach to the panel for 15 minutes on a topic we were given 24 hours before our interview. I chose to teach on the states of matter for 3rd grade science. It was rather hilarious watching these professional men and women pretend to be third graders! I was really happy with how it went!

The next step was sitting down with the panel to answer face to face questions. We had 25 minutes to answer 9 questions to the best of our ability. I was amazed at how comfortable I felt with the panel, and I felt great when I left.

This is where my confidence took a nose dive. The man leading the panel said we were hear something this past week. By Friday night, I had resigned myself to thinking that I had not been selected, but I wasn't completely bummed. I still have a year left of college, and I have not even taken a single practicum class or done any student teaching. Just getting picked to come in for an interview was an honor (well, that's what I kept telling myself!).

When I checked the mail on Saturday, there was an envelope from the school district--a skinny envelope. Definitely not an envelope I would have hoped for. It's kind of like when you're accepted into college, and you hope for the thick envelope full of all the necessary information. This was definitely a rejection letter. Great...rejection in writing...something I can look back on forever as my first failure!

This how the letter started...

Thank you for your interest in the Teacher Early Recruitment Program...It was great to see you teach and to hear how you will contribute to the education of today's youth during your interview.

After careful consideration...(You can imagine that I was bracing myself for the worst at this point!) the committee is extending an invitation to participate in the Teacher Early Recruitment Program.

I almost cried! I couldn't believe it! I already have a job, and I still have a year of college left. What a huge relief to know that the most difficult part of the process is over!