<p>Did anyone else feel kind of weird during the talk on diversity? My interviewer gave that whole talk directly to the 6 POC in the room and didn’t make any eye contact with the white candidates. My interview went well except the part where she asked me about how my life experience was relevant to the classroom, and she kept mentioning that I was white. Everything else about the day was great, but this left a bad taste in my mouth.</p>
<p>Wow @indigoelement. I’d feel the same way. Were these veiled references to your race and experiences during the interview or was it more direct?</p>
<p>Both. Most directly I was asked, “But how do you think you can relate to people in low income communities as a white person?” Funny thing is … I grew up as a low income person in a low income community and live in one now. It’s awesome that TFA works so hard to promote diversity, but this just doesn’t feel right to me.</p>
<p>@indigoelement i’d feel weird about that too. My group didn’t get the diversity talk, probably because many of us there were latino and black. But we did get the high need region talk.</p>
<p>I found it strange I was not asked to expand or talk about any of my leadership experiences (and I had a lot!). No questions about my experience in low income neighborhoods in either the phone interview or in person. No “why tfa” questions… hmm. Just thought that was odd.</p>
<p>@indigoelement wow that is just a lil racist (especially since they value diversity) We did briefly talked about diversity in my group but none of our “white” finalists were targeted like that and there were 3 white out of 9 in my group (it was 3 whites, 3 blacks, 2 latinos and myself is an asian). id do a follow up with her supervisor or the director in your region to make sure there is no bias going there. </p>
<p>Also, my personal interview went really well … I believe i nailed that one with 110% confident but overall I dont think i did bad but i did not do an A job throughout the interview (maybe a B+ lol) It was mostly about my leadership skills, along with the role play , the video during the Online Activity and at the end, I made sure to tell her more about myself and other skills that I did not get to talk about when she was questioning me. </p>
<p>Hey everyone! Just had my final interview on Tues. I had a question- did anyone get grilled about assessment? That was what the end of my interview was all about and it was so stressful! I didn’t know what the TFA stance was on all that. Things like- how would you measure success? (follow up from online activity) but then also, how would the principal know your students were successful if they came by? How much would you rely on assessment? etc.</p>
<p>I don’t want to rethink my answers, just wondering if anyone else got those questions!</p>
<p>@tfa2260 IIRC, there were a couple of questions about that on the Online Activity. Maybe your interviewer was just going over that with you?</p>
<p>New to this forum but think I have read every page here so far! I am anxiously awaiting 4DL notification of acceptance/rejection. Had final interview on Monday earlier this week. I may go crazy before the 13th. I feel like the Interview day went pretty well. I do know that my interviewer loved my lesson activity-- she said it was fantastic and at the same time very scary- makes sense considering the lesson I did. I am second-guessing myself though. I have thought of a million things I should have said or said differently. Just thought if I posted that it might relieve some of my anxiety. We’ll see if it works! Good luck to all.</p>
<p>I just joined the forum, and have also obsessively read every post since my final interview yesterday. I am awaiting my 4DL notification. I think the interview day went well; although, I am second guessing everything. I started my five minute lesson, got the entire lesson out, involved the “students” and passed out a three question exit exam on the lesson. I then went over the exit exam with the class, asking them why they picked the answers they did and referring to the lesson. For that part I met time when I was half way through the last question. I had some poster boards, and they started to fall down, so I didn’t get the range of motion and comfort I desired because I was holding up my poster boards. There were some good lessons and some not so good lessons, but mostly good. At least half didn’t get through their lesson before time. In the group activity, me and another guy seemed to dominate the discussion, but I tried to pull the rest into the debate and work off what they had said. It seemed that many of the group must not have read the pre-reading or at least understood it. I was the only one that clarified that separate standards were not ok, and that we shouldn’t put extra burdens on students that are working just as hard, but instead create workshops for teachers to improve and change their approach. In the final interview, I discussed my scholastic leadership, marked my hardest class, and recalled how I was homeless for six months, but overcame. The recruiter asked me how I think I did on the role-play. I told him that I thought I did well. I argued for the kids, applying to the administrators interest in the children’s well being, but also branding for the school, allowing them to be known as a school that invests in its students. I told how I came from a poverty stricken background, that I did not reach college in a traditional way, and how passionate I was about education inequality. How I had been left out of programs growing up because I was dirt poor, and how i wanted to not only reach escape velocity, but give back. I finished by asking his favorite thing about working for the core. My interviewer was hard to read. He just said things like, “makes sense.” “sounds good,” “how do you think it went.” and "I gotcha."The only thing I am worried about is that my passion might have came off as too passionate. Also, everyone was thinner and prettier than me. I don’t know if that matters, but it could. Also, I seemed to be the only one from a really poor background and a second rate university, but I wasn’t the oldest. I guess I will have to wait and see. I was accepted straight to the final interview, and I was truthful, honest, and did my best. I really want this!</p>
<p>I feel as though I did my best. I was definitely the oldest in my group which was made me a little nervous. Hoping I’m not too old to be selected. My interviewer was extremely pleasant and fun. At one point, I made her laugh so hard she had tears in her eyes. Hope the good rapport is helpful in the decision process. </p>
<p>Good luck, need to teach! Where are you wanting to teach when you get accepted?</p>
<p>Top three choices were Colorado (special circumstance), Jacksonville Florida, and Eastern North Carolina-- From Georgia. How about you? Good luck during this process! We all need it.</p>
<p>@cicerocalliope
You sound like someone who would be an awesome asset to an organization like TFA and its mission! Good luck! </p>
<p>Also, I think the interviewers try their hardest to put on good poker faces. I wouldn’t worry about being able to read them.</p>
<p>@needtoteach My top three are NYC (special circumstance), New Jersey, and Mass. I am from Tennessee. @mossmoss, thanks a million! </p>
<p>@cicerocalliope You’ll get in. Hope you get a top choice! What subject/grade do you want to teach?</p>
<p>Highschool English, but I can also teach History or Latin. Also, middle-school German. I have BA’s in the first three, and experience with the last. I also could teach Art. I used to be a printer when I was a teen.</p>
<p>That is awesome. I don’t think I could teach English or History if I tried. I have a BS in Psychology with a Minor in Child and Family Development. I would love to teach middle school Math or Science but listed everything as a preference except English/History. </p>
<p>I hope you get it! It helps to have this digital support group in the wait time. </p>
<p>It really does, I am surprised that there aren’t more people posting! The other deadlines seemed to have a lot of people posting daily. Oh well we will be each others support until more join/post. Thank you for the vote of confidence! I hope we both get exactly what we want. </p>
<p>Hey Everyone,</p>
<p>I just finished my final interview earlier in the week and I think I did fairly decent. The group activity and sample teaching lesson went very well. (I thought it was interesting that there were only 3 of us boys interviewing versus 6 other girls there) I picked to go to any of the high need areas, I really hope I can get placed!</p>
<p>Good Luck to everyone!</p>