I have two interviews this week. They’re the first jobs I have applied for in 18 years, so scary scary in terms of interview. I am cacking myself!!
The potential question I’m most worried about is the weakness question. I’ve watched YouTube videos and searched it up on a million threads and so know that it should not be a disguised strength (“I care too much”) and it should not be a personality trait (“i’m A worrier”).
One of the things I’ve come across is that, if you’re an NqT it is perfectly valid to say “that I haven’t experienced any different settings etc”. So my question is, as a very experienced teacher, moving from a very white working class comp to a hugely multi cultural one with lots of EAL, would it be fair to say that lack of EAL experience is an issue. I would very quickly back that up with explaining what I did in my interview lesson to help EAL, and what I do know about it, and point out that it’s something I can quickly learn about and be keen to do.
I figure EAL will come up in the interview at some point, so I may as well get straight in there, but have slight fear that it is a genuine weakness, and that another candidate may have loads of experience of it and totally trounce me on that question.
I can genuinely say that EAL would be a welcome new challenge and not something that I would be worried about, but don’t want to throw them a big fat no answer! Equally, surely it’s not that different to an NQT saying that they haven’t had much experience, is it?
What do you think oh wise staff room? And if not this, any other great ideas?
Thank you!