Amity Interview (part 2) and going back to Maryland

So, if you've read my first post on Amity you know that I was invited for a second personal interview the next day. When I got the call me and my mom started jumping up and down because we accomplished what we came to this gnarly city to do. So the next day I wake up around 6:30 and get ready.

At the hotel where the interview is taking place, my administrator was waiting in another conference room different from the one we had the group interviews in. I walk in and she first asks me what I thought I did well about my lesson plan. I told her that I thought I did the visuals well and the repetition I incorporated into the lesson plan was also a plus. She agreed and said that I was also energetic and had a simple lesson that the kids could grasp onto. Also she said that my preparation for the lesson was phenomenal because of my props (my weather flash cards) which is a plus for me because I'm also able to draw and was able to create them. So, for anyone out there ready to do an Amity interview these are the things I would recommend.

1) Be energetic!! This goes a long way when if your lesson stinks. Also hope you get a group that's friendly and participates in your lesson. I was lucky enough to get a group that was very inviting and we supported each others lessons.

2) Be prepared and put time into your lesson. This is a big one. The more the recruiter sees that you put time into your lesson, the more she/he will see that you care and are motivated to continue on with the process if selected.

3) Make your lesson plan simple! This one is also a biggie. No need to make elaborate games or anything like that. The recruiter is looking for a lesson that teaches kids a simple phrase along to with 5 or 6 vocabulary words to accompany the lesson. Make sure you have a teaching element to your lesson. Games and activities are important to keep the kids attention but the most important is the teaching aspect of the lesson and this part you should show during your 5 min demonstration. So make it simple! For example: Create a lesson that has one central theme. Make some flash cards that have 5-6 vocabulary words on it and then try and incorporate a phrase that can be practically used in a real life situation.

4) Repetition and gestures. Although Amity loves songs, they also love repetition and gestures to try and get the kids to remember the material. Try and incorporate gestures and repetition like saying a vocabulary word three times and doing a gesture that can be associated with that word.

5) Be open. This job is no joke. It is very time consuming and being in a totally different culture also takes a toll on you. The recruiter wants to see that you are open to new experiences and willing to work hard for Amity. It's just like any other company that you apply to whether in the United States or in Japan. The company wants to see how hiring you will benefit the company and its ideals. So show that you are willing to work hard no matter what the situation and that you are open to a new culture and new experiences although you know that there will be hardships.

Well, that's all I can think of for the demonstration. So going on, I had to also do another lesson in the personal interview but this one wasn't nearly as nerve racking as the first one because the recruiter pretty much tells you what they expect you to do...I guess you can say guidelines and they give you 10 min to prepare and create the lesson. It doesn't have to be perfect because the recruiter understands that you only have 10 min to prepare and if you're like me you have pretty much no ESL teaching skills. Just try and incorporate as much as the recruiter tells you and pretend that the recruiter is the child your teaching. This isn't too hard because when the 10 min are up the recruiter actually comes into the room acting like a 5 year old Japanese kid. LOL Although this part is funny, you have to hold in your laughter and act professional.

After the lesson, we talked about any questions that I might have and about the dress code and the cost of starting up and living in Japan. She also quizzed me on some of the things we went over in the Amity  presentation yesterday so during that presentation try and take notes, but if you remember one or two things you should be good. After that I handed her my references and she told me that I would hear from them in about a month or so about an opportunity for placement and that was the end. At first the interview process from reading it online was a little daunting but going in there and actually doing it made it seem not so bad! So just relax and go in there with a positive attitude!

So after everything was over, it was time for me and my mom to get out of this damn city!! We couldn't wait to get back home to Maryland...and I feel I can truly say that I am from Maryland now lol It's amazing what going to another state can do to change your perspective. I really felt that I was in a foreign county lol Our flight wasn't until 8 that night but we decided that going to the airport early, we could get put on standby and maybe have the chance to get put on an earlier flight. However, getting to the check in counter, I can't check my bag because you can only do that 4 hours before a flight. Since the next one leaving for Baltimore is not until 6 pm and we're there literally at 9 am it's pretty much impossible. I have to check my bag because I have my proactive toner and night toner in my bag all over the legal limit you can bring onto a plane...but of course my mom being the person she is makes me dump my face stuff into these bottles she was tucked away into her suitcase because she doesn't feel like waiting outside of security. I was a little mad at this and I did have a moment..and my mom calls me a bitch lol (this is the kind of relationship we have) but going through security and eating and being able to watch the football game, we made up and it was all good.

We wanted to get on the 6 pm flight back but the people at the counter were a little skeptical because the flight seemed full but we would be able to go on standby anyway. Waiting all that time at the airport and 6 pm finally rolls around and the people line up to get on the plane, we loose hope because it does seem like everyone is there and the plane would be full. There was even this other person on standby that tried to sneak on the plane lol As we're sitting there with no hope, our names are called to board and we spring up like giddy school girls that just won the lottery lol However, on the plane, since there wasn't enough room we had to check our bags anyway...but at no cost to us...I was kind of mad about that but if I hadn't gone through security and we hadn't been put on the waiting list early we would have never gotten the last two seats on the plane! So I guess my sacrifice wasn't for nothing.

Making it back to good ol' warm Maryland me and my mom were happy to be back...and hopefully I'll be employed by the end of this month so I can start paying my student loans T_T