What Happened To Jen?

Welcome to the continuing story of Jen and Mr. Henderson.

Here you’ll find the answers to:

• What was the worst phone call Mr. Henderson had to make to Jen’s parents?
• What was the “politician’s trick” that Mr. Henderson used to get even his most difficult students on his side?
• Find out why Jen called Ralph Finestone a “no good, two timing, lying back stabbing …”
• Learn Mr. Henderson’s greatest regret.
• Do you remember my question I had for you in my very first email? What do you think is the most important thing you should do in a teacher interview? The answer is revealed here in the story!
• What happened to Jen in Guatemala that changed her life?
• Did Jen get her dream job?

 

Here’s your little prize for making it this far:

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P.S. There are other prizes…just keep reading to find out!

 

And now, back to our story…

 

Chapter 9

 

Mr. Henderson knew that look. It was the same look Jen had on that sad day in fifth grade.

 

“Mr. Henderson, you know that phone call you mentioned to my dad the last time we met?”

 

“How could I forget? Why?”

 

“It reminded me of that other phone call you made. Do you remember?”

 

“Oh, I remember Jen. That’s the worst thing about teaching, making those calls.”

 

“On the positive side it really helped me. It was an important life lesson you taught me.”

 

“It works both ways Jen. I really learned a lot as well. Remember, I was just a new teacher. I was still learning and fine tuning my teaching. But that year really threw me and a lot of the experienced teachers and administrators for a loop.”

 

“It really was that bad, wasn’t it?”

 

“Well Jen, it’s usually sixth grade and the transition to seventh grade that a lot of bullying by mean girls seems to happen. In your year, for some reason it happened early—in the fifth grade. And it wasn’t just in our school. I spoke to my principal, and he told me it was happening across the district. Girls who had been great friends all through elementary school started to shun and bully their old friends. I wish I knew more about how it happens and how to prevent it. “

 

“Your advice to me and to mom and dad was great. By joining as many different groups as possible I got to make different friends. I joined the church choir, scouts and soccer. Some of those friendships I made back then I still have.”

 

“I know it was a tough year, for you and for the whole staff. We did our best with our talks, and meetings with parents, and special speakers and programs we brought in, but sometimes the simple pieces of advice are the best.”

 

“Yes Mr. Henderson, they are. Thank you.”

 

“You’re going to make this old guy cry Jen …”

 

Jen changed the subject and told Mr. Henderson what she had learned in the latest video Your Dream Teaching Job is Not Too Far Away.

 

“Yes Jen, writing up a specific professional profile, going to job fairs and actively networking on social media are all important, here’s another one that you should put into your toolkit:

 

“That’s kind of what we’re doing here isn’t it Mr. Henderson. It’s been one long informational interview.”

 

Jen was just about to say something more, when she took a look at the time.

 

“Oh my gosh, Mr. Henderson. I have to go back to work.”

Mr. Henderson smiled as he saw her rush off. It was a good day. And with that thought, he started to read his newspaper and drink his coffee.

 

Chapter 10

 

Mr. Henderson shook his head while he was reading the newspaper.

 

“What’s up Mr. Henderson? Anything interesting in the paper?

 

“Oh, hi Jen. I didn’t notice you. I read your competitor Billy’s Café has gone out of business. I’m really not surprised.”

 

“Why’s that Mr. Henderson?”

 

“For over a year, I went to Billy’s Café every day for a coffee. A year. Every day. And no one knew my name. Here, everyone knows my name. And not only that, when Omar or Olga or Natalie serve me, they even know what I take in my coffee! You must have great training here Jen.”

 

“Well, it’s because of you Mr. Henderson.”

 

“Me? How”

 

“Remember you taught us that politician’s trick with …”

 

“That’s right, I told you that good politician’s write down people’s names on an index card when they first meet them and include some facts about them like their job, education, likes, dislikes etc.”

 

“Well, I started doing the same thing here Mr. Henderson. Every person who came here regularly, I would ask them their name and write down what they had in their coffee and what they ordered. I kept the cards in a little file box beside the coffee pot and looked up their names and orders when I saw them coming in.”

 

“Wow Jen. That’s great. That’s why you’re still in business and Billy’s Café isn’t.”

 

“And you also taught us how to get to know other students in the class that we’d never even talk to by…”

 

“Yes Jen I remember. But let’s not get off track. Tell me what you learned from the seventh video Still Looking for a Teaching Job? Follow this Checklist.”

 

“Well it all seemed so common sense. I mean here’s the list:

• Consider moving
• Get your paperwork ready
• Be available on social networks
• Attend job fairs
• Prepare for the interview
• Share vignettes
• Follow-up
• Stay positive

 

“It may seem common sense, but you’d be surprised how many students fail to do these basic things. Did you know Jen, that I got my dream teaching job by following one of those things on the list.”

 

“Really Mr. Henderson. Which one?”

 

“The first one: consider moving. When I graduated from teachers college, there were no jobs in the area. The lowest seniority teachers had in both local school districts was five years. That meant that they hadn’t hired anyone new in five years. So the advice we got from human resources personnel when they came around to the college was to leave the area and come back in five years.”

 

“I remember Mr. Henderson you telling us you worked in a small town in the north for a number of years.”

 

“Yes, I worked in that small town for eight years until things started to open up here in my hometown.”

 

“So human resources was only off by three years?”

Mr. Henderson laughed. “That’s right Jen. They were pretty close in their prediction.

The point is Jen, that if you can’t find a job here in town or close by, think about moving. And not just moving up north. I had friends who taught in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia. You never know where your career will take you. And you always have the option of coming back to your own country.”

“I’d love to travel Mr. Henderson. I did do a bit of volunteering in Guatemala, so I have some idea how hard it can be to leave your country, learn new customs and another language. I think I could do that Mr.

Henderson. I’d like to go back to Guatemala in spite of all that happened.”

“If I had to do it all over again, I would have taken that route. It’s a great way to travel, get to know another country, learn a language and pay off those student loans.”

 

“So why didn’t you go abroad Mr. Henderson?”

 

And before he could answer, he quickly finished his cup of coffee and left.

 

Chapter 11

 

The next day there was a small crowd huddled outside the locked doors of the coffee shop. From behind the crowd, Jen rushed to unlock the doors for the thirsty customers.

 

“Sorry for the wait, but the owner is sick today and asked me at the last minute to open up for him.”

 

Mr. Henderson selected his favorite newspaper, ordered his usual and took a seat in a booth near a window. Jen quickly appeared.

 

“Sorry Mr. Henderson, but I won’t be able to meet with you today. With the owner sick, we’re short staffed.”

 

“No problem Jen. I’ll just …”

 

“Besides Mr. Henderson, the ‘Teaching in a Community College Can be a Great Option Too’ wasn’t really relevant to me. I want to teach in an elementary school.”

 

“No problem Jen. I’ll just …”

 

Jen had already left without listening to Mr. Henderson’s last comment.

 

It was a long time since Mr. Henderson was interrupted in mid-sentence. And now it happened twice. He took out his tablet and began to write Jen an email.

Dear Jen,

Don’t discount teaching at a community college. It’s a great place to start and hone your teaching craft. I taught part time at a college when the Internet was in its infancy. You may not remember, but the only way to navigate the Internet was by using Gopher, Archie, Veronica, Telnet, FTP etc. It was great teaching something that was so new. It was also the only time I ever taught adults.

I’ve had friends who have pursued their interests in photography, cooking, languages by teaching at the college level. One of my friends taught part time photography for a number of years when an opportunity for a full-time teaching position came up. He’s now the head of the photography department for the college and travels all across the country to photography conferences.

I seem to recall that you had a passion for interior design. Who knows? If you can’t get that elementary teaching position, you may want to teach an interior design course until something in your field comes up.
So why don’t you drop by the local college and see what’s available. It may open up some doors for you.
Sincerely,

Mr. Henderson

 

Chapter 12

 

“Hey Jen, isn’t that Ralph …”

 

“Ralph Finestone. That no good, two timing, lying backstabber …”

“…Ok. Ok Jen. Too much information. I get it. I had no idea.”

 

“You don’t know the half of it Mr. Henderson.”

 

She quickly left to compose herself before talking to Mr. Henderson again.

 

“I’m sorry Mr. Henderson.”

 

“No need to apologize Jen. Did you get a chance to see the ninth video ‘Teachers Have It All – Here is How to Utilize It?’”

 

“Yeah, I did, but it was a waste of time Mr. Henderson. I don’t want to change jobs. I want to stay in education.”

 

“Sometimes the world has a way of changing that. Student enrollment declines, schools close, the local economy changes. And, unfortunately, Jen, 50% of teachers leave after only 5 years of teaching. You may want a change sometime in your career.”

 

“Oh, I never really thought of that.”

 

“Let me give you an example. That young gentleman over there. His name is Alex. He works for that newspaper … you know, that newspaper that publicizes all the events happening in town and he goes to all the events and takes photos of everyone who comes out?”

 

“Yeah. He came out to the coffee shop to take photos of the book signing event we had here. What about him?”

 

“He was a teacher in a private school for a couple of years. The school closed down last year and he was out of a job. Luckily, he had a passion for photography and got a job with the newspaper.”

 

“What does that have to do with the ninth video?

 

Mr. Henderson had just taken a bite of his croissant.

 

“Sorry Jen. Your croissants are good. They remind me of Paris.  Well, our young man started working and noticed a number of the sales guys. They were disorganized. They knew their monthly sales goals, but they didn’t know how to reach them.”

 

“So what did he do about that?”

 

“Well, Alex sat down with them and showed them how to reach their sales goals by breaking it down step by step. Because of his teaching background he knew how to achieve a complex goal by planning the steps. His background in daily lesson plans and unit plans came in handy. The sales guys really appreciated it.”

 

“That doesn’t sound like such a big deal. Teachers do it all the time. We take something complex and break it down into simple steps for our students.”

 

“That’s the point Jen. It’s not a big deal for teachers, but it is a big deal for a lot of other people, like those sales guys. The other thing about being a teacher that really helped him was that he had good interpersonal skills so he could easily fit in and work with the other people on staff. One of teaching’s biggest skills is his ability to work independently.  And because he didn’t need to be closely supervised, he landed the ultimate prize.”

 

“The ultimate prize? At a newspaper. What was it?”

 

“That ties in perfectly with the next video ‘Being a Business Leader – Yes, Teachers Can be Great Entrepreneurs.’ I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow Jen.”

 

And with that, Mr. Henderson took another bite of his croissant and started to read his newspaper. He broke into a smile. He had been mentoring Jen for three weeks now. Yet, there was something not quite right. He couldn’t put his finger on it. But then it hit him like a ton of bricks.

 

Chapter 14

 

The next morning Mr. Henderson picked up his newspaper, ordered his coffee and sat in his favourite booth.

 

“Hey Jen. There’s Alex, that newspaper guy again. Did you want me to introduce you?  He seems like a nice boy.”

 

“Mr. Henderson. You know I’ve been going out with Robert since high school.”

 

“Yes Jen, but in the three weeks I’ve been mentoring you, you’ve never mentioned him. Is everything alright?”

 

What seemed like forever, Jen answered.

 

“No, not really Mr. Henderson. We were having problems and then I made the biggest mistake of my life.”

 

Mr. Henderson waited for Jen to compose herself.

 

“I confided in Ralph, Robert’s best friend for some advice. I thought since he was Robert’s best friend, he would know what to do but …”

 

Mr. Henderson knew what was coming.

 

“… but Ralph told Robert and now he’s not speaking to me anymore.”

 

Mr. Henderson just listened to Jen as she told him about their relationship. After about an hour of listening, Jen stopped, and sat up straight.

 

“No use crying over spilled milk Mr. Henderson. It’s over and time to move on.  Now you said something about Alex getting the ultimate prize at the  newspaper. What was it?”

 

“Well Jen, Alex was working there for a month or so when he found out that the owner was retiring. Alex talked to him about buying the newspaper and just this past week they’ve come to an agreement. Next week, Alex will be the new owner.”

 

“That’s all very nice Mr. Henderson, but what does that have to do with teaching.”

 

“That’s the whole point of video number 10. Alex was able to use his transferable skills from teaching in running his own business. Go back and see that video again Jen. It talks all about how your teaching skills such as focus, patience, simplifying complicated issues and dealing with discipline issues can be applied to a business.”

 

“And another skill that some teachers don’t really like to hear is that they are salespeople.”

 

“Salespeople! How can you say that Mr. Henderson?”

 

 

“I had to be a salesperson for some of the toughest lessons and subjects I had to teach. I had to come up with hooks, and props, and stories and incentives for students to listen to my lessons so I could teach them. I really had to market myself and my course, otherwise they would have been totally bored.”

 

“Your classes were never boring Mr. Henderson. Some of them were very different. Now I understand why you did some of those things—so we would pay attention.”

 

“That’s right Jen. I did a lot of things. Some of them worked and some of them didn’t. You need to take risks in teaching just like you would in business.”

 

“Speaking about risks Mr. Henderson, I’ve decided to leave my job at the coffee house. This is my last week.”

 

“Why’s that Jen? I thought you liked working here.”

 

“I do. But if I want to get my dream teaching job, I need to spend a lot more time than I have to get it. That’s why I’m quitting. I’m going to work full time to get that job.”

 

“That sounds great Jen. Although I will miss our chats. I’ll see in the next couple of days with the last lesson: How to Prepare For Your Teacher Interview.”

 

P.S.

 

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Do you remember my question I had for you in my very first email? If you’ve forgotten, here it is : What do you think is the most important thing you should do in a teacher interview?

 

The  answer is …

 

… drum roll …

 

Passion.

 

Passion is everything.

 

You need to show passion for teaching in your interview.

 

I should know.

 

My early interviews, I showed little to no passion.

 

I just wanted a job.

 

It wasn’t until I interviewed for a teaching position, that my passion for teaching came out.

 

It impressed the interview committee.

 

That’s how I got my first dream job in teaching.

 

Now, back to our story…

 

Chapter 14

 

Mr. Henderson barely had a sip of his coffee when Jen suddenly appeared.

 

“I saw the latest video and thanks to your mentor ship I’m ahead of the game.”

 

“That’s right Jen you are ahead of the game. Once you get the call for the interview, the next thing that you have to do is prepare, prepare, prepare.

 

Remember, during an interview, you are a salesperson. You are there to sell yourself to your prospective employer. You want to market yourself in the most interesting way possible.

 

 

Know Your Contact 

 

When called for an interview, ask who you will be interviewing with. It is nice to be able to greet your interviewer by name at the beginning of the interview without first being told who they are.

 

It shows that you are on top of things, and have prepared beforehand.   In most cases, you will be interviewed by a committee, a panel of three to five people.

If you can find out specifically who is on the panel, you are in much better shape to establish a bond during the interview and to have a greater level of comfort during the interview.

 

Do as much research on the person, or people, conducting your interview as you can.  Learn what they do for the school/community.

 

Practice Your Responses 

 

It is best, especially if you are prone to nervousness, to practice giving your responses to the most common interview questions.

 

You should also practice your wording, the tone of your voice, and body language. Your responses should always be as specific and detailed as possible.  You do not want your answers to be too general or too brief.

 

Practice your answers first in front of a mirror. Memorize what you are going to say but not to the point of reciting answers. You need to appear relaxed and attentive even if those butterflies are flying around in your stomach!

 

Videotape a mock interview with a trusted colleague or mentor. This time the “interviewer” should ask you the questions you have prepared BUT also add some of his own where you have to formulate answers on the spur of the moment. The more you anticipate questions, the less you will have to deal with these ‘surprises’.

 

 

I know that was a lot to take in for our last meeting Jen”

 

“Yeah, it was a lot. But they’re great ideas Mr. Henderson.”

 

“I know Jen this is our last meeting. But feel free to drop in on me anytime, especially if you need help doing a mock interview or looking at your demonstration lesson plan. You know my booth!”

 

Keep watching those videos, especially the next ones on interviewing.

 

I highly recommend:

 

• Answers to Top 5 Questions They Ask in a Teaching Interview
• What Principals Look For In You
• What To Do After The Teaching Interview
• Being Interviewed For An Overseas Position Read This First

 

And definitely watch these videos. I would watch some of them twice:

• How Social Media Can Help You In Your Teaching Job Hunt
• Don’t Break These Social Media Rules For Teachers
• Social Networking – A Guide For Teachers And Professionals
• How To Attract Employers Using Your Social Media Profile
• How To Get Disqualified Using Your Social Media Profile

 

Jen typed the suggestions on her laptop. When she finished she looked up and asked:

 

“So why didn’t you go abroad Mr. Henderson?”

 

His eyes started to mist. Mr. Henderson let out a sigh.

“I met the girl of my dreams in university. We were in love and got married. I was so in love that I was convinced any problems we faced could be overcome.”

 

“So, what happened Mr. Henderson?”

 

“Well, since I had a teaching degree and majored in international studies and languages, I always wanted to live abroad for a couple of years.

 

However, she was a scientist and once she started her career it was hard for her to give it all up for my dream. That was a non negotiable for her.

She also didn’t want to have any children, focusing on her career instead. That was hard for me. After all, I was a teacher and loved kids. So, we drifted apart and divorced.”

“I remember what you said Mr. Henderson: ‘Life isn’t always the way you want it to go. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball.’ That’s what happened to me in Guatemala.”

 

“What were you doing in Guatemala Jen?”

 

“I was working for a Non Governmental Agency called ‘Children Are Precious’.  The organization helped feed and teach the children who worked in the largest basurero (Spanish for dump) in Latin America.

 

There were hundreds of these poor kids who worked scavenging garbage in this dump. We were helping kids ages 2-16. It was very rewarding. I had purpose to my life. Then it happened.”

 

“What happened Jen?”

 

“A fire broke out and we lost 3 of our children. It was horrible. I realized that every day is a gift. I decided that I’m going to give my best each and every day to my students.”

 

“Well Jen, with a passion like that, I think you’re on track to getting your dream job.”

 

“Thank you, Mr. Henderson.”

 

 

P.S.

 

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Epilogue

 

Jen took Mr. Henderson’s advice. She saw him a couple of more times. He gave her a mock interview and fine tuned her demonstration lesson plan.

 

For one year she volunteered and taught English in Guatemala to the garbage dump kids.

 

When she came back, she married Alex, the newspaper guy. They are expecting their first child.

 

Jen has been teaching for the past three years in her dream job teaching first graders.

 

She credits Mr. Henderson with her success.

 

Mr. Henderson still comes into the coffee shop, reads the newspaper and has a coffee in his favorite spot by the window.

———

Hello,

Marjan here.

 

I hope you enjoyed reading my story about Jen and Mr. Henderson. Some of it is based on true events and some of it comes from my imagination.

 

I want to leave you with one last piece of advice. (There’s also a little prize waiting for you at the end.)

 

Something interesting happens when you genuinely want the best for your people …

 

When you treat them with care, respect and authenticity …

 

It doesn’t happen overnight …

 

But instead, it develops over time …

 

Just like any teacher student relationship does over the school year  …

 

But once the bond is there …

 

Your students will support you to everyone, especially to their parents and friends …

 

Although I am no longer in the elementary classroom, I do have teachers who have become my “students”.

 

They remind me that even experienced teachers need to keep current:

 

 

 

 

If you earn your people’s trust …

(just like the trust between you and your friends …)

 

They will behave like in the examples above …

 

 

 

It’s why new teachers such as MG, Michelle and Mona posted these messages after viewing my videos …

 

 

 

I am so grateful to Angela, Pamela, Victoria, Anne and Kellyann for their wonderful feedback.

 

 

It’s something every teacher strives for!

 

I sincerely thank all of you for your support and believing in my product.

 

And what about you?

 

P.S. Your little surprise…

 

.

 

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Everything you need to know to land your dream teaching job

 

By the numbers

 

Lectures: 19

Video: 2 hours

Skill level: All Levels

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The Complete Guide To Getting A Teaching Job

 

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All the best in your job hunting!

Marjan

P.S.

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