DODEA interviews are really important. They are over the phone, so they don't get to see your smiling face, and instead focus intensely on every word you say. No pressure!
But I'm here to help you prepare! Here are some of the topics you can expect to be asked about:
I know i'm forgetting some. I'll come back! It will be a timed interview, so try not to ramble. They will cut you off and move on. It is intense! Keep in mind, everyone sounds stupid at least once on a phone interview. I know I did. I hope this helps!
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DODEA is a school system. A big school system that spans continents. Let that sink in a bit.
But it doesn't hire the same way most schools do. Typically, at a certain point in the spring you can go on a district website and see which schools have openings and at what grade level. Find a job you are interested? You'd email the principal and hope for an interview. Not DODEA. With DODEA you apply with the main EAS system first. If you haven't done that yet, go HERE. The people at HQ (headquarters) evaluate your application and (supposedly!) give you some sort of point coefficient. This is never something the teachers ever see, so I'm speaking from what I heard from other DODEA teachers. When schools have an opening the principals digs into the online application system and finds the grade level (or levels! Remember the Math/Physics/Chinese from my previous post??) they are looking for. They put in their choices and get the top 25 teachers based on the point coefficient from above. They choose a certain number to interview, and then offer the position to their top choice. It is complicated. Let me give you an example: School B in Japan has an opening for a 3rd grade teacher, but they are really looking for someone who is able to teach 4-6th as well. So Principal of school B goes into the system, says she wants people certified 1-6 and gets the top 25. If you are one of those 25 you will get an automated message saying: "You were placed on a referral list for Grade 3 at School B." ***At this point, keep checking your email compulsively for an interview request!*** The principal then chooses 5 (or more, or less, who knows?) to email and request interviews. She may call and ask, or email. If the school is many time zones away then expect an email. If you really really really do not want to work in this school, decline the interview. Should the principal choose to offer the position, you will really ruin your chances if you decline at that point. Much better to decline the offer. I'd like to point out that for most, the goal at first is just to get IN to DODEA. For many teachers that takes YEARS, so most will not refuse an interview. OK, back to the procedures. The principal emails you to ask for an interview. You accept! Now time to prepare. Check out my post HERE on DODEA interviews. Once you ace the interview the waiting begins. It could take days or a week for the principal to get through all the interviews to make a choice and send it to HR. If you are lucky, you will get an email that says, "DoDEA Account Inactive" This is a great sign! Usually that means they are about to make you an offer!! Cross your fingers! Once you get an offer the real work begins. That is a whole other post. I hope this helps with some of the murkiness of the DODEA hiring process. Good luck! Around christmas time, a former coworker came to me and told me about the DODD schools. She knows how much my husband, George, and I love to travel, and thought I would be a great fit. I had been feeling antsy at my current school, and was ready for a change.
I talked to G and he was all for it. I've been the supportive wife for his architecture career, so he was totally on board for a new change for mine. I went to the DODEA (Department of Defense Education Action) website and was slightly overwhelmed with the requirements. Transcripts, recommendations, test scores, etc. It is a lot. So... Tip #1) Start EARLY. It will take you a while to get all the documents you need, and to get the courage to tell your boss you are applying elsewhere. The DODEA people need time to verify your qualifications in order for your application to get in the hands of principals. Hiring can start as early as February/March, so you don't want to miss opportunities. I was able to pull everything together and submit my application by mid January. Tip #2) Choose your references wisely. You really do want your current principal or supervisor to be one, obviously. But you can have up to 4! They need to be people who have acted as your supervisor. Personally, I have not had that many principals in my career -so I had to be creative. I chose my current assistant principal, who had taught for DODD in the past. I chose the Math Resource Coach, who acts as a content supervisor in the school. I also chose a colleague who had acted as my supervisor when I taught a course for new Kindergarten teachers. There is a lot of mystery about how the DODEA application system works, but I am confident that having more people saying good things about you and your teaching will be a big boost. Tip #3) Don't be humble. Part of the application asks for additional educational qualifications and experience. Do you do phonics lessons through literature? Mark it. Do you use Developmentally Appropriate Practices? Mark it. You want principals to see ALL that you are capable of, so if you have done it, mark it. Many teachers have extra duties like Science Lead Teacher, or team leader. Don't forget to add all of those! Even if you aren't currently doing them, they still count for you! You want to stand out as the best of the best! Tip #4) If you CAN teach it, list it. Even if you don't WANT to teach it. DODEA schools can be small, and often need teachers to cover more than one area. I recently heard about a DODD High School that was looking for a teacher who was certified to teach Math AND Physics AND Chinese. I'm thinking that is like looking for a unicorn in the wild... Anyhow, schools can often be looking for a weird combo of certifications. So if you are certified in ESOL or Reading or SPED, apply for those jobs too. The goal here is to get IN. You may not be in your dream job right out the gate, but you will have a much better chance of transferring later vs being picky now. I'll give you an example. I'm certified PreK-3rd grade. That's it. I don't WANT to teach first grade, it is my least favorite grade. Sorry, first grade teachers. I love you, I swear! But I applied for anything Prek-3rd anyhow because I knew it increased my chances of getting hired. OK, that's enough for today. Comment below with any questions! |
Hi, I'm Kristen!I'm originally from the DC area, but recently moved to Daegu, South Korea to teach Kindergarten at a DODD school! ArchivesCategories |