CASE #025: Guide in Applying for RQA Part 3
You are done with the demo and you have successfully executed
your lesson plan. Congratulations! Take your lunch break and be back for the
interview.
The Interview
There are panelists who would prefer to go over the interview
first before the demo teaching. In my case, demo teaching came first. The
interview part came later in the afternoon.
Remember your thesis defense? Then you can clearly have a
good picture of how the interview will look like. Like your defense, this is
also a panel interview. But unlike in most job interviews, your fellow
applicants are there in the same room sitting right next beside you.
If you are a big group, the panelists will most likely
divide you into groups of 10 and interview all 10 of you at the same time.
Questions are about teaching strategies, your background, your flexibility in
the teaching environment, etc. I was lucky to face a kinder panelist than my other batch mates. But
it would be best to expect the worst.
Always have the presence of mind. Listen to what the
panelists are saying and asking. Be direct to the point. The downside of
interview procedures like this is that you run out of answers, especially if
your turn comes in last. Your fellow applicants have already answered all the
things that you have in mind. Either you end sounding like a copycat or turn
out to have the weirdest answer to make it unique.
In times like this, do not panic. Listen the answer of each
of your fellow applicants. That way you will have the chance to
paraphrase or reword or restructure your answer in a way that it will still
have the same thought but would not sound like a direct quotation of another
applicant’s answer.
You may also start your answer by somewhat agreeing to a
fellow applicant’s answer and adding more explanation that he or she might have
not covered. Be sincere. This way you will sound like you really have an idea
and it just so happen that it is the same point as others. The delivery will
make the difference.
Agree only on points and ideas you also believe in. Not
because everyone else, agrees with the point, means its correct. Be smart
enough to know when to contradict. That is why, again, it is important to
LISTEN.
After the interview, you heave that deep sigh of relief. You’re
done for the day. You would just need to wait for the results of the ranking.
Call Me Maybe
Now this is the tough part. The agony of waiting if you
passed or failed. Ideally, announcements of results will be made after a month
to give time for all the division officers to compute and deliberate your
scores. But then again, just like any government agency, delays are always
expected.
In my case, I submitted my documents around end of February. I
took the test on April 12 and the interview/demo on April 13. Results were out
around May 29-30. So, you do the Math. This varies in different division offices. Some may have it
longer or shorter. But it would always be before the opening of the school
year.
Patience is really a virtue. You will have to invest time and
money because you need to visit the division office several times just to be
sure of the results. You can also call their office from time to time for updates.
When the results come out, it would only show those who
passed the RQA. It will be posted in their webpages or Facebook pages, and bulletin boards. Again, groups
like Teachers’ Ranking Tips United will be very helpful because there could be
members who are also applicants in your division office. Some of them are kind
enough to provide updates when one visits the office. Some are even generous to
share pictures of the results and screenshots from the webpage.
The division office will be reaching out to each successful
applicant depending on the number of teachers needed in the school you are applying
for. It would be best to check your phones or always be in touch with them for
details.
Re-calibration
In case your name did not appear on the list, there is
always a chance of re-calibration. This means that if the number of qualified
applicants who passed the ranking is not enough to fill in the needed teaching
positions, the division officers will again take another look at all the
scores and deliberate. They can reconsider either readjusting the scores or the cut off. There
is still a chance that you can be reconsidered. Just have lots of faith.
Now, if you still did not make it to their cut off, there is
always a next time. You can go to the division office and request for your
scores. They will provide you with a copy of the breakdown of your scores. This way
you will know where you failed or the areas that you must improve to be able to
make it to the next ranking.
So, to all of you who passed the RQA and is now an official
public-school teacher, my congratulations. What you have been through in the ranking process is no joke. Earning that position is indeed a great feat! I
salute you and admire your courage to stand in front of this generation of 21st
century learners.
Happy teaching!
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