[NOBE-L] Job interviews, teaching assistants, and accommodations

Tue Feb 23 01:04:55 UTC 2021

Hi Jackie,

Congratulations on nearing the end of your student teaching placement! So, below are some suggestions based on my own experience and personal opinions. 

I do not currently teach elementary school but I did complete a couple of student teaching placements with younger grades, and I am licensed in this area so here’s what I think:

1. Personally, I would not bring up my blindness prior to the interview unless there is a really strong reason why you should. I can’t think of what that would be but, perhaps an inaccessible platform for the interview. I don’t know. But some of the new platforms have actually been huge equalizers, you can see exactly who is on a virtual meeting and use the features pretty easily. Perhaps you would like to mention that you are blind and that is the reason you are not making eye contact, but I wouldn’t fixate on this. Keep it moving and don’t draw attention to this. The more comfortable you present, the more comfortable the potential employer will be with you. If you spend too much time and show someone that this topic makes you nervous, it can turn someone off. If you simply mention it so they are aware, you have responsibly informed them that you can’t see but this does not necessarily need to set the tone for the rest of the interview.

2. I wouldn’t talk about abilities in a negative context. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you bringing up alternative techniques you would use in your classroom. Because employers cannot legally ask you these questions or they might be afraid to, this is a good opportunity for you to explain your strategies to them. Be intentional and specific about the strategies you intend on utilizing to organize and effectively manage your students and space. 

3. I can’t speak for your district, but I don’t know that a school can make an assistant a condition for employment.  It might be a good solution for certain situations, but technically that is an accommodation that cannot be forced upon you. However, if it is something that is offered to you that is something you can explore if it is something that you want. I wouldn’t bring this up though unless it’s mentioned to you. At one of my interviews for example, this was actually offered to me but it was not a condition. That may happen. Perhaps do research about the school and what accommodations are available for teachers generally so you know what you can request later but focus on the interview first. A good approach is to go in with your own tools and strategies, assume that that’s all you have until you have been offered a demo lesson or an official position when you can discuss other tools. This also shows the potential employer that you are prepared and can figure out how to do the job.

4. Given some of the new online tools and strategies, I would say that you have a lot of tools that may work to your advantage. Just a suggestion, but if someone brings up concerns about supervising a space, a virtual platform actually offers a lot of ways to hold students accountable. Also, it is an equalizer in that if a student has their camera off, the sighted teacher is also not able to monitor behavior. It’s actually been very funny how a lot of my colleagues have been reaching out to me about strategies I use as somebody who can’t see since this is something that is not new to me. Just thought I would share with you.

Best wishes I hope everything works out for anybody who may be seeking a job! Keep us posted.

V

—
Valeria

> On Feb 22, 2021, at 7:03 PM, Nikki Palm via NOBE-L <nobe-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Jackie,
> I would also love information about this. Great questions!Hi Jackie,
> I would also love information about this. Great questions!
> 
> Nikki Palm
> 
>> On Feb 22, 2021, at 1:14 PM, Jackie Larrauri via NOBE-L <nobe-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> I hope you are doing well!
>> As the job interview season draws near, and as I prepare for the virtual job fair, I was hoping to get some advice from those of you who have gone through the interview process. In particular, if you teach in the elementary grades, I was hoping to ask about how receptive the principals were to you teaching. I have posted some of my questions below, but I’d be more than happy to talk with anyone offlist. My number is: 571-235-0503 if that works better than email.
>> Questions:
>> 
>> 1.  Did you let your interviewer know you were blind ahead of time or did you let them find out in the interview? I feel this question is especially applicable now with virtual job fairs and interviews—should I mention it during the interview or leave it out unless they mention it?
>> 2.  Did you answer questions about your blindness and abilities during the interview? I’ve heard they’re not supposed to ask, but I’m assuming they will. If so, what sorts of questions were you asked?
>> 3.  Have principals insisted on you having an assistant in order to be hired? If so, did you push against it/is it worth it?
>>    *   If you do have an assistant as part of the condition of hiring you, what, if anything do they do for you? I had a meeting with the principal at my current student teaching placement and he noted that the county might need me to have an assistant (and he would ask it if he could I presume) as a safety measure for students in case of a lockdown, fire drill, behaviors that occur, and notes or other papers that I may receive throughout the day that need to be read immediately. I’m just wondering how to go about all this in the case more principals bring that up as a condition of employment.
>> 4.  In terms of accommodations, what, if any did you ask for? When did you bring that up—during the interview or after you were hired?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Thank you for answering my questions, and I’m sorry if they seem simple—I have no idea what to expect.
>> 
>> Thanks again and stay safe,
>> 
>> Jackie
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