  As I walked through the second floor hall of Elkton Middle School, I was incredibly dreading what was coming up ahead. The interview paper scrunched up in my hand, I nervously headed towards Mr. Hinton’s classroom. Yes, my dear friends, an interview. I repeat: an interview. Out of all people from my computer class project, they had to pick me. Me! The girl who couldn’t calmly talk to someone without either sounding desperate or stupid from the loss of words. Me! The girl who spent half her life thinking about what to say before trying it out on someone. And, well, here I was, walking like a… a professional or something with a paper in one hand and a pen in another, slowly approaching the wooden door with every trembling step I took. Down the stairs I went, only a little while to go before facing the end of my glory days. I mean, these things were meant to be for awesome talkers. And supposed to be fun! And they totally are! But somehow I wish the angel of words would suddenly swoop down and make me the most perfect public speaker that always knew what to say, when to say it, and a perfectionist on saying it clearly.
Yeah, right. |
 Shaking, I peeked through the open door. The gateway to a chance of something I was sure to fail on. Yep, he was there all right. Gray-bearded and jolly-looking like everyone described him. So were about 50 people. Just kidding. Only two were in there. A girl left as I uncertainly walked in. You see, that’s the problem with me. Uncertain and unconfident are two horrible, horrible traits to have. Better get rid of my stage fright quick, or I’ll never make it to a Hollywood party.
“Hi….” I spoke, sounding a little scared, “I’m here for the…”
“Interview, right?” Wow! He was completely confident, not strict or startled…. happy, like Santa Claus. It’s amazing how much you can tell about a person by just hearing their voice. It went smoothly, explaining everything about everything as the other boy in the room was politely excused…at least up until the first question.
Slowly talking at first, like, `oh, yeah, I’m here for the interview for my GenY project and we were going to do a “Teacher Feature” webpage, and you were picked` and stuff like that. Well, turns out the world’s not perfect as I faced an uncomfortable moment while trying to decide what to say.
“So….. These first few questions are like, general ones, about past life and stuff.” No way did I sound like an interviewer. Oh, well. Done is done. Forget and move on. “So, where is your hometown?” I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that part was over and giving him a chance to talk. Gap, Pennsylvania was the calm reply as I hastily scribbled this on my paper. “What college did you attend?” Millersville University came once again with the short, stout, but gentle reply.
I grew more confident as the next few Q’s came around.
“Why did you want to become a teacher,” actually interested on this one.
“Well, when I was little, my teachers weren’t very nice or cool. I wanted to grow up and be someone different than them, and to kind of express a different side.” Pause for a millisecond. Then, “actually, my great-great grandfather was a teacher, I’m a teacher, and my wife was a teach- actually, now is a teacher at a different school.” |
Next, we did the main course: Interest. I mean, teaching isn’t always about serious stuff, and, of course, you ask about outside life because that’s how you really get to know a person. So that’s exactly what I did. Interests and hobbies outside of school…
“I love paintball!” was the first thing out of his mouth.
“Oh! COOL!” I exclaimed, “Is that like, when you throw balls of paint on a huge paper?” Big mistake. You shoot guns with balls of paint on a huge paper (but not that way). He’s also a Star wars nerd. We’re talking computers, laser beams, the whole enchilada. Wow, teachers do really have an outside life! |
|
Fave quote? Not so much. But there is one his dead grandfather had, but you know what it’s like when you just can’t remember.
Turns out, his grandfather had a big role in Hinton’s life. He was the most influential person in his life, and the big encouraging person everyone likes to have.
“Do you have any advice for someone who wants to become a teacher?”
This one took a while. After many ummmmm……….s and uhhhhhh…..s I finally got an answer.
“Don’t ever stop learning.” Basically, “teachering” is all a learning experience. So, if you want to become one, the math is very simple: don’t stop learning.
Mr. Hinton actually had a lot of jobs before he was a teacher. They included being a paintball player, referee, and about a gaskadillion more. So with what he would want to be if he wasn’t a teacher, not exactly the best question. He tried all, and teaching was the best. (Maybe not all, but pretty close.)
He hates it when people are afraid of computers. (As for me, I’m just freaked out by the hard drive.) He also doesn’t put on much of a smiley face when kids have the “don’t want to learn” mentality. Yeah, well, that’s about everybody.
The thing about teachers is that there is always more to them than you think. Yeah, well they act one way in school, that doesn’t count for all that they are. And sometimes they wish students could really get to know them and fully understand them before making judgments. When I asked Mr. Hinton this question, my sort of surprise is that he stayed neutral, counting every teacher in the school.
“All of them want to help,” came as a very felt and understanding response. “That’s what they’re here for, and that’s what they want to do is to help kids learn more.
Good luck everyone.
“Smaller classes,” was the friendly reply I got when asking what he would change about the job. `Okaaay,` I thought as I went to write this on my paper.
“No, not that kind,” Mr. Hinton suddenly said as though he could read my mind. “I meant smaller-sized, as in classroom shrink.” Ooooooookay! That was better… kinda.
Now, preseeeeeeenting… the style everyone loves… FUN! Everyone loves fun! So does Mr. Hinton, judging by his “fun question” answers. Fave word: Algebra. Supposing that it’s like, way different from what it sounds, and… way different in general. Being a science and math teacher, you’d expect that his favorite sound would be like, a computer or a pencil scribbling equations or something. But it’s actually a light saber from Star Wars. I like that sound too. Unless it’s overplayed. Then I don’t like it. Anymore, I mean.
He hates to hear the little “beep-beep” sound or the “whoor” sound or the “doo-doo-doo” sound the computer makes when it’s not working. Yeah, you have to check your e-mail, but noooooooo. It just has to be that way. All stubborn and stuff. I’d blame my mom or something.
Finally, the sweet one: what do you think students enjoy most about you?
“I let them be loud.” Totally agree with him. I’d like a teacher who let us be loud. Except for testing days. Then we’d have to be loudererer…er.
And that was the end of it. I thanked Hinton for taking the oh, so valuable time to talk with me about this stuff, because a lot teachers will say, like, “No, I’m too busy grading papers,” or something. As I walked out the door, I smiled happily. That was a pretty decent experience, and I learned that there was more to teachers that what meets the naked eye. (That’s just an expression, by the way.) See ya next time on, “The Mystery Adventure” series by me. (psych!)
|
|
Eye opener? Yeah, it's Mr. Hinton, all right…in full costume at the "Make a Wish" dinner. Can you guess which one he is? |
|
~Interviewer: M. Levykina~ |
