If the interviewers are pretending to be rowdy students, is it okay to try to refocus their attention by saying something like “students, eyes on me please?”
I had to do a mock lesson last year, but the interviewers didn’t pretend to be rowdy or inattentive so I haven’t experienced it before.
Saying anything in Japanese like “kitte kudasai” is completely off the table, right?
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I’m a substitute teacher, so I’m thinking about using the strategies I use for my regular classes. I like to do Simon Says type instructions when the whole class gets rowdy. Everyone put your hands on your head. Now touch your nose. Now rub your stomach… Etc. That’s been really effective for my students, and could be spun into teaching body part vocabulary. I also think getting the interviewers to frequently repeat after you or respond like students could be a good strategy to show how you’ll keep students focused.
I saw a post somewhere on here talking about the interviewers heckling during the mock lesson part, and they said they just framed it as enthusiasm. If a kid were yelling Japanese words at you during the lesson, you could echo with the English words with a big smile. Act like they’re just wanting to get engaged! It’s a good way to redirect students’ energy irl, and I would think it would satisfy the interviewers.
Oh wow, heckling? I hope that was an instant you get your preferred prefecture. 😅
I had to teach a beginner’s class on how to introduce yourself with one of the participants refusing to join in. I just beamed at him, told him he could do it and waited. He then said his name. I smiled again and did a big stretch motion with my arms and pointed to the full sentence I wanted on the board. He then smiled, said the full sentence and told me to sit down.
And I got in.
I think it’s key to not get too flustered. No matter what they toss at you. Take a moment if you need to but stay confident not cocky. I know genki is always tossed around but that’s what they want. Confidence without an ego, able to roll with curveballs. But not too bubbly that you are not a professional.
You got this!
If you’re in ES, saying “students, eyes on me please” is going to woosh over their heads. Don’t use Japanese; on paper they discourage ALTs speaking Japanese in the classroom.
You’re better to just keep smiling, pause, and do the one finger over your mouth gesture – since that’s universal.
It’s really unlikely you’ll be thrown into this situation, but it’s just a stress test. It’s less what you do, and more how you react. Do you panic or lose your cool?
While I didn’t have that in my mock interview, I do go to visit school with rowdy kids (high school). Whenever a class is starting to become loud and not pay attention, I usually say “please be quiet “ first. Then make a “shhh” sound with my finger over my mouth. If it still persists, I just stop, fold my arms and wait. The awkwardness makes them be quiet long enough so I can finish speaking lol. Works like a charm. Add in a raised eyebrow with your arms crossed for better effect (although I only have to do this with one specific class—the other classes get the idea once I “shhh” them).
On the chance they do a mock interview with “rowdy” students, just place your finger over your mouth and wait. That should suffice.
I didn’t have rowdy “students” in my interview but at my visit school (low level SHS), many of my students can be rowdy. Waiting silently does nothing. They’ll just keep socializing with their friends.
So if I need their attention and some quiet, I use a strategy an elementary teacher of mine used: I raise my finger to my mouth and quietly go “Shhhhhhh”. I don’t stop making the shh sound. The more obedient students will catch on and stay quiet. The class clowns join in with the shh-ing as a joke (and I encourage it by making eye contact and smiling while shh-ing), but as more students join in, the more the others catch on until either the whole class is quiet or they’ve joined me in the shh-ing. That’s when I know I have their attention again.
Thanks, Mrs Y, for the trick!
The thought of the interviewers being rowdy high school students is something that’s so funny to me, and something I don’t think they would ever do. They aren’t trying to give you a hard time with the lesson, they just wanna see if you are capable of teaching something (on the spot).
Be genki and go with the flow.
Don’t need to worry about them being rowdy too much though ymmv
Just smile, focus on the positive interactions, and keep the energy up.
When students are rowdy in the classroom, I try to laugh with them for a second and then refocus them as they simmer down. In other words, keep smiling, stay calm, and stick to your guns.
You are not there to discipline students, after all. It’s a pressure test, not a test to see if you can control a class.