Welcome to America!
The morning introductory session is breaking up in the 16th floor conference room of the Jinrong International Hotel, Shanghai, and heads and candidates are getting into elevators to move to the individual rooms for the interview process that will last all day.
I step into the elevator and am greeted by a candidate. "I read your blog," she says. "I was looking for tips on how to do a good interview." That was a surprise.
Later, she tells me that HANBAN had told them virtually nothing about our schools, but she knew HANBAN and NAIS were partnering. A short Google search took her to the NAIS website, where this blog is now available. Amazing.
At the end of the day, we are all gathering for a photo opportunity with our newly hired teachers. Heads in the back row, teachers middle row and seated. As we are jockeying for positions, a newly hired teacher suggests, "But it is more respectful for the principals to be seated in the front row." "Welcome to America," chimes in one of the heads, speaking for all of us.
Newly hired teachers (front rows) and their Heads of School (back row) at the end of a long and interesting day.
In a later blog entry, curious MPA readers will learn more about our wonderful new teacher, Wang Tian, or Tina.
It has been a long day of interviewing, made especially challenging because of the extremely strong pool of candidates and difficult decisions. Miraculously, every school head was able to select his or her first choice candidate- an outcome I did not expect.
More later. 欢迎来到美国, Wang Tian!