Exit Interview

A first-grader recently asked their teacher, “What’s an exit interview?”

Because first-grade teachers know how to explain all the things, she answered,

“It’s a conversation you have with a person who was in charge of something when that something is done and they ask you questions about how it went.”

Since then, I’ve been thinking about exits.

I’ve never had an exit interview.
That’s not the point. The point is, I’ve exited many times.

Once I taught second-grade and I thought, “I should probably always teach second-grade.”

I was sure I’d be one of those teachers who teaches the same thing for all the years of my career. But there wasn’t an opening there the next year.

The last week of school, my principal said,
“Oh Ona, what are we going to do without you?”

(Was that an exit interview?) and I said,

“What am I going to do without
a job?”

I sobbed saying goodbye to my second-graders.

Have you ever loved a group of kids?
Have you ever worked every day with a community of learners?
Have you ever said goodbye?

I hope they aren’t traumatized by that to this day – their second-grade teacher at the classroom door, tears streaming down her face.

The next year I went to sixth-grade.

“Middle school! God bless you!” Everyone said.
Everyone.
They were right, I was blessed.
Sixth graders rock.
I knew that after my second year there,
not my first year – no that year was
tough.

After my second year there, I thought,
“I should probably always teach sixth-grade.”

Have you ever laughed with 11 year-olds?
Have you ever had students beg to stay in from recess to finish a read-aloud?
Have you ever watched a preteen become a reader? A writer?

I stayed for years, with many temporary exits to stay home with my babies.
My babies!

One year I decided I wanted to lean into working with teachers too. I went to elementary school and I coached.
I fell in love with life in elementary school.

Who wouldn’t?

Have you ever walked the hallway of an elementary school?
Have you ever known kids for their entire elementary career?
Have you ever met an elementary teacher?

Coaching is a lot of things,
in case you were going to
Ask.

Have you ever made relationships your top priority?
Have you ever taught lessons in all the grades?
Have you ever leaned in to vulnerability just to enter a closed door or a conversation?
Have you ever presented to hundreds or sometimes just 2 teachers?
Have you ever learned so much every day from so many people – from 5 year olds on up?

I even started to learn how to be a good listener.
Small steps.

After a few years, I thought,
“I should probably always coach.”

Even though I missed having my own classroom of kids.
I know, they are all
all our kids. But,

Have you ever taught your own class?
Have you ever gathered kids on the carpet?
Have you ever had inside jokes with 7 year-olds?

I missed it, but I loved coaching.
So long story short –

I reinterviewed for the job I had been doing and they said

Congratulations!
You are now a
permanent
coach.

Permanent is a weird word, because what it really meant was
not permanent.

If I were to give myself an exit interview, I think my questions
might
be different from those someone is meant to ask.
I wouldn’t know.
I’ve never had an exit interview.

But I would ask myself questions like:

Can you describe the feeling of walking down the hall, a sea of familiar kids you’ve known since they started Kindergarten?

What does your heart do when a student calls out your name in the morning, or stops you to show you a special item they have with them?

What is your favorite question a student ever asked? Why was it, “When are you going to come back and teach writing again?”

Why did you laugh every day? What were the best things kids say?

What did it feel like when a door was closed? How did you know if you were welcome in a classroom?

What was our best decision while you were coaching? What was our worst? Why are you baffled?

Why do you think that teachers can do so much when we do it together?

What story paints a picture of the impact coaching can have?

What questions do you want me to ask you?

I may not really know
how to do an exit interview,
but I think I might start them with my second-graders next year.
Perhaps my questions to myself are a good starting place for second-grade versions.

How did you feel in second grade?
Did your classmates and teachers know you?
What was your favorite question this year?
What made you laugh?
Did you feel welcome at school?
What were our best decisions this year? What were our worst?
How did it feel to work together?
What story will you remember most about second-grade?
What questions do you want me to ask you?

What questions do you want me to ask you?