1 Running Head: Teacher Interview

Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner. Name of Artifact: Teacher Interview Date: November 2010 Course: EDUC 101 Introduction to Education Brief Description: This was an interview with a working teaching professional that allowed me to gain knowledge about the profession of teaching, school environments, and future students. The assignment made me reflect on what it takes to be a teacher and how to handle classroom management. Rationale: To my demonstrate my understanding of Professional Learning and Ethical Practice, I have selected to include my Teacher Interview assignment because it illustrates my efforts to seek opportunities and use professional resources to improve self-development as a leaner and teacher.

2 Teacher Interview

Teacher Interview Rita Mitchell Intro to Education 101-A1H Barbara Wylie Ivy Tech Community College Oct 29, 2010

3 Teacher Interview Teacher Interview Questions Rita H. Long

1. 1. Tell me about yourself as a teacher.

a. Why did you decide to enter teaching? It was something I always wanted to do since I was a little girl. I do not know where it came from because I was not in a family of teachers.

b. How many years have you been teaching? I have been teaching for 22 years. c. What grade levels and/or subject areas have you taught? I have taught first grade and kindergarten.
2. Tell me about your classroom and teaching strategies.

a. How is your classroom arranged to optimize learning? 95% of my students are ESL so I try to put them together as much as possible so they may have conversations and learn the language. I have three bi-lingual students and two teachers assistants that help me translate. b. What are your strategies for effective classroom management? I use a strategy called the stop light. It is a behavior strategy that awards students with good behavior a star for the day and for students with unpleasant behaviors to receive a call home to parents. After so many stars a student receives on the chart they are rewarded a prize. The stop light colors I use are: Purple- Excellent Behavior Green- Good Behavior

4 Teacher Interview Yellow- Warning Stage Red- Bad Behavior/ Call home to parents Everyone starts the day at green. If they start to fall to the lower stop lights of the behavior scale I do give an opportunity for them to move back up. c. What types of lesson plans do you create? How do you incorporate state standards in the curriculum? Everything I plan with the students is hands on activities. I look through the state standards of what they require of my students to know and plan my lessons according to those standards.
3. For you, what are the most exciting aspects of teaching and your work?

I love to see the growth of my students. The more they are able to learn and retain from the beginning till the end of class brings joy to my heart.
4. Who has given you the most support in learning to be an effective teacher?

I would say colleagues have given me the most support in being an effective teacher. We collaborate and brainstorm on many ideas, lessons and techniques for the students.
5. How do you encourage involvement of parents and families in the school and your

classroom? I always let the parents know of my open door policy. Parents are more than welcome to come and visit with their children to see how their school days go, to volunteer for field trips, or even participate in school and classroom celebrations. I also send my students home with activities that they can share and work through with their families. I like to encourage the parents to be as involved as possible.
6. How much time do you spend outside of the work day on preparation and grading?

5 Teacher Interview After my prep period I spend about two hours outside of work doing preparation and grading. IPS has started to post students assignment and report card grades online.
7. What do you think are the most difficult challenges for teachers?

When it comes to the students I believe the hardest part is the different levels that each student can be at. Teachers can have students that are advanced, moderate, lower, and special needs and one must try to find a way to appeal to all of them at the same time. When it comes to the profession there is a severe lack of support statewide for education. Lawmakers are cutting funds to education at every corner.
8. What do you see as the pros and cons of ISTEP? In what ways, if any, has ISTEP affected

your teaching? My kindergarteners do not take an official ISTEP test.

9. What differences if any do you see between the first classes you taught and current ones you

teach now? There is a difference in standards and rigor. What I used to teach my first graders is now the expectations for kindergarteners. I feel as though I have to cram a lot of information into each day so they can stay on task with the state standards and the school curriculum. If a student was to leave this school and start at another IPS school it is the expectation that they will be on task with knowing concepts, stories, etc. Every teacher at the same grade level and district must teach the same lesson or activity as everyone else. (Example: Mrs. Long class is doing subtraction, vowel sounds, and reading Little Red Hen, all other classes in the school and district must do the same.) The sad part about it is if your students do not learn the concept as well as you would like them to you must move on.

6 Teacher Interview Teachers have lost the freedom of personalizing lessons plans to fit their class needs and/or teach the methods at a slower pace.
10. Do you think all schools should be on a year round schedule? Why or Why not?

No, I do not think all schools should go to a year round schedule. I do not think we should switch to this because it takes a long time to get students into a routine. If we allow the year round schedule it would be like receiving the students after a three month summer break. Teacher may find themselves having to teach students the same thing over and over again. It might work for the older students and grade level but not some much for the younger students.
11. Do you think charter schools are a threat the public schools/education? Why or Why not?

Yes, I do think charter schools are a threat to public schools and education. I think parents are buying into the idea that just because it is a charter school than it is automatically better than public schools. (Example: Some people believe that township schools are automatically better than IPS.) The reality is that some are in worse shape than public schools. With the growing popularity of this logic funding for public schools is cut because of fewer enrollments.
12. How do you continue your professional development? What is required to maintain your

teaching license? I am currently working on my Masters Degree in ESL through IUPUI. The requirement to maintain your teachers license is to take five credit hours of college courses every six years.
13. How do you know you are successful?

7 Teacher Interview I can tell I am successful through the accomplishments of my students. When students have succeeded they are happier and so are their parents.
14. What advice would you give to a future teacher?

My advice to a future teacher is to be proactive. There are a lot of decisions being made in education by those who are not educators themselves. Some of these decisions will make your career harder but you must hang in there. To this day, I still love my job and you must remind yourself that Its all worth it!

8 Teacher Interview Teacher Interview Reflection For my teacher interview I had the pleasure of interviewing my former first grade teacher Mrs. Rita Long. She currently teaches kindergarten at IPS Meredith Nicholson #96. From my own experience and interview with Mrs. Long I know she possesses all the traits of an effective teacher. According to Janice Koch, the seven attributes of a good teacher are being knowledgeable, alive, articulate, innovative, patient, committed, and the ability to find joy in teaching. (Koch, p.12, 2009) Mrs. Long keeps herself knowledgeable by completing five hours of college courses to keep her licensing. She has also taken initiative to earn her Masters Degree in ESL training. Mrs. Long is alive with the way she handles classroom management. Classroom management can be defined as the way teachers create an effective classroom environment for learning, including all the rules and conditions they establish. (Koch, p.249, 2009) To help encourage students to have positive behaviors she uses a chart that awards them stars for good behavior. The stars can be used by the students to get prizes. Mrs. Long encourages learning by putting her ESL students together in groups so they may work together on hands on activities. From my interview with Mrs. Long I believe she is a combination of two teaching philosophies I wish to follow. The first educational philosophy Progressivism is an educational philosophy that stresses active learning through problem solving, projects, and hands-on experiences. (Koch, 72, 2009) The teachers role in this teaching philosophy is to structure learning activities and encourage students to explore the ideas that arise; teachers can vary the curriculum to match the needs and interests of students. (Koch, 76, 2009) The second educational philosophy Essentialism is an educational philosophy holding that the purpose of education is to learn specific knowledge provided by core academic disciplines such as mathematics, science, literature, and history. (Koch, 72, 2009) Teachers must impart the key

9 Teacher Interview elements of these subjects so that all students have access to this basic or essential knowledge. (Koch, 72, 2009) The teachers role in this philosophy is to be the central figures in the classroom, transferring their knowledge to students. (Koch, 76, 2009) I want to emulate these two teaching philosophy because they are the core values that I want my students to take from my classroom. I want my students to be able to learn how to learn. Although I love doing hands on activities I know that there will be times that I will have to be straight forward with my lesson plans. When it comes to education Mrs. Long is a great example of how you can make a huge difference in a childs life. The attribute that I admire most in Mrs. Long is her passion for her students. Although she has been teaching for 22 years I can see that she still loves her job. I love how she has committed herself to her career and continues to work on her personal and professional development. Mrs. Long has the ability to change her teaching methods in order to reach her students. Ninety-five percent of her class are ESL students. Some of these children come to her with little to no fluency in English but by the end of the school year are able to communicate better verbally and with written word. My interview with Mrs. Long reinforced my desire to join this profession. I want to join this profession not only to teach students but to be a life-long learner myself. What would the world be without educators? Whenever someone gives me a hard time about being a teacher I ask them where they would be. How many people can say that education has not had an impact on their lives in one way or another? Education changes lives. This profession constantly challenges your thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Teachers set the standard for professional development. Professional development is defined as the effort for teachers to improve their skills and professional knowledge; although professional development often includes advanced

10 Teacher Interview courses and workshops, much of your progress will depend on your own continued reading, reflection, and analysis. (Koch, p.49, 2009) With all the assignments and personal reflections I have done during this college semester I have determined that this is the only career that I will enjoy having for a lifetime.

11 Teacher Interview References Koch, Janice. (2009). So you want to be a teacher? Teaching and learning in the 21st century. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.