Monica Clemmons

Interview with Whitney Chapman

High School English Teacher at Sanderson High School
What tips would you like to share for keeping students engaged in your classroom?
Students are more apt to become engaged if they can see how the content relates to their
own lives and the world around them. It must be relevant. Connect it to them, and they
become interested.
Keeping students engaged definitely helps with classroom management, but do you have
additional advice for managing a classroom? (This might include advice for those situations that
have nothing to do with your lesson plan or level of preparation.)
A well managed classroom is one in which students always have something to do - there is
no time for 'down' time, students always have a task and even transitions are timed.
Directions are always clear.
Do you have suggestions for classroom configuration/layout for summative and/or formative
assessment activities?
I like more collaborative classroom arrangements; however, gauging individual student
progress is also very important. Separate students into rows, or put up 'blinders' between
students, if they are not allowed to work together.
What do you do to address the diverse learning styles in your classroom/How do you change
instruction for individuals?
Voice and Choice. Give students choice in their learning. Scaffold as needed for students
who need it (it could be as simple as handing out a 'help sheet' to ESL students. Progress
from the lowest form of learning to the highest, depending on the activity and time
allotment.
What are the key components of your grading system?
Standard based grading, which allows you to quickly and easily identify the standards in
which each student is the weakest and strongest
What are your policies for make-up work and academic dishonesty?
Zero tolerance for academic dishonesty - students who are absent know where to look for
the assignments they missed - this is something ingrained on the first day of class. If
students miss more than one day or miss an assessment, they have the ability to make-up
the assessment within the time frame discussed between teacher and student.

How do you check for student understanding prior to a quiz or test?

Each day students complete an exit ticket, which allows me to check for understanding at
the conclusion of each class. This in turn, will help me shape instruction for the following
day.
What have you gained by cooperating with other teachers in a PLT?
lessons, classroom management strategies, common grading practices, and other best
practices