Interview

How would you differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners?

1) Being aware that special-needs students may not want to be singled out for any special treatment. They want to feel like they are just like everyone else. No one wants to stand out, especially for something which might be considered a weakness. 2) I have to consider learning over a long period of time. I realize that special-needs students may require extended periods of time to master a concept or learn a specific skill. 3) I believe in focusing on the strengths of the student. Many times our strengths will help us overcome our weaknesses. 4) I provide opportunities for students of all abilities to learn from each other. I want everyone to feel like he or she is making a positive contribution to our learning community.

What is the purpose of assessment?

1) it answers the question, are students learning what I'm teaching? 2) it is used to evaluate progress-are students making appropriate gains? 3) assessment can be used to evaluate instruction, it should be used to help develop appropriate activities that will ensure student success

Teaching strengths

1. Ability to build relationships with students 2. Manage small group teaching 3. Organization 4. Flexibility 5. Teaching reading/writing 6. Energy during teaching All of these skills I acquired while teaching at an award winning school. Our school earned blue ribbon recognition in the state of Oklahoma, an academic achievement award for schools where at least 40% of the population is at risk.

What is a balanced reading program?

A balanced reading program should include opportunities for the students to engage in various literacy activities 1) reading aloud to children 2) shared book experience 3) guided reading 4) individualized reading 5) paired reading 6) sustained silent reading 7) language exploration 8) writing I try to integrate reading into all subject areas. It's an opportunity for students to see reading the foundation of the curriculum.

If I walked into your classroom, what would I see?

Aesthetically, my classroom would be decorated with an age appropriate theme. It's important for students to make connections in learning and themes can assist students in making those connections. Our desks are arranged into tables or groups. I teach a lot of the times using leveled grouping but for our whole group learning I prefer the students to be mixed level so I can take advantage of peer teaching opportunities. You would see a leveled classroom library with a section reserved for our current topic of study. You would see students all over the room doing individual activities or group activities and a group of students working in a small group or one on one with me. I like to call it organized chaos. To someone walking in, it might look unstructured. But if you ask me, I can tell you what each student is doing and what skill they are working on.

Describe your teaching style.

Energetic. I am rarely behind my desk. It's difficult for me to sit down and teach. We sing songs, we dance, we do experiments, we discover...

What is the most important quality of a teacher?

Flexibility. A teacher has to be flexible. I have never experienced a day while teaching where everything went exactly as planned. Lessons don't work, copiers break down, students get sick, fire drills happen...there are so many variables in a day of teaching. In my class we practice something we call a brain break. If something isn't going the way we expected and we start to feel frustrated, we take a brain break. We take 30-60 seconds and do something other than use our brains. We listen to music really loud, we do 100 jumping jacks, we play a game of Rock Paper Scissors, anything to get our minds off our frustrations. We let it go and then we get back to work. Teachers have to be flexible in order to keep their sanity or they won't be teachers very long, at least not effective teachers.

What skills do you think are most critical to this position?

For me, three basic skills stand out: 1. The ability to effectively manage student behavior; I do this by setting clear and high expectations for my students. On day one, we brainstorm and role play different scenarios and practice making the best choices. I set them up for success. I tell them each one of them was hand selected to be in my class. I only take the best and they made the list. I've learned that they will become who they think they are. If they think they are the best, they will be the best because they expect it of themselves. 2. Time management-being able to effectively manage all the duties and responsibilities of classroom teaching in a productive and efficient way. I learned during my student teaching, before I ever took control of the classroom, how to manage small group rotations, meeting with each leveled reading/writing and math group each day. 3. Creating a "community of learners" that celebrates learning and success for every child; a classroom environment in which everyone works together for a common purpose. I establish this with a no tolerance rule. We have one rule. We will not tolerate meanness. I don't focus on negative behavior. Everyone makes mistakes. Make it, fix it, and move on. Instead we celebrate success. My students love warm fuzzies. I stole this idea from a great expectations conference. Warm fuzzies are handed out to students who are caught doing something beyond spectacular, academic, social, personal. The students can collect their warm fuzzies and turn them in for a reward (saving me time and money making new ones, they also learn responsibility and organization skills by keeping track of their fuzzies). Whatever the reward is, it has to be a whole class celebration. This ensures the other students are happy for the one making the good choices. "Great job Ethan! You earned us another 5 minutes at recess!" Rather than being disappointed they didn't get a reward, they encourage others because in the end, we all win. As a bonus, over time they learn that each one of us has unique successes. Danny might earn one for sitting quietly on the carpet for 5 minutes and Cade might earn one for remembering to bring his library book back. We are all different and this helps us celebrate our uniqueness.

What can you tell me about about guided reading?

Guided reading is an opportunity for me to spend time with my readers individually or in small groups. It's a change for the students to develop strategies for reading texts at their instructional level. Guiding reading is a best practice used by teachers to make significant gains in the readers ability to comprehend increasingly difficult texts.

What is your homework philosophy ?

Homework teaches students responsibility. It teaches students that learning isn't something that occurs only at school. It allows the students an opportunity to take responsibility in their education. I believe it is an opportunity for parents to connect with students through their education. Homework should be interesting and relevant to the work done at school.

What special skills and talents will you bring to our school?

I am pretty knowledgable when it comes to technology. I actually didn't know I was until my colleagues started coming to me with their technology issues. My second year of teaching I was assigned the responsibility of the tech lab. I just kept the computers running and called support if I couldn't fix it. I'm not a computer programmer but generally I know my way around a computer. I'm really good at watching how things are fixed and remembering how to do it for the next time so I don't have to call support.

Why did you apply for this position?

I applied for positions in Ysleta District because I love your mission statement. It's direct and goal focused. I love the Ysleta mission statement. It tells you exactly what kind of students you produce and where they are headed after graduation. Students will be fluent in two or more languages and they will go to college and above all, they will leave here being better citizens. I'm a get to the point kind of person. I set clear goals for my students and I can see Ysleta does too.

How will you allow your students to take responsibility for their learning?

I believe in inquiry based, hands on and minds on learning. Students take ownership in their education when they are given the opportunity to direct their learning. The answers become more meaningful, when they pose the questions. As a teacher, i am there to encourage the direction of the learning. Students can learn a lot from lecture. But there's no way to know their minds are engaged. They own the knowledge and experience from doing it themselves and I can easily assess whether they are truly engaged in the lesson.

How do you plan to stay current in the field of education?

I believe in lifelong learning. Society is constantly changing and it's important to stay current with societal and educational topics. I currently follow several grade level blogs to have a communication board for what works or what doesn't work in the classroom. I also like to read books and magazines, whether it be for new ideas in the classroom or how to teach leveled reading groups more effectively. I also love Pinterest and several Facebook pages where teachers can discuss candidly about their experiences. I have recently been accepted into graduate school so I can focus more specifically on reading education.

What makes a good teacher?

I believe that good teachers have five main characteristics. One, they serve as positive role models for their students. They model their excitement and enthusiasm for learning in and outside of school. Two, effective teachers are student centered. They truly care for their students, and they try to understand the world from a student perspective. Third, effective teachers are goal oriented. They concentrate on the instructional activities that meet the standards. Fourth, they are good classroom managers. They understand that classroom management is not only about discipline and rules; it's about creating an environment where students feel safe so learning can occur. And, fifth, good teachers are lifelong learners. They strive to continually add to their knowledge base throughout their teaching careers.

What does it mean to be a successful teacher?

I feel like I'm successful when my students are successful. We are all different so we have different goals. Success is never measured on a scale. Successful students are made through a series of failures. They fail but try again, and again, and again until they are successful. Then they challenge themselves harder. They never stop growing and changing. Once they reach their goals, they set new ones. I had a student, AJ. He has a very long story and a very brutral beginning in life but in short, his goals will never look like everyone else's goals. His mother and I have remained friends and she still comes to me for encouragement with his education. Some teachers get frustrated with AJ. To be successful with AJ a teacher has to look outside of the box and set realistic goals.

What gives you the greatest joy in teaching?

I get a teacher high from the "ah-ha" moments. I will never forget my student, Ethan, when he discovered he could read. He was so excited, I scheduled a time for him to read his sight words to the pre-k class. He wanted to share with the world his new discovered skill. My goal is to share that experience with each of my students throughout the year. I get excited about gains. When I taught kindergarten, I made a list of skills at the beginning of the year. It takes me about two weeks at the beginning of the year to formally assess each student one on one. After each student is finished, we go over how much they know and then we go over how much they will know when the year is over. I'm amazed with every student at how quickly they make gains. Every activity we do works towards our goal at the end of the year. They know it and are eager to perform. Sharing their progress with them is an instant confidence booster.

How would you handle a student who is a consistent behavioral problem?

I have had a few behavioral issues in my years of teaching. The best way I have found to handle behavior is through positive reinforcement and teacher proximity. In most cases, the closer I am physically to the student, the better their behavior gets. Rewarding positive behavior rather than punishing negative behavior brings attention to the positive behavior. If the negative behavior was attention seeking, it will change with some help and redirection.

How will you integrate technology into your classroom?

I have had the opportunity to work with several forms of technology in my teaching experience. I utilize my smart board in almost every lesson I teach. Technology is a part of life and in order for students to understand the use and dangers of technology, it needs to be a part of their education. Technology offers an array of information available nowhere else. Students need to be taught how to use that information. It also provides opportunities to differentiate my instruction.

What can you tell me about reading-comprehension instruction?

I teach reading comprehension in three steps 1) Before reading, how the student connect background knowledge to text. Students have better comprehension when they can make connections between text and prior knowledge. 2) During reading, students should be interacting with the text while reading. Asking questions, making predictions, drawing conclusions 3) After Reading, this is where I extend students' responses to text. How did their knowledge expand after what they read? Can they use that knowledge to compare and contrast, analyze or create something.

Why should we hire you?

I'm a hard worker and a multi-tasker. When I know there's a job to be done, or several jobs to be done, I go out and do them. At my last school, if there was something that needed to be done, my principal came to me because she knew I would get it done and I was her yes girl. When it was decided our students would benefit from an after school tutor program, our principal selected the teachers who could keep the students focused on learning for an extra hour after a full day of school. I was one she chose. I was also selected to be one of the editors for our essays that had to be presented in order for our school to be considered for the blue ribbon award. I am goal oriented and I work well within a team. I understand that making a difference in the lives of students is not an easy fix. I have the drive and motivation to do whatever it takes to ensure my students get everything they need to be successful. I take my work home with me. I take the responsibility of being a teacher personally. If the students fail, I have failed.

What two things would you improve about yourself?

Improvement is a process. It's like life-long learning. It never stops. I don't have two things I want to improve. I have thousands. If I have to select two, I would say my degree would be the first. I'd like for my husband to refer to me as Dr. Johnson ;) I'm working on this goal by continuing my formal education. The second would be my health. It's important to me to live a healthy lifestyle and I need to pay more attention to my exercise schedule and fueling my body with the proper nutrients.

Are you comfortable teaching with inclusion?

It is common to find many classrooms with students of all ability levels working and learning together. Every single year I taught, I work with students who had inclusion goals in their iep. For me, inclusion also means that students of all abilities, talents, and skills are offered learning opportunities that can occur between and among different individuals. I believe that inclusion is the total involvement of all students in an educational setting that best meets their needs, regardless of background or level of ability. I always include my special-needs students in regular classroom activities to their fullest ability. At Hoover, where I taught, our school was the districts facility for students with severe disabilities. Some of our students couldn't walk, talk, eat or even breath on their own. The rest of the population learned how to love them and treat them just like they would their no disabled peers. Some of the behaviors can be scary to a child who has never been exposed to them before. I learned to be sensitive to both the disabled and non-disabled students emotions.

How do you handle an upset parent?

My first experience was my first year of teaching. The incident occurred during parent teacher conferences. Mason's mother was upset about my classroom discipline procedures. She felt her son needed more strict discipline than what I was offering. She suggested I send Mason to the principal rather than redirect his attention. She began raising her voice and it was clear she was very passionate with her opinion. I calmly suggested we reschedule the conference and she stormed out telling me she was going to speak to the principal. When she left, I ran to my principal (making sure the parent had left the premises first) crying and explained the situation. She agreed she should be present at the rescheduled conference. The parent returned about 30 minutes later and apologized and we had a great rest of the year. We agreed that I was not challenging Mason enough academically and that his behavior was in part due to my lack of experience and I assured her I would provide him more intellectual stimulation. She agreed to follow up nightly with his behavior reports I provided. The second time I was confronted with a parent conflict I decided I would try to anticipate any trouble before it became trouble. I had a student whose mother was rumored to be more aggressive, both physically and verbally. (Show emails for Marcus) We never had a face to face conflict. She always presented herself in a calm manner in my presence. I documented and communicated on a weekly or daily basis if needed and it seemed to work itself out without the need for intervention. Parents and teachers won't always agree as to what is best for the child. I've learned its best to handle each situation calmly and professionally

What kind of principal would you like to work for?

My ideal principal would be someone who was fair, honest and consistent. Someone who exhibited the type of behavior he/she expected of the teachers. Someone who communicated clearly and timely. I would work well with this type of principal because this is the type of teacher I am. I believe it's important to keep a professional open line of communication. Good communication, honesty, fairness and consistency are the building blocks of trust. Teammates perform better when they trust each other.

How would your last principal describe you?

My last principal would describe me as being a team player. I am always willing to do whatever it takes to make our school successful. It was difficult switching grade levels so frequently but she knew I would never say no if it was what she felt was best. I enjoyed it too. I loved getting new curriculum every year. She would also tell you I'm great with communication, with my students, parents, staff... I'm well organized and I take criticism to heart. If she had a suggestion for how I could be a better teacher, I tried it. Above anything else I think she would tell you I'm dedicated. I'm dedicated to my students and to education.

What are you going to do for that kid who just "doesn't get it"?

Never give up! I believe that every child has the right to an education, and each and every child should be provided with educational opportunities that are appropriate to their needs. I do this through assessments and learning profiles I can provide a variety of activities that will offer each child an opportunity at success. The challenge is in find new activities to create those opportunities. I'm not afraid to ask for help of I'm out of ideas. I will never give up on any child.

How do you plan to individualize instruction?

Some of the instructional strategies I use to individualize instruction include cooperative learning, journaling, peer tutoring, inquiry-based based teaching, problem-based learning, "hands-on, minds-on" projects, simulations, and role playing. Students learn best when you can meet their individual learning style. The only way to do this in a classroom full of different learning styles is to teach to all of the learning styles.

What would you do with a student who has ADHD/autism?

Some of the techniques and procedures I have learned in working with these students would include 1) Making my instructions brief and clear and teaching one step at a time; 2) Carefully monitoring work, especially when students move from one activity to another; 3) Adjusting work time so it matches attention spans; 4) Providing a quiet work area where students can move for better concentration; 5) Combining both visual and auditory information when giving directions; and 6) Whenever possible, breaking an assignment into manageable segments.

What book are you currently reading?

Teach like a pirate by Dave burgess. Pirate is an acronym for passion, immersion, rapport, ask and analyze, transformation, enthusiasm. This book was recommended on one of the blogs I follow and even though burgess teaches at the high school level, I still find his suggestions useful for motivational purposes. I also recently found a book at a thrift store by John Saul. He was my favorite author as a kid. I haven't started reading it yet but I'm excited to reignite those memories of not being able to put his book down because I needed to see what was going to happen next.

What is your philosophy of teaching?

Teaching isn't about test scores and students who sit quietly while the teacher lectures. Teaching is about relationships with students. Teaching them how to direct their own learning. Students should be walking with you through the learning process. It's their education, they need to own it. Teaching them responsibility and stick-to-it-iveness. Education is exciting. My job is to let my students experience that excitement.

How will you handle different cultures in the classroom?

The best way I know to teach to the different cultures in the classroom is through children's literature. The more diverse our society becomes, the more diverse our classrooms become. Using appropriate children's literature helps children learn and understand our differences in a way that celebrates our uniqueness.

What three things would you do for a student who was struggling?

The first thing I would do is assess the student, formally and informally. I need to find where the gaps are. The second thing I would do would be to analyze my teaching. Am I teaching him the right material? Am I addressing the correct issue? Am I teaching to his best learning style? Am I offering enough practice? The final step would be to figure out how to close the gaps. What specifically needs to be done to help? Do I need to offer more hands on opportunities, do I need to offer extra tutoring? Do I need to call in for extra help? Sometimes it's an easy fix like my my student Deon. He was very hit and miss on our weekly spelling assessments. I observed him first to see if I noticed difficulties in other areas as well. Then I interviewed him. That's where we found the problem. Deon had 9 siblings and his mother was a full time student at the local college. She went to school at night so the older kids could watch the babies while she was in school. All I had to do was ask his mother if he could stay after school 2-3 days a week so he had a quiet place to study. Deon loved it so much he would stay just to help me clean up the room. I know all problems aren't easy to fix. This one was but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help my students. Even if I have to ask for help on how to help them.