Professional Perspectives Pages

Insights from ASK mentors in Education

Stuart Lassiter
Currently: Teacher at Sayre Language Academy, Chicago, IL. Previously: Principal at Rondout School District #72, Lake Forest, IL. Associate Head of School/Principal at Baker Demonstration School, Wilmette, IL. Teacher, 6th8th Grade Social Studies at The Catherine Cook School, Chicago, IL. Teacher, 5th Grade at Washington Elementary School, Evanston School District #65. What are the three most important characteristics that you look for in a teacher candidate? Knowledge of Subject/Content Area Knowledge of Children and Social-Emotional Development Confidence What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? Avoid being too general or vague when responding to questions Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? Teacher candidates need to make connections and network with educational professionals in every setting. You probably already know someone who can make an introduction on your behalf...remember, six degrees of separation. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize in order to be successful in teaching. Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching Common Core State Standards Social-Emotional Learning What is one piece of advice that you can share with new teachers? Show your passion for children and teaching. What does excellent classroom management skills mean to you? Students have discussed, help developed and are aware of, and understand teacher expectations for behavior and how it intersects with learning. Students are actively engaged in their learning. There is an appropriate level of activity and noise for the instructional and learning situation.

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Timothy Czuba
Currently: Freshman & Sophomore Counselor at Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL. Previously: Social Studies Teacher at Burlington Central High School, Burlington, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? Inexperienced teachers should talk about what they have implemented, no matter how insignificant they might think it is, in their classroom, whether it is in their student teaching experience or subbing. Employers are looking for how teachers uniquely implement the school curriculum in their classroom. Examples might range from something as small as how they greet students to their classroom to something as large as a particular way you introduced new material to a class. Also, dont say, My supervisor and I did Say I implemented Take ownership in your career. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. 1. As silly as this sounds make sure you like working with kids. Dont teach because you think it your destiny to share your knowledge of English, Math, Science, etc. with the masses. Also, make sure you find the right age of students you want to work with. Grammar school students and high school students are different. 2. Time management and organizational skills. Chances are you will be asked to coach or sponsor a club or organization when you first begin your teaching career. That cuts into your time to grade papers and prepare lesson plans, and also your ability to lead a life. If you can really organize yourself well and take advantage of every part of the school day, you wont feel so overwhelmed. 3. Make sure your lesson plans incorporate activities geared at all three ways people learn audio, visual and kinesthetic. If you can reach each one of your students through their preferred learning method, it will consolidate your class, lead to better class discussions and make classroom management easier. What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? Take ownership in your teaching experience, as small as it might be at the time. As I said earlier, dont talk about what you did with your supervising teacher. Say, This is what I did. Dont be afraid to toot your own horn. Nobody else in that interview will do it for you. Just stop short of being arrogant. That is a huge turnoff to us giving the interview. Also, do some research on the school you are interviewing with. A little knowledge, coupled with a teaching experience you have had, and a way of making it work at that school can be a great talking point in making a great impression. Next to last thing find a way to show you are a team player. Last thing do not try and be smarter than the people giving you the interview, even though you might be. All educators have huge egos to an extent. Showing them up will get you shown the door.

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Maribeth Westlund, NBCT

Currently: Social Studies Department Chair, SHARE Coordinator at Schaumburg High School, Schaumburg, IL. Previously: 7th & 8th Grade Teacher at Our Lady of Knock Catholic School, Calumet City, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? I might be old school on this one but . If I receive an email or a letter from a teaching candidate, it makes a difference. Seeing the paper or reading the email is another opportunity to remember someones name. When I am interviewing at the job fair, I often recall that I have received a letter or an email from them. The persons name is then familiar and it is also a positive conversation starter for the interview. I know we all use the on line application but the file of resumes and cover letters is my preference. At the high school level, also send your application to the department chair, athletic director and principal. All of us are involved in the hiring process. I know I received my interview for my second teaching position partially because of coaching gymnastics. It was helped to separate me from the many qualified candidates. Please dont put references on request. It is another step for me to contact you to provide the list. It slows down the process. As department chairs and principals, we often know your references. Please include them. I also recognize that teacher A is outstanding and that the persons student teacher are well prepared for the challenges of teaching. Your references are often a strong asset for your application. A third tip, would be to send a hand written thank you note or an email after a job fair or interview. It too leads to a chance for the interview to be remembered. Also most applicants dont think to do so. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. Take the time to know students as individuals. The personal connection is crucial to student learning. If they know you care about them, they will work harder to learn. Collaboration with other teachers a professional learning team pushes all of us to be better teachers. Dont be afraid to make a mistake and take risks out of your comfort zone. If you do, make a mistake it is also important to admit it to your students. They appreciate the honesty and you are modeling an important life skill. We dont grow unless we make mistakes. Dont forget to sleep, eat well, exercise and take time with friends and family. In education there is always more to do. Finding balance is key to avoiding burnout. Dont be too hard on yourself. I am still learning about teaching and students after 27 years of teaching. What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? The pitfall that I see most often is that applicants forget to talk about students and learning. They often speak only about themselves and their accomplishments. While they are important and often were why you were called for the interview, I want to see teaching candidates show that they care about students and their learning. Please mention specific students by name. Please talk about how you worked together to get the lightbulb to go on. I love to hear how you motivated them, taught the concepts in a new way after the lesson wasnt as successful as you hoped, reached out to a twitter community for educators, called a mentor etc. I promise, it really is ok to tell us in an interview that it didnt work the first time but that you
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reflected on a lesson and reworked it and had the students do so and so. I truly want to hear what students are doing in your class. The more the kids do the more they learn. When asked if you have some questions, please have some for us. It is a great chance for you to find out more about the school and its culture. The most over asked question is do we have a mentoring program? It is a yes or no question and all schools are required to have one. It would be better to ask a question that is open-ended. You want the question to lead to a discussion. It also shows your interest in the school and community. i.e. What programs do you have to get struggling students back on track? How do you balance standardized tests and life skills in content areas? Etc. Interviewing is also a skill that improves with practice. I have conducted a mock interview with my student teachers and part time teachers before a job fair. It also helps to conquer the nerves in an interview. If you should receive a rejection phone call or letter, dont be afraid to call a few days later and ask the interviewer what you could do better in future interviews. You might get some important information to land the perfect job for you.

Christopher Chiakulas
Currently: Academic Advisor at DePaul University College of Business, Chicago, IL. School Counseling Intern at Buffalo Grove High School, Buffalo Grove, IL. Previously: Teacher/Tutor at Huntington Learning Center, Arlington Heights, IL. Business Education Teacher at Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL. Career & Technical Education Coordinator at Lake Zurich High School, Lake Zurich, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? Teacher can stand out by having as many different experiences as possible. They should be willing to help run extra-curricular activities or volunteer to be on different committees. Any additional education or training will help as well. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. New teachers should become familiar with the Common Core standards, new ways to use technology in the classroom (such as iPads, etc.), and working with diverse populations. What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? Teachers should always give examples or answers that show how the students (followed by the school in general) are the most important focus of their teaching. Answers that only focus on themselves and not at all on students will show a principal that the focus won't be on the students, but rather on themselves.

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Angela Balanag
Currently: English Teacher at Grant Community High School District 124, Fox Lake, IL. Previously: English Teacher at Laguna Beach USD, Laguna Beach, CA. English Teacher at Community High School District 117, Antioch, IL. Language Arts Teacher at Waukegan CSD 60, Waukegan, IL. English Teacher Summer School at Community High School District 128, Vernon Hills, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? If you have a contact inside the school, use it. Ask your contact to mention your name to the administrator. Sometimes an email or phone call is helpful. Injecting some personality into your resume; the more they hear your voice (all be it professional), the more memorable you will be. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. Professionalism, integrity, and knowledge What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? Don't make up answers to interview questions. Actual experiences (even if outside of education) are valuable; be real. Prepare for the interview; do your thinking ahead of time, jot down notes, practice, practice, practice. An interview can be an intimidating, artificial situation; if you prepare, you can be yourself. Don't go on and on . . .and forget the question you were asked. Practice writing down the question as you are asked, or using a memory device to focus on the question. Prepare questions to ask. You should be just as curious about the job and school as the administrator is about you. (Do not ask anything that you can look up on the Internet). Desperation is the kiss of death.

Patti Freckelton
Currently: Special Education Teacher at Enrico Fermi Elementary School, Chicago, IL. Teaching Policy Fellow with Teach Plus, Chicago, IL. Previously: Senior Associate, Urban Education Leaders Internship at D.C. Public Schools, Washington, DC. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? Teacher candidates can stand out to principals through unique (not "cookie-cutter"), but professional resumes and cover letters. Highlighting one or two things that make them an exceptional candidate also help, such as an organization they were involved in during college that is closely related to their degree or a great accomplishment during student teaching. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. Three key areas teachers should prioritize to be successful are: 1) classroom management (including an effective student behavior plan, routines, and classroom organization), 2) collaborating with your colleagues (they have so much insight, but often times, you have to seek
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them out), and 3) planning, planning, planning. As long as you have a plan, you will always feel prepared! What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? In an interview, you never want to talk negatively about anyone or anything. Even if a person or experience that you are speaking about was less than desirable, try to frame it in the best light possible. Sounding negative is a major "turn-off." Additionally, dress professionally. No one should have to see too much skin.

Marc Spacone
Currently: Principal/Site Director at North Cook Young Adult Academy. Previously: Dean of Students and Bridges Evening Program Administrator at Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL. Social Studies Teacher at Libertyville High School, Libertyville, IL, Thornton Fractional North High School, Calumet City, IL, and Manley High School, Chicago, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? Since my experience is only at the secondary level, this answer relates to that level only. Candidates need to stand out to the Department Chair rather than the Principal. In order to do this, candidates need to find ways to get their name in front of these individuals whether they are reaching out by sending emails or making personal phone calls to introduce themselves. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. 1. Know the evaluation process and how you will be evaluated 2. Work closely with a mentor teacher that can help you understand the nuances of the culture of the school as well as the formal requirements for paperwork and the like 3. Communicate regularly with parents via the telephone, too many teachers want to use email and it is not the most effective means of communication for issues with students What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? An important element is for candidates to be dressed professionally for an interview. Always wear a suit. If a candidate walks in the door for an interview and is not dressed appropriately, they have lost the interview team and will not move forward in the hiring process. Also, answer the question at hand, and if you have no experience with it, then phrase it in such a way that explains how you would handle a situation if presented to you.

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Clare Thomas
Currently: 7th Grade Math Teacher at Elmwood Park School District #401, Elmwood Park, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? I believe that networking plays an important role in how prospective teachers stand out to principals. With the large number of candidates applying for a position, prospective teachers will greatly improve their chance for an interview if they know someone who already works at the school or district. New teachers should reach out to friends and family members who work at schools. Also, they should keep in touch with teachers and administrators they have encountered during clinical experiences or people they have met at job fairs or any of the various DePaul events. If new teachers have the opportunity to talk to principals in formal or informal settings, they should try to let their personalities come through during the conversation. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. I am in my 7th year teaching at a middle school. As a new teacher, the biggest challenge I encountered was classroom management. I struggled with getting kids to listen, to stay on task, and to treat me and their classmates respectfully. It is critical that the teacher is in control at all times. From the start, establish firm expectations and enforce them. New teachers will have to spend time teaching children how they expect them to act and the routines for their classroom. New teachers should correct behaviors that are unacceptable by explaining to a child what he or she should be doing. New teachers are not there to be friends with children; they are there to teach them. New teachers should devote a lot of time to lesson planning and preparation. It is time well spent. The more people know what they are teaching, the easier it is to anticipate what concepts kids will find challenging. Grading can become overwhelming quickly. New teachers should prioritize what is assign that will need to be graded. New teachers should not assign something for the sake of it assigning something. Make sure it is worthwhile. There will be a lot of activities at school in addition to everyday teaching. New teachers should ask other people for help and advice. Going on the first field trip? Having the first set of parent conferences? New teachers should ask a more experienced teacher what he or she does with students. If there is any event or activity that will be a "first," new teachers should ask a more experienced teacher what to expect and how he/she handles it. Colleagues are a valuable source of support. New teaches should act respectfully to everyone and should avoid joining cliques at school. What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? In the interview process, candidates should be honest. If prospective teachers have not heard of an initiative or a program or type of test, they should not lie. Rather, they should say, "I am not familiar with that, could you please tell me more about it?" Hopefully, as the person explains about the program, the candidate can recall related experiences that he or she can tell the interviewer about.

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Giffen Trotter
Currently: Principal at District 84/Hester Jr. High, Franklin Park, IL. Previously: Assistant Principal at District 84/Hester Jr. High, Franklin Park, IL. 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Teacher at Chicago Public Schools (Curtis Elementary School and Burr Elementary School), Chicago, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? My former principal had a good rule about applicants. He said that an applicant gets one chance for a personal contact, after that it is too much. For instance if you call after 4:00 one day at school and get the principals ear on the phone for a few minutes, that was your chance. Dont call again and probably not email. If you email him/her directly and get a response, that was your chance. There is a fine line between persistent and annoying. In your online application, be student centered in your answers to the essay questions. ESL endorsements are great. Know about differentiation and common core. Speak clearly and concisely about them in the interview. TALK ABOUT THE KIDS!!!! Change sentences from One thing I did was.. to One thing the KIDS AND I did was. Its o.k. to start with yourself, as in One project that I came up with was. But then dont forget to talk about what the kids were able to do/produce. I recently hired a social studies teacher who left me a DVD portfolio, which included a short video of him teaching, at the end of the interview. It sealed the deal. I could see his room and his interactions with the kids. Some principals will never watch the video and maybe throw it away, but if you got the interview, I would say handing the interviewer the DVD is lowrisk. Maybe they never look at it, but they might! Dont be afraid to sub. Be careful not to sub a lot in the elementary school if you really want to teach middle, etc. Its like a long term job interview. If you are good, teachers will talk about you and request you. Principals like that. Plus if something opens up you are qualified for and you already have proven you are School A material you can save a principal A LOT of time by hiring you. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. KIDS, KIDS, KIDS! Know how to work with ALL kind of kids and get them engaged, actively learning (this keeps the discipline issue to a minimum). Have strategies to get un-motivated learners active in your class. Have some strategies to keep in touch with parents. KNOW that when a student doesnt follow a rule/procedure IT IS NOT PERSONAL, the behavior is tied to something else. Dig in and find out why. What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? TOO MANY QUESTIONS when the interviewer says Do you have any questions for me? Keep it to 3 good ones that you ask. You could have more ready to go, but some may be answered in the interview. Not having examples/stories. You need to be able to illustrate your ability to handle situations with examples of things you DID. It is much easier than having to say, Well, Im not sure, I guess I would.. Dont be a hardliner. Kids make mistakes, they need chances (not unlimited). Sometimes they will need an extra worksheet, or a do-over. They might make a mistake and cheat on an assignment/test, but they still deserve a chance to tell their side of the story. Be the teacher that is going to get his/her kids to the finish line, whatever it takes.
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Jennifer Gargano
Currently: Assistant Head of School, Academic Affairs, K-12 at The Harker School, San Jose, CA. Previously: Middle School Division Head and Upper School Mathematics Teacher and Department Chair at The Harker School, San Jose, CA. Math Teacher at Willowcreek Middle School, Portage, IN. Student Teacher/Summer Math Teacher at Latin School of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? In the higher levels particularly, a degree in the specific discipline taught is necessary. We have interviewing teachers teach classes to students. In those classes, it is important that they actively engaging with the students throughout the lesson through active informal assessment. Constantly asking questions, medium to high level, to students to see their level of mastery is important. Constantly checking with the students to see if what you are doing is being understood by the students is important. That shows that the candidate understands the classroom experience has to be beneficial to the students; it is not just about the teacher. Moreover, it just shows solid pedagogical understanding. Have a good rapport with students is important but it also has to be meaningful in that it has to be about the content and interacting with the content. Getting to know the students in the initial couple of minutes is important but the interaction needs to go beyond that. Students respect teachers that know their content and help them be the best and most effective learners possible. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. Teachers need to make sure they are prepared and organized. They have to gain student and parent trust early. One does so, in part, by being prepared and organized with every class, showing that you have thought through the lesson, have a clear goal in mind, and in general did some backwards planning. Also, to gain that student and parent trust, you have to communicate with parents often. At the first indication, there is a potential problem, let the parents know. I have found that even if you have to give parents or students bad news about grades, etc.,. if they feel like they have been informed of the situation and were given an opportunity to fix the issue along with suggestions about how to fix the issue, they are appreciative of the teachers time and insights. Communicate this information with no judgment. One never knows why a student is not performing well so feedback is best heard without judgment and jumping to any conclusions. An objective communication with a plan of what the student can do to improve is generally heard well by parents. Realize that children, whether they are in kindergarten or in high school are people and need to be treated as such. They have thoughts and ideas and need to be treated with respect. Teachers need to make sure they have proper boundaries with the students, realizing that they are the adult in the room. You want to assert authority but at the same time, make sure that you do not go the opposite way and abuse the interest power differential that exists in the teacher-student relationship.

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What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? If the candidate shows in any way that their main interest in anything but the students (pay, time off, etc.), that is a concern. Of course, teachers may have an interest in what benefits the school offers but unlike industry, the attitude cannot be one of what can you do for me. We are in a servant leadership profession so perspective employers want to hear about how you feel you can make the school a better place and how you want to affect the lives and minds of the students. Teaching cannot be an ego driven activity and candidates must realize that we are all servant leaders.

Karla Muench
Currently: 7th Grade Science Teacher at Finkl Academy, Chicago, IL. Previously: 1st, 4th, and 8th Grade Teacher at Finkl Academy, Chicago, IL. Teacher at Forest Academy, Chicago, IL. Given the volume of teacher candidates, how can new teachers stand out to principals? New teachers should be very specific about their endorsements. It is super helpful to have an ELL or Bi Lingual certification and if possible to become specialized in a subject or area. The more endorsements you have the more marketable you will be. Please share 3 key areas new teachers should prioritize to be successful in teaching. Three key areas a new teacher should make her top priority would be: a) behavior management- teaching will be very difficult if you are not able to control your classroom. A good rule of thumb is to respect all students. A line I use at the beginning of the year is " turn and wave to your brothers and sisters because we are all family, we are all here to achieve the same goal and will all succeed if we work together. Also, two rules work well 1) BE NICE 2) Do your best work! those two rules keep it plain and simple. b) work well with other teachers- Teachers who have been working know a lot about their profession. Make one your mentor, listen and share ideas. Working collaboratively is a great skill in teaching and it benefits students and teachers alike. c) Pace yourself- don't throw everything at yourself and the kids. Take time to really realize the goals of the lesson and assess to make sure the students have gained the knowledge of the day. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is background knowledge or the retention and comprehension of new information. Give yourself and the kids time to be successful, when calling on them, with homework, when planning, when implementing plans, and throughout the year. What pitfalls should teachers try to avoid making in an interview? In an interview the pitfalls teachers may make would be trying too hard. I think just being yourself and showing your passion about teaching will come out in the interview. Teaching, I believe, is innate. So just by being yourself, your love of teaching will come into light for the principal.

Get advice customized to your needs. To find out how to connect with ASK mentors in the Education field, visit http://ask.depaul.edu.

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