Interviewer: Barry White Jr. Interviewee: Ms.

Kennedy

EDUC 323:

TEACHER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

You may use all of the questions below, or you may select at least 15.
GENERAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1. 2. What is your current teaching assignment? I am currently a 4th grade ELA teacher. How long have you worked at this school, and has this been your only teaching assignment? If not, tell me about your other teaching experiences. What schools? How many years? What grade level and what subjects? I have worked at Whittaker Elementary school for 12 years. I have also worked in Orangeburg School District Three for two years. I was a self-contained 4th grade teacher, I taught all subjects.

3. What is the demographic make-up of your class? Performance level? 4. The demographic make-up of my class is 20 African students. I have 12 males and 8 females. The performance level of my students range from high, middle, and low. 5. Why did you choose the teaching profession? I choose the teaching profession because I believed that all children can learn. I did not want my students to endure the hardships of having a teacher who did not care about them, or if they were learning. 6. What is your philosophy of education? I believe that each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. It is my desire as an educator to help students meet their fullest potential by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking, and invites a sharing of ideas. The teacher acts as guide, allows natural curiosity, and promotes respect for all people.

TEACHER PREPARATION 6. Do you feel that your courses/student teaching preparation prepared you adequately for your own classroom? Please explain your answer. Yes, the courses/student teaching preparation did adequately prepare me for my own classroom. The courses that I studied enhanced my theoretical knowledge base. The student teaching experience allowed me to experience first-hand what it is like to be in a real classroom environment teaching students of various performance levels, interests, backgrounds, etc. It also afforded me an up close and personal view of what a teacher is responsible for outside of the actual act of teaching for example, lesson plans, grades, communicating with parents, and collaborating with faculty and staff. 7. How do you teach to meet the diverse needs of your students? I teach to meet the needs of

diverse students by taking into account diverse student factors when planning and delivering instruction. Based on this, I can structure a learning environment that addresses a variety of learning styles, interests, and abilities found within my classroom. 8. Do you find that planning for your classes is a chore? If yes, why? I do not find planning for my classes as chore. An effective planner is equipped with the tools needed to facilitate and enhance the learning of students. 9. What would you recommend for a beginning teacher that might help me not to see lesson planning as a chore? To not see planning as a chore plan early, prepare for the days and activities ahead. Create activities that are exciting for you to teach and for the students to learn. Planning then becomes a necessity and not a chore. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

10. Describe your strategies that comprise your classroom management system? Are your strategies effective, in your opinion? Please explain. My classroom management system is simple. Plan and keep your students actively engaged. Give students structure. This leaves no time for misbehavior. Teach students to be accountable for their behavior. These strategies are effective for me as a teacher. My students know what I expect of them therefore, they follow the rules and procedures; they think about what is right and wrong and act accordingly.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES 13. What are some of the teaching strategies that you use in your classroom, and which do you consider to be the most effective? The teaching strategies I use in my classroom are interest and explanation, concern for all students, assessment and feedback, goals, active engagement, and learning. 15. Explain how you use technology to enhance your teaching. How is technology used to enhance your students learning? In my classroom I utilize technology such as interactive websites, smart boards, computer games, etc., all of these things engage students visually and kinesthetically. All lessons can be fun when you engage students this way. 17. What advice would you give me, as a beginning teacher, that would help me to adjust to having my own classroom and students that would help me to be an effective teacher? The best advice that I can give a beginning teacher is plan, plan, and plan. Stay organized and learn what works for you and your classroom. Lastly, give it your ALL EVERY DAY. 18. Please summarize the Teaching and Learning Framework that drives the instruction in your classroom. The teaching learning framework I use to drive my instruction is as follows: 1. Instructwhat do I want my students to learn. 2. Inform-how to retrieve, track, and use data. 3. Intervenewhat to do when they do not know. 4. Improve-always strive for excellence, and 5. Include-involve all stakeholders.

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION 19. Describe your grading procedures and the methods that you use to assess your students achievement. The methods I use to assess my students are informal and formal assessments. 20. Which do you find to be more successful with assessing your students? teacher made or commercially made assessments. Please explain. Both types of assessments work for me. I ensure that they are aligned with the South Carolina Curriculum Standards. 21. Explain how you use your students assessment results to inform your instruction. My students assessment results inform my instruction because they guide my planning, instruction, and reteaching of below average skills. REFLECTIONS 22. What has been your biggest challenge this year with meeting the needs of your students? My biggest challenge this year with meeting the needs of my students are working with students who are not able to read on level. It is hard to teach phonics when I am responsible for comprehension. Nevertheless, I teach my students who have difficulty with reading strategies they can employ to help increase their reading comprehension. 23. If you had it to do over again, would you choose teaching as a profession? Why or Why not? If I had it all to do over yes I would choose the teaching profession. Teaching is an honorable profession. I love and enjoy what I do. I have been teaching for a long time now, and when my students come back and tell me I was their favorite teacher, or they remember what I taught them, or how I treated them, it makes it all worthwhile.