On instruction:
Describe a typical class period.
Typical class periods involve as little wasted time as possible. For every teacher action, there should also be a student action - in other words, the teacher spends as little time as possible giving instructions and the students spend as much time as possible doing something, whether it is independently working, participating in activities, actively listening and responding, or working with classmates. Students should always be busy and attentive to their tasks. Instructions given by me are clear, direct, and concise. If students need help with their task, they are first to ask their neighbors or group members before signaling the teacher. Routines for materials will be in place so students have everything they need for the activity, maximizing engaged learning time.
What instructional strategies have you found most effective?
Mixed group work has worked well for my teaching style, so I try to incorporate at least some collaborative work into every day. Guided inquiry has also worked well for me, especially for science and math lessons. I would pose a story problem and ask students for suggestions on how to solve it. Then we would launch into some direct instruction so students are prepared to practice on their own. Otherwise, I like to vary my instructional strategies often, not only to keep students on their toes but to address the different types of learning styles and backgrounds any given classroom may contain.
What are the components of an effective lesson plan?
The anticipatory set, differentiation for different levels, plenty of practice in new skills, relation to real life or student’s personal schema, a way for students to share their work with others, and time for reflective activities, such as journals with question prompts are the main components I would never leave out of a lesson.
Describe a lesson which was particularly successful by walking me through each stage from planning through delivery.
First, I studied the scripted curriculum, identifying the main student objectives and deciding on the formal and informal assessment pieces. Then I looked up the California standards that these objectives address to figure out the objectives I should have for teaching the lesson. I would spend as much time as possible researching the background knowledge on the lesson, especially if I was unfamiliar with the topic before weeding out the activities from the scripted curriculum that would not work with my student’s schema or cultural background, only keeping those that I know my students will respond positively to. I will search in my files of activities to augment those that remain from the script, then break them down to serviceable parts which students can grasp, always keeping in mind the assessment piece I created earlier. I gather all materials for the lesson, working through any experiments or unfamiliar events (like math problems) myself in order to identify the things that might go wrong, fixing them as they appear. I also prepare some extra elements in case the students blaze through the main lesson quickly and easily. I will practice the procedure of the lesson, usually by imagining what might happen and how I would word the lesson and directions. By this time, the lesson should be half-way memorized, which helps me to deliver it in a smoother fashion. During lesson delivery, I constantly monitor student responses, adjusting the pace, taking short hand notes on who is struggling with what aspect as well as who are excelling easily with the lesson. After the lesson delivery, as soon as I can, I reflect on how I can improve the lesson as well as how I can integrate this lesson with past skills learned as well as future knowledge to be learned. The material on the lesson will probably need to be re-taught in a different way at least one more time before the majority of the students can achieve the objectives at the basic level. The second delivery of the lesson will be slightly different but most students should be able to recognize what I am asking them to do and how it relates to prior knowledge.
Explain what a strong balanced literary program would look like in your classroom.
I would like my students to keep a portfolio of all their writing as well as a daily journal, which will look more like a log for reflection on other lessons as well as writing prompts. Revision of previous work is an absolute must. They should be exposed to as many different types of text as possible, both in reading and writing. Students should also have opportunities to publish or perform their work at least once per school term. Reading circles/groups can be set up for students to discuss their own writing or text they have read. An abundance of text should be found in the classroom: on walls, the bookshelves, at group tables, etc. Students are encouraged to observe the environmental text around them at home and other places outside of school. We would visit the school library, and perhaps a local county or college library if one is within walking distance of the school.
What research-based teaching strategies have you used?
I have used collaborative work, scaffolding, multiple intelligences, metacognition, differentiated instruction, and multicultural/culturally responsive strategies.
What specific strategies would you use to assist students who are struggling in reading and mathematics?
For students who are struggling tremendously, I would offer free, private, one-on-one tutoring immediately before and after school on school grounds, depending on the times convenient for the parents. I have tutored students after school during my student teaching and have seen how much they benefit from one-on-one instruction. I would also make a complete assessment on the student’s study skills and home environment, asking questions such as: How much sleep do you get each night? Who helps you with school work at home (older sibling, grandparent, etc)? Do you eat breakfast every day? Do you spend at least an hour doing physical activity each day? How much time do you spend reading in a week? What are the situations when you have used math in real life? This is to pinpoint any environmental factors that might be affecting student performance. In addition, I would also provide the parents/guardians with more frequent progress reports than just the ones mandated by the school.
Describe how you have differentiated a lesson to accommodate varying student needs.
The lesson was on creating a “word dragon” (i.e. table elephant two other row). For below basic students, I allowed them to choose from a word list first as practice, before making a short word dragon on their own. For above and far above basic students, I challenged them to create a word dragon as long as possible.
What would you do to actively engage your students?
Introducing something novel using hands on material, stories and story problems, group work for accountability each member has a “job title,” relating the lesson to cultural significance or personal life, friendly competition.
What do you do when you see some students are not learning?
I would first assess what is preventing the student from learning. Is it environmental? Is the lesson too difficult? Too easy? Are their under lying emotional or social events affecting the student? Is is behavior? Or is it something distracting the student? I want to find out what is causing the problem before addressing how to help a student return to learning. I private conversation can usually identify the issue. I would then work with the student to help them deal with whatever is preventing them from learning.
How would you motivate the reluctant learner?
I would develop an extrinsic motivational system and gradually turn it inwards to an intrinsic one. Stickers and other small prizes in recognition for work well done is effective for most young students. I would give specific verbal praise as well. Perhaps researching the interests (fishing, art, sports, etc) of the student and including it in lessons are also helpful. Most of all, I should deliver lessons with enthusiasm and conviction in the functionality as well as the fun of learning the content. The focus is on improvement, effort, critical thinking and problem solving, and eventual mastery rather than determining how “good” a student is at a task upon immediately being introduced to it.
What would you do with students who fail continually to complete homework?
First, homework is an extension of classwork: everything that a student needs to know to complete homework should be addressed in class with the teacher prior to assigning it as homework. I would first pinpoint, through private interview, what exactly is preventing the student from completing homework. There should be someone at home to help with school work. Homework should be one of the first things students do once they get home, rather than leaving it until right before bedtime. Older students can perhaps have a network of their classmates to rely on if they need homework help (i.e. phone numbers, study groups, etc). They should have a relatively quiet, distraction-free place to do homework. All materials needed to complete the assignments should either be provided by me or are so common as to be easily acquired by elementary students, especially for the demographics in Title I schools. When all other obstacles have been resolved and the student still fails to complete homework, I’ve observed in student teaching that a “homework club” is effective in changing those habits. Students who have completed all homework for the week are allowed a “free choice time” at the end of the school week. They may watch a movie (in a separate classroom, perhaps teaming up with a buddy class), play games, do puzzles, spend time on classroom computers, work on extra credit, or do personal art projects. Those who have not completed their homework will spend this “free choice time” completing it. If they complete it before the free choice time ends, they may use the remaining time to participate with the other students. Perhaps a display board of the students who have completed homework for the week on the classroom wall would help too.
Upon looking at my answers to these interview questions a couple weeks after I wrote them, I realize that my opinions have changed some what from when I first started the program. They will probably continue to change. Which is partly why interviews are so scary for me. I'm not good at "selling" myself because my sense of self is continually evolving. What kind of integrity can I possibly keep when my ideas change constantly? I can only say what I believe at that moment, and perhaps add how they've changed over time, but no more. What if I later change in a way that won't make me a good fit anymore, even though I was initially?
Maybe I'm just thinking too much into it.
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