Applying for teaching jobs is exhausting. It has been interesting answering these open response questions. I wanted to keep these answers somewhere so when I am in my 15th year teaching I can look back on them and see how much my ideas and goals of teaching has changed. Even as I was answering these questions I realized to myself how much my philosophy and goals for teaching have changed. It's strange how we grow and chance as we experience and live through more. How awful would it be if we were stagnant beings if we were unable to be shaped by our experiences and environment, the people around us. Who we were is not who we are and who we are is not who we will become. What a tragedy it would be to remain the same to never learn never grow. They say with age comes wisdom but it isn't mere passage of time that bestows wisdom. As a kid I use to think adults thought they were better than us simply because they were older. Now I see with age comes wisdom through experience. These adults have had more practice on the planet. They have met more people, they have tried more things, and most importantly, they have failed many, many more times. The sun, it does not cause us to grow, it is the rain that will strengthen your soul, it will make you whole.
Wisdom is the fruit bearing from the seeds of mistakes grown in the rain.
"What are your three most important reasons for wanting to be a teacher?"
The most important reason I want to be a teacher is the children. Children are the future of our world and I’d like to put my time towards investing in them. I’d like to help the future generations cultivate a healthy positive attitude towards learning along with a safe and consistent environment in which to explore new concepts.
Along with the individual, another important reason I want to be a teacher is to contribute to the community around the school building. Teachers have the ability to be leaders and role models in communities. This gives the opportunity to lead by example volunteering at local events and getting to know the families of the students in the school. It’s important that education doesn’t stop at the walls of the building. I’d like to help the parents and guardians of the students express appreciation and value for education.
Lastly, the third most important reason is that teaching and working with students is a lot of fun. As the saying goes: "If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.” Teaching certainly is a lot of work but that work is very fulfilling and enjoyable to me. I’ve had parents approach me and tell me they don’t know how I do it. I think that is a very positive sign because the work of planning and collecting data is something I enjoy along with the interactions and teaching with the students.
"How much do you want to know about your students in order to be most helpful to them?"
The more information a person has on a topic the more informed their decisions can be in life. This is why I think education is so valuable. Having said that I’d like to have as much information about my students as possible. This would help me to get a full picture of each student. I believe activating prior knowledge before each lesson is best practice. In order to achieve this and build upon their learning I need to know what they have already learned in previous school years. I’d also like to know what they have learned in their homelife.
"What three things do you most want to know about your students?"
The most important information I would like about each student is their cultural backgrounds. A student’s culture is paramount so that I could begin to shape the classroom environment to send the message of inclusivity and comfort.
Secondly, A student’s home life ties into this concept. The parent-teacher relationship is just as important as the student-teacher relationship. Who knows a child better than their own parent? As I mentioned earlier, education doesn’t end within the building’s walls. This is why taking the time to build a relationship with the families and finding the best medium for open communication is important.
Finally, I’d like to know each individual student’s interests. Having all of this information would help me in both designing the classroom and the lesson planning. I believe it is very important to anchor the learning to the individual student’s interests in order to give value to the learning from the student’s perspective.
"What do you need to know in order to begin your lesson planning for a class?"
In order to effectively lesson plan for a class I need to know a lot of information. First I need to know the learner profile. The lesson needs to be within each student’s range of comprehension. Next I need to know the objective of the lesson. A lesson must be goal oriented with a clear measureable result. Prior learning is another factor. What has the class already learned how do I best activate that knowledge and build upon it. Differentiation, not only for the students on the lower end of the classroom but also including the higher students in order to keep the entire class challenged and engaged. Lastly, I need to know how best to measure the learners’ grasp of the new content. Which form of assessment would accurately portray the student’s comprehension?
"What four key components do you believe you must include in your plan?"
The first component I must include in the plan is the academic content standard. Why am I teaching this lesson to the classroom?
The second component I must include is the student’s interest. How can I frame this learning to connect with the personal value code of the student? If I can align the lesson with the student’s dream career or a desired skill then the student’s attention will not be an issue.
Third component is assessment. I need to be able to measure the success of my lesson. Did the students reach my state standard content goal?
Finally and most important reflection. Professional development is something that should continue throughout a person’s entire teaching career. Carving out time at the end of the day to reflect on a lesson is important. What did I do well that I want to keep for next year and what do I need to change to make the lesson more effective next year?
"When you think about your students, in what major ways do you most want to influence their lives?"
As an educator I wouldn’t want to influence a student’s life towards any specific personal agenda I may hold either culturally or politically. I would like each of my students to leave my class equipped with the understanding and value of being educated and informed. I’d like to influence their lives by giving them the beginning scaffolding and tools to question and think for themselves. My hope is that each class I teach will leave feeling encouraged and empowered. I want them to feel they can trust me and come to me with questions and also not be afraid to try. Failure isn’t the worst thing that could happen to them, rather never attempting.
"What do you find to be the most effective ways to assess student learning?"
I think the most effective ways to assess student learning is from a whole picture perspective. I think formative and summative assessments certainly have their place in data collection but I also wouldn’t want to exclude portfolios and the individual student as a person. Sometimes focusing on assessment information can take the humanity out of the child. It’s important to take into account the grit and work ethic of the student and most importantly the individual student growth. The child may not be performing well according to a norm-reference assessment but could have made major gains in performance growth individually. All of this to say I think the most effective ways to assess student learning varies greatly on the individual student.
I'm so nervous about interviewing and landing a contract. I hope my answers are what schools are looking for in a teacher.
Turning Page - Sleeping At Last
Wisdom is the fruit bearing from the seeds of mistakes grown in the rain.
"What are your three most important reasons for wanting to be a teacher?"
The most important reason I want to be a teacher is the children. Children are the future of our world and I’d like to put my time towards investing in them. I’d like to help the future generations cultivate a healthy positive attitude towards learning along with a safe and consistent environment in which to explore new concepts.
Along with the individual, another important reason I want to be a teacher is to contribute to the community around the school building. Teachers have the ability to be leaders and role models in communities. This gives the opportunity to lead by example volunteering at local events and getting to know the families of the students in the school. It’s important that education doesn’t stop at the walls of the building. I’d like to help the parents and guardians of the students express appreciation and value for education.
Lastly, the third most important reason is that teaching and working with students is a lot of fun. As the saying goes: "If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.” Teaching certainly is a lot of work but that work is very fulfilling and enjoyable to me. I’ve had parents approach me and tell me they don’t know how I do it. I think that is a very positive sign because the work of planning and collecting data is something I enjoy along with the interactions and teaching with the students.
"How much do you want to know about your students in order to be most helpful to them?"
The more information a person has on a topic the more informed their decisions can be in life. This is why I think education is so valuable. Having said that I’d like to have as much information about my students as possible. This would help me to get a full picture of each student. I believe activating prior knowledge before each lesson is best practice. In order to achieve this and build upon their learning I need to know what they have already learned in previous school years. I’d also like to know what they have learned in their homelife.
"What three things do you most want to know about your students?"
The most important information I would like about each student is their cultural backgrounds. A student’s culture is paramount so that I could begin to shape the classroom environment to send the message of inclusivity and comfort.
Secondly, A student’s home life ties into this concept. The parent-teacher relationship is just as important as the student-teacher relationship. Who knows a child better than their own parent? As I mentioned earlier, education doesn’t end within the building’s walls. This is why taking the time to build a relationship with the families and finding the best medium for open communication is important.
Finally, I’d like to know each individual student’s interests. Having all of this information would help me in both designing the classroom and the lesson planning. I believe it is very important to anchor the learning to the individual student’s interests in order to give value to the learning from the student’s perspective.
"What do you need to know in order to begin your lesson planning for a class?"
In order to effectively lesson plan for a class I need to know a lot of information. First I need to know the learner profile. The lesson needs to be within each student’s range of comprehension. Next I need to know the objective of the lesson. A lesson must be goal oriented with a clear measureable result. Prior learning is another factor. What has the class already learned how do I best activate that knowledge and build upon it. Differentiation, not only for the students on the lower end of the classroom but also including the higher students in order to keep the entire class challenged and engaged. Lastly, I need to know how best to measure the learners’ grasp of the new content. Which form of assessment would accurately portray the student’s comprehension?
"What four key components do you believe you must include in your plan?"
The first component I must include in the plan is the academic content standard. Why am I teaching this lesson to the classroom?
The second component I must include is the student’s interest. How can I frame this learning to connect with the personal value code of the student? If I can align the lesson with the student’s dream career or a desired skill then the student’s attention will not be an issue.
Third component is assessment. I need to be able to measure the success of my lesson. Did the students reach my state standard content goal?
Finally and most important reflection. Professional development is something that should continue throughout a person’s entire teaching career. Carving out time at the end of the day to reflect on a lesson is important. What did I do well that I want to keep for next year and what do I need to change to make the lesson more effective next year?
"When you think about your students, in what major ways do you most want to influence their lives?"
As an educator I wouldn’t want to influence a student’s life towards any specific personal agenda I may hold either culturally or politically. I would like each of my students to leave my class equipped with the understanding and value of being educated and informed. I’d like to influence their lives by giving them the beginning scaffolding and tools to question and think for themselves. My hope is that each class I teach will leave feeling encouraged and empowered. I want them to feel they can trust me and come to me with questions and also not be afraid to try. Failure isn’t the worst thing that could happen to them, rather never attempting.
"What do you find to be the most effective ways to assess student learning?"
I think the most effective ways to assess student learning is from a whole picture perspective. I think formative and summative assessments certainly have their place in data collection but I also wouldn’t want to exclude portfolios and the individual student as a person. Sometimes focusing on assessment information can take the humanity out of the child. It’s important to take into account the grit and work ethic of the student and most importantly the individual student growth. The child may not be performing well according to a norm-reference assessment but could have made major gains in performance growth individually. All of this to say I think the most effective ways to assess student learning varies greatly on the individual student.
I'm so nervous about interviewing and landing a contract. I hope my answers are what schools are looking for in a teacher.
Turning Page - Sleeping At Last
