Teacher Interview

1.) How do you write a typical lesson plan?

In the fourth grade we do team planning. We all go over the objectives that we will all be
covering every week and compile resources. I write the math lesson plans, just on a chart
lesson plan, and then create the power points for the whole week. We each do a different
subjects lesson plan.
2.) In what ways do you plant to accommodate individual differences in the classroom?
At the beginning of the year we did a learning style assessment. Then I try to incorporate
different instructional methods in my lessons to appeal to the different learning styles. As
far as all the classrooms in the grade, the students are ability grouped by math in the way
that they are placed in a seating arrangement, and then the classrooms are grouped by
reading level.
3.) What are some of your instructional challenges as a teacher?
The biggest challenge is keeping the students engaged during the lesson, and then
keeping them on task when they are supposed to be doing work independently.
4.) What have been some of your instructional successes as a teacher?
Last year, I have a few students that were English Language Learners who had very
limited English speaking abilities. I had the help of some interpreters, but I was somehow
able to include them in every lesson and they ended up having good test scores.
5.) What do you consider essential characteristics of successful teaching?
Always willing to learn, being able to work as a team, and having good knowledge about
your content that youre teaching. Probably the most important thing you can do is
having good relationships with the children, as well as your parents. You need to get the
parents support.
6.) How often to your students receive social studies/science instruction?
We have inquiry time scheduled for every day and that is their science time. They also go
to STEM lab once a week as a special and have a science lesson taught by another
teacher there. For social studies they have a workbook that they do for homework and
then we go over it. There is not a lot of time allotted for social studies.
7.) What social studies/ science topics will be covered during the second week of my
clinical? What should I address?
The three regions of North Carolina, and then Earth and the universe.
8.) What does reading instruction look like in your class?
For reading time I start off with a mini lesson, then they do practice RTI, or response to
instruction. They do word work, have some independent work that they need to complete,
I incorporate technology in their reading also.
9.) What motivation tactics do you use to ensure a desire to learn?
The whole school uses the clip up/ clip down behavior system, so purple behavior is the
goal for them daily and I always try to remind them about that. Also, we are doing things
like having an ice cream sundae party for students who meet their goal on MAP testing.
Also, I always try to do some positive reinforcement throughout the day.

10.)
What is your classroom community like?
As a class, we try to be respectful of each other, and to learn from each other. The
students have a good relationship with each other, most of the time. They also have a
good relationship with the teaching assistants, and feel comfortable with them.
Everything in the classroom is about relationships, and that is what helps make
everything successful.
11.)
Tell me about the pacing of lessons. What kind of pacing works best for your
students?
Since my students are the medium-low achievement level a slow pace works best for
them. I go over everything a bunch of times and provide lots and lots of examples.