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Task 2 Teacher Interview
Education Foundations (D097)
Western Governors University
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Foundations
Task 2: Teacher Interview
A. In Texas, teachers use the Texas Essential Knowledge and Sills (TEKS) for their curriculum standards.
B. The teacher I chose to interview is Stefanie Limona. She is currently one of the ALE teachers at Zachry Middle School in San Antonio, Texas.
C. Reflect on your interview by doing the following:
- Description: Summarize the teacher’s views on the given topics:
a. The state TEKS are incorporated into the lessons each week. The TEKS let the teacher know what the content is that the student is expected to know, and the lesson or activity supports that content. While the TEKS are not directly given to students, they are broken down into the Big Idea and the Learning Target which is then given to the students as an “I can...” statement.
b. One internal influence the teacher mentioned that stood out to me was having a good relationship with the students. The relationship is what allows the teacher to reach all their students at a more personal level to ensure engagement and learning. It also helps the students feel like they have a larger say in what happens in the classroom when their opinion is validated. When the students are actively apart of their learning, they are more likely to take initiative with their academics.
c. One external factor the teacher mentioned was the student’s socioeconomic status. She explained that the school she works in is a Title I school which means that at least 40% of the students come from low-income families. She explained how this is a significant impact on education because students are less likely to want to learn and participate if there are problems at home. The only way a student can learn is if all their basic needs are met. These needs include food, sleep, clothing, and shelter. When a student has adequate support for those needs, the student is more likely to be successful. The teacher explained how at her school, because they are Title I, all students are offered free breakfast and lunch.
d. The teacher I interviewed said that her identity as a teacher is constantly evolving. She explained that there is never just one or two identities that a teacher has, but a mix of many. She explained that a good teacher can draw from each mind frame to better serve the students they teach. She said that “not all learners are the same, so you can’t approach them the same” (S. Limona, personal communication, September 22, 2021)
e. One of the best ways to grow professionally, according to the teacher I interviewed, is by collaborating with other teachers and staff members. Another way teachers can grow, is by attending the district provided professional development training. Every year, teachers must complete a certain number of hours for professional development. The teacher explained, that while many staff members consider the professional development a chore, it is important to do them because they will help you become a better teacher. She encouraged me to sign up for professional developments that interest me and to always have an open mind when attending because you never know what you may learn.
- Feelings: Describe your feelings about the interview, including:
a. Before the interview, I was a bit nervous because I was not sure what to expect and was concerned that I would not get enough information to complete my task. I had a decent understand of my states requirements and what it meant to be a teacher, so I was not really expecting to learn anything I did not already know.
b. During the interview, I found myself really connecting with the teacher. A lot of her values and what she implemented in her classroom aligned with what I hope my own classroom and teaching style will reflect. I got a lot of great insight about things I had not thought about or knew. She even offered me some great advice and resources I can access when I become a teacher myself.
c. The teacher enjoyed being able to share her knowledge as a classroom teacher with me. I could tell that she was not expecting some of the questions that I asked and struggled to provide a more in-depth response like some of the other questions I asked. Overall, the interview went well for both me and the teacher.
- Evaluation:
family. She explained how she believes that every student has the same chances to excel despite their economic differences. The middle school that she works at is classified as a Title I school, which means that at least 40% of the students are considered low- income.
d. I agreed with the teacher when she explained that she believes that a teacher has more than one mindset or identity. A great teacher has a mix of “Hattie’s mind frames” that allow them to excel at their job. I also agreed that no one mid frame is better or more important than the other, but that they all have their benefits of targeting many different students.
e. I agreed with the teacher’s view of always having room to grow. She explained that one of the best ways to grow is to collaborate with your co-workers. What better way to learn something than from your fellow teachers? By talking to other staff members, you can gain a new perspective or expand on one that you share.
- Conclusion:
a. Overall, I feel like I learned numerous things from my interview with Stefanie. I learned that building a strong relationship with students will help you get through to most, if not all, of your students on a deeper level. I learned that you must be open to innovative ideas because the world of teaching is always changing. It is also important to know who your students are so that you can meet whatever needs they have. Lastly, I learned that it is important to teach your students to set goals so they can see what they need to achieve, and they can do the work to accomplish it. Based on what I have learned from this interview, my understanding of the role of a teacher has broadened to encompass more than just telling students information. A teacher is a student’s confidant, a student’s advisor, a student’s hero, a student’s number one fan, and a student’s advocate.
b. If I were to conduct the interview again, I would have focused more on different internal and external factors that impact a student’s education, as well as more ways to grow as an educator of students. I think that if I could focus more on those parts, I would have walked away with a deeper understanding of what effects students and we, as teachers, can minimize the harmful impact it could have on their education while maximizing the positive impacts.
- Action:
a. Hattie’s mind frame of building strong relationships with students in the classroom supports teacher success. With a strong relationship, both the student and teacher trust and feel safe with each other. When students feel safe, more learning is bound to happen because they will be more receptive. The relationship also ensures that a student feels comfortable to make a mistake and learn from it because they will not be judged for it. When a student succeeds and learns, the teacher also succeeds.
b. A personal strength of mine that relates to the mind frame I explained above is my ability to be a good listener. As a good listener, I actively hear what people tell me and can respond appropriately based on the information they give me. This enables me to build relationships because the students know I am listening to them and care about what they have to say. A person weakness of mine that relates to this mind frame is that I sometimes act more on emotion than I do rationality. The reason this is a weakness is because to build a relationship with a student, you must understand that some days are going to be more difficult than others. When that student is pushing all the right buttons to get a reaction from you, it is important to respond with reason rather than give a reaction. This is something that I continue to work on every day in both my person life and professional life.
c. By my graduation date, I will learn how to incorporate activities into lessons that support the social emotional learning (SEL) of students. In order to achieve this goal I will read “The Lesson Planning Handbook: Essential Strategies That Inspire Student Thinking and Learning” by Peter Brunn. I will also watch a TED Talk, given by Olympia Della Flora, titled “Creative ways to get kids to thrive in school” to help me understand different techniques I could use.
Reference
Brunn, P. (2010). The Lesson Planning Handbook. Scholastic Teaching Resources.
Task 2 Teacher Interview
Course: Education Foundations (D097)
University: Western Governors University
