Teacher Interview

1. In what ways do you accommodate individual differences in the classroom when you
plan your lessons?
We follow workshop model for math and reading and we also have an RTI block. During reading
workshop, I can meet in small leveled groups to work on skills with students who need it. During
math workshop, I design centers that kids rotate through and I either enrich or remediate with
certain groups based on individual needs. I divide my RTI block to pull groups for math on
Tuesdays and Thursdays and reading groups on M/W/F.

2. What are some of your instructional challenges as a teacher?

I taught for six years, then took a few years off to start our family. When I returned, technology
was everywhere! I've had a hard time balancing how much time should be spent on chromebooks
rather than manipulating physical objects. It seems that everything goes to chromebooks. Rather
than having a good old fashioned book club with paper books, kids are reading on RAZ Kids and
Compass Learning. Instead of building circuits and creating a compass, kids complete virtual
labs. All common assessments are taken online, even though we teach test taking strategies such
as highlight and annotate text. The use of technology is also hard to monitor. Are students
researching for their biography project or are they listening to inappropriate music on YouTube
and playing computer games? I'm working on embracing technology but also balancing it with
best teaching practices.

3. What do you consider essential characteristics for successful teaching?

Time management--It's impossible to do everything that needs to be accomplished in one day,
but effective teachers prioritize and make the most of their time.
Communication--Teachers must clearly communicate with parents, students, and staff. Students
get frustrated when directions and expectations are unclear. Parents get frustrated if they don't
know what's going on in the classroom. Colleagues get frustrated if there is a lack of
collaboration and clear planning together.

4. Are you satisfied for the current amount of time that you allot social studies/science
instruction? Explain.
Yes and No. I love social studies and science and wish we could teach both every day. However,
I honestly don't know where we could take time from our schedule to increase it. To make every
minute count, I integrate as much as possible during literacy.

5. What resources do you typically use for your science lessons?

I pull from Discovery Education a lot. They have a science tech book with units that align with
the Essential Standards. I use Flocabulary, Brain Pop, and Study Jams as quick engagement
videos to introduce or review concepts. I also use the science textbook when relevant and pull
from our science kits if there is a lab I can use. I feel like the science kits are grossly
underutilized at our school!

6. How does teaching in a STEM school affect your instruction? Is it different than the
other teaching positions you have had?
I previously taught at an IB school. There was a stronger emphasis on inquiry based learning and
integrating all subjects throughout instruction. Working at a STEM school isn't much different
for me, other than the time commitment of the required STEM Fair projects.
It's easy to integrate technology daily since we are 1:1 with chromebooks. Math is a part of daily
instruction, and I incorporate science labs with every unit. I've found it challenging to
include elements of the design process as much as I'd like.
There are certain things I've learned this year being at a STEM school that I would not have
previously thought about, such as coding and the engineering design process. There are
significantly more opportunities for students outside of school, such as Science Olympiad,
Junkbots team, Math Olympiad, CyberRobotics, etc.

7. What motivation tactics do you use to ensure a desire to learn?

Praising students for doing the right thing, providing tickets and table points (see question 9),
and having students be "checkers" to check everyone else's work when they're finished.
Giving students as much choice as possible so they have ownership of their learning. This can be
done by offering different books for book clubs, allowing students to solve even or odd
problems, select from a tic tac toe board on assignments, etc

8. What are your class rules?

Follow directions the first time thy are given.
Respect all people and property around you.
Make smart choices.

9. How is positive behavior reinforced, and negative behavior prevented?

Positive behavior is reinforced individually through tickets and in small groups through table
points. Students may exchange tickets for certain things. Every Friday there is a table winner and
the points start over on Monday.
For negative behavior, we follow the school wide chart for "clipping down". Each color
represents a different consequence (silent lunch, laps at recess, referral, call home).

10. Have you ever had a lesson not work the way you planned/have you ever had to
completely change a lesson plan to meet the needs of your students?
Of course. I always plan for the week and make an entire week's worth of lessons on each
flipchart. If students are struggling with a concept, we may only get through 2 or 3 slides and I
have to insert blank pages with extra practice. Sometimes students excel more than I expected
and we combine a couple of days lessons into one.