Laurie Kaffk Email Interview

Even though I volunteered in different schools, I never had the opportunity to ask about the real feelings of a teacher. During the interview, I learned that there is more than just teaching in becoming a teacher. This is because she told me how one of her hesitation on becoming a teacher is the time one dedicates for the job. She told me that when one is teacher, one must prepare lesson plans, come to school early to prepare for the day, and even stay longer to grade papers. She said that her typical day starts at 7:30 am to prepare materials and school instruction starts from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm. Then, even though the class ends already, she needs to create lesson plans for the entire week. She said that all these things are part of a teacher’s job, but they do not get paid to do these things. Therefore, I learned that being a teacher is not easy because there are a lot of extra responsibilities beyond the job description and that being a teacher extend beyond the classroom. Additionally, her answer made me reflect on whether I want a job, where I have to work more than the “work hours.” However, despite this workload, what amazes me was when she said that if she could go back, she would still choose to be a teacher because of her passion to make a difference in the lives of the

I had an interview with Helen Quelch in her office. She has been working as a volunteer engagement manager at National Jewish Health for more than 7 years. Before that, she also had worked at the Denver Hospice as volunteer manager as well for many years. She had a lot of managerial experiences of working in a healthcare field. That is a reason I want to interview her to explore the career in healthcare management.

She explained positive parts about being a teacher as being able to do what you love with growing children. As children go through stages of development, it is a good feeling to see what they are going to become in the future. She explains the bond she has with her students as one of the greatest feelings in the world. In early childhood, being their first teacher can have a major impact on how well they are going to do. Being able to create a good well-educated start to education is important. She explained that she wants to be able to educate children in the best way she can because the outcome of seeing them succeed is amazing.

I was very happy to see that she got the teacher I wanted. This teacher was the most popular and highest rated teacher in the school district. She won many teaching awards and was honored for her teaching skills by her peers and community. This particular teacher was also teaching at the same elementary school that I was attending when I was a child. I remember her because she was always kind to her students, not to mention very pretty and immaculately dressed every day. I never had her as a teacher for kindergarten but I remember walking past her classroom often.

Many people believe that teaching is a very challenging career and wonder why people would go into it, but then I realized there is no career that will make me happier than the teaching profession. Since my child hood, I have been fascinated by my fourth grade teacher Ms. Amo-Dako and her dedication and love for her students, and I desired from then on that I wanted to be like her. However, being a part of someone’s life to bring a positive change is fulfilling and the passion to be the one who affects a child’s being in order to make difference in the world draws me to the noble profession.

I had a great opportunity of interviewing a former teacher I had, and a teacher I was familiar with, but was never in her class. Shirley Norris is a middle school Quest teacher. “QUEST” is an acronym for Quality Utilization and Enrichment of Student Talents. The “QUEST Program is designed to meet the needs of identified gifted students who have demonstrated above-average ability in the following two areas of giftedness as defined by the Texas State Plan for the Gifted: 1) high general-intellectual ability at the 95th percentile; and, 2) creative and productive thinking.” (Leander Isd). Mrs. Norris is in charge of 6-8 graders. Shawna Queen is a high school math teacher. She in charge of the math department for her school. Mrs. Queen teaches

There were three interviews that took place. One of them came from a director Jenny St. Jean of Peace Methodist Preschool she has been a director for the last six years and prior to that, she taught preschool for three years. Another person that was interviewed is Jennifer Thompson a CRT from Renaissance Charter School. She had been a CRT for the last three years; prior to that, she was a preschool and elementary school teacher. The last interview came from a preschool teacher Jamie from the Peace Methodist School. This is her first year teaching, but prior to that, she was an assistant teacher for eight years.

My favorite response that she gave was when she told us she “got a pencil thrown at the back of her head and she stayed”. That goes to show how strong and deep teaching is. Also, she says you have to know your kids, which means you should teach based on this generation and how they operate. This includes methods like using technology and incorporating it into your lesson. “What advice would you give future science teachers?” was another question asked during the interview. Her response was “You

I asked her what the worst thing in her teaching career would be. She said, “The worst thing would be if i felt like I haven't reached a student.” Teaching students is a passion for her. She wants to be able to reach her goal in teaching everyone manners and that they have special abilities and strengths. A student said, “Mama P is one of the best teachers I have ever had, she is kind caring and loves all of her student, and she would protect them anyway she could from bullies or just a bad day.” Many great things were told to me by several students. Mama P is truly protective of her

Throughout my life, I attended a very small school. My teachers I had have been the ones that inspired me to become a teacher. I was inspired to become a teacher by my sixth-grade teacher, Mrs. Haney. She taught me that no star was too hard to reach. She made me believe that if I put a goal in my mind, that I could tackle it and that I could make it. Before I had her class, I really didn’t have any self-confidence. However, while I was in my class, she made my self-confidence boost. This wonderful person that was a part of my life has lead me to make the decision of become a teacher.

I did an interview on my friend Caitlyn; she is a preschool teacher for a three-year-old classroom at a daycare. This year was her first year being a teacher after graduating college, so she is still fresh out of college, but still has experience. I gained a lot of insight from the interview.

She’s the type of person who would literally do everything in their power to help and see that you succeed. I still remember the first day of school when I entered her classroom, just fully expecting her to be the worst teacher ever, due to made up rumors the year before and honestly, I’m glad to say that she proved those rumors wrong. In fact, she’s generous, sweet, kind, adorable,

She has always seen (and still does) see children as the future, so she has solely taught them and her future teaching includes only them. Her first paid teaching job was at around age twelve where she taught kindergarteners and preschoolers over the summer at a day camp. She taught reading, counting and shapes. Her first teaching job out of college was in 1997, so she’s been teaching for almost twenty years. She can explicitly remembering wanting to teach children because she’s always seen children as the future; as the key to a better future. Even when she went to graduate school and received her PHD, it was naturally assumed that she would take on a professor’s teaching

Throughout my time as a first-semester freshman in college with the intent to become a future teacher, I was offered several experiences that have solidified my decision about becoming a teacher. I got the chance to attend Johnsonville High for four days which I learned just how much fun you could have teaching at a school that has less standardized testing. Then, I had the most amazing time being able to be an assisting teacher at Carolina Forest High. My cooperating teacher, Dr. Ledford, was the best cooperating teacher I have ever had in my life. She was the idle teacher that was an inspiration to me and her students. I could tell she had a true passion for teaching by the way she taught her students. Dr. Ledford would always give interesting and fun activities to her students to help them learn a subject. Being her teacher assistant influenced me to become a teacher more than anything else. I want to become a teacher so I can teach in a similar way she does. In the past, I have had teachers who did not really care about their students and did not put an effort into their lesson plans. This is the opposite with Dr. Ledford. She genuinely cares about her students in such a way it has inspired me to teach like her. I also got to attend monthly seminars where I learned several things to keep in mind as a teacher; such as the importance of being professional and how every student has the capability of doing remarkable things. Finally, I attended several service hour

As a future educator learning from others is the most important thing listening to a teacher's battles in the classroom from a teacher that has only taught a year to one that has been teaching for twenty year. The fact that we get to ask questions is ridiculously important for our futures in the classroom. Although, the teacher that was interviewed was a new teacher which we can relate to, the fact that he had to manage the fact that he is now in control of a class instead of just observing. He had a lot of insight, even though the school he teaches in is small. He answered every question to the best of his abilities. His insight was great for me because I want to teach in a small school that does not serve many students. This interview helped by the fact that he is not that far from our age and we will be in his shoes sooner rather than later, he was opening our eyes to the real world of teaching and the fact that you may have your heart set on one thing, but it will not happen the way you want it.