Introduction
When I found out we got to interview a teacher my mind did not even wonder who the teacher was going to be. I knew I wanted to interview Lisa Cady because she is an outstanding teacher. While in her class I learned and grew into the person I am today. Knowing that she has many years of experience I found it fitting to get information out of her. I know she has a very honest opinion and would give me real life examples and situation I might one day be in. Lisa Cady tells me the pros and the cons of the field of education. She never tries to push me towards another major but she always lets me know what I am getting myself into. Lisa Cady is the definition of a great teacher and I was intrigued by what she would responded to all
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Lisa Cady knows this and she always made sure she gave me the extra help I needed to pass her classes. This makes me want to become a special education teacher because often this is what happens to the students with mental and physical disabilities. I want to create a classroom where all my students feel safe and comfortable to be themselves just like Lisa does with all of her classrooms each year. One of her other questions that really made me think about my career was question number nine. It asked Lisa Cady to give me advice for the next four years in order to be prepared to become a teacher. She told me, “Try out different age groups. I know you already have experience from high school with the Best Buddies Club. So, try younger age groups. Get a feel for multiple school districts and areas and feel out the one that suits you the best.” (CITATION). This actually made me reflect on my experiences so far in my field placement classroom. Lisa and I talked about my field placement a little after the interview and I was very interested in continuing to pursue the younger age groups when it comes to teaching. Up until a few days ago I didn’t know what age group I wanted to focus on, but after this interview and teaching my first lesson with kindergarten I think Lisa helped me figure it out for now. The last question I wanted to reflect on was question number 15 and this is one of the four that I made up for her to answer.
Currently, I am a Personal Care Instructional Aide for a nonverbal Down Syndrome student at West Hempfield Elementary. I work hand and hand with the special education teacher to devise lesson plans to suit the needs of my student. I am responsible for implementing the lesson plans one-on-one with my student in Language Arts, Mathematics, and social skills interactions daily. On a daily basis, I am also responsible for molding and shaping my student's behaviors and prompt when necessary. Working in the learning support room has taught me a variety of ways to incorporate differentiated instruction to suit the needs of all students. It has also shown me the type of teacher I should be, a teacher who adapts content to meet the needs of all learners and the importance of inclusion.
I decided to interview Mrs. Seppa first because I wanted to be able to have a basis for the questions that I would ask Ms. Villalobos, who teaches in a sixth grade special education class. I noticed after reviewing and comparing responses from both teachers how much of a difference there was not only in the grade, but also the teacher. My first question was asking if they always wanted to be in the area of Special Education. I asked this because I knew I did not always see myself as a potential special education
Ashlyn Edwards is an elementary school grades teacher and is licensed to teach grade levels K-6. She currently resides in Texas and has taken some time off from teaching to be with her family. Before taking the time off, Ashlyn worked in two different schools, one of which was in Georgia and the other in Kansas. In Georgia, she taught Kindergarten and in Kansas she taught grade 1. I chose to interview Ashlyn because I had met her several years ago through another friend and I found out she was a teacher at that time. Even though I had not got to know more about Ashlyn before this interview, I was hopeful that she would be able to provide me some insight into what it is like being a teacher and the ups and downs of the job. I asked Ashlyn five questions related to her job and she provided answers that not only guided me but also helped me to understand ways that I can become prepared to teach.
I have taught students ranging from five years old to nineteen years of age. Hence, being an educator, I have learned that learning is always shifting, therefore I must keep improving with the incessant changes. As a little girl, I have always dreamt of being a teacher and I have carried out that dream. My career journey started as a substitute teacher, a floater between classrooms, an assistant teacher, a teacher, a center supervisor, and an educational supervisor. I presently work as an Educational consultant for Danya International LLC. As an Educational Consultant, I able to review and aid with the learning environment of teachers and educational management in a school
As Ms. Brown and I walked down the stairs back to the classroom she was asking me why I wanted to be a teacher. We arrived at th classroom door and I told her, the reason is because I have struggled in school with ADHD and ADD and I wanted to make sure students get the help they need. We both sat down and started the interview. One answer that Ms. Brown said "I always wanted to help guide children to see their path to success. To me it all starts when the child is little" (personal communication, March 9, 2017). I was blessed to have the chance to talk one with Ms. Brown. She was happy that I choose her to do my shadowing with. When Ms. Brown showed me her lesson plans I was amazed. Know I have a good idea as to what to expect when I start
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
The field of education sparks my interest and it is the field I would love to be working in, in the near future. The role of a teacher is a very important one and is one that is not suited for everyone. A teacher needs to respect students, create a sense of community and belonging in the classroom, be warm, accessible, enthusiastic, and caring. These are all qualities I hope to be acquiring with my experiences working with young children. Being in the school of education and human services here at PCTI has been a wonderful learning experience throughout the years.
Joni had worked for over 25 years in the local school system as an Educational Tech II, otherwise known as a teacher’s aide. In this capacity, she got to know generations of teachers, students and their families. In addition, working with high needs students with challenging intellectual disabilities, she sought to identify opportunities for her students to gain practical knowledge in local organizations and life skills to ensure their dignity as adults. To create these connections she often interacted with numerous small businesses, non-profits, and community-based organizations.
For this assignment, I chose to interview Ms. Lisa Parker, who is a Math co-teacher and resource teacher for grades K-5 at Krahn Elementary which is a part of the Klein Independent School District and is one of the teachers I have been observing for my field experience. Ms. Parker has been a teacher at Krahn Elementary since 17 years. She started as a 1st grade teacher and was moved to 3rd grade after three years. The administration saw that she was really good with management and math, so she was given the below average, special education students and kids with adaptive behavior after seven years of teaching. With this, she adopted a style for teaching kids with special needs and decided to get a certification in Special Education. Ms. Parker has been teaching specifically in Special Education (SPED) since five years now and the special populations served by her in Krahn elementary include Gifted and Talented students (GT), students with Autism, students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), students with Learning disabilities (LD), students with Other Health Impairments (OHI) and Emotionally Disturbed children (EBD)
Through my entry level position at the Campus Preschool, I anticipated that would figure out how to function with children of differing instructive levels. I have communicated with children before, however never have I invested energy this much time with them. I additionally anticipated that would perceive my own capacity to really have the capacity to work with youthful children in an instructive setting. I was apprehensive at first to work with four-year old's, so I figured this entry level position would enable me to get through those obstructions and give myself that certainty I required. Through this entry level position, I additionally needed to pick up involvement with working with children with incapacities, since I haven't had numerous collaborations previously. I needed to have the capacity to take in the correct procedures keeping in mind the end goal to effectively work with a person with handicaps, since it is a pertinent and helpful aptitude to have for my future. I additionally anticipated that would figure out how to show children abilities in a classroom and in social settings, as to enable them to create.
A sit-down interview, in the interviewee’s classroom, on April 22, 2017, results in responses from Rachel, a female Elementary Education teacher at Deerfield Elementary School, in Deerfield, Wisconsin. Containing eight initial questions and two response follow-up inquiries, this interview represents a 4-year Kindergarten grade level perspective, and utilizes eleven years of teaching experience. As a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, Rachel began her career in Milwaukee before accepting her current position of nine years. With extensive knowledge of the field, Rachel qualifies as an excellent resource, both when actively pursuing plans to become an Elementary Education
One of the questions I asked her was “What skills and personal qualities are important for success in your field?” after I asked this question she told me that some of the keys that make a successful teacher is someone who is patient and loves kids. She also said that being a teacher is one of the most rewarding jobs to have because no other occupation is possible without a teacher. Her response made me think about myself and made me realize that I really do want to be a teacher.
My decision to be a teacher did not come easily to me. This choice was dependent on a reflection about what I was passionate about and how I could make a difference. I have chosen to become a teacher, as I believe teachers have the ability to provide future generations the stimulation for one of the most significant roles in life; to become a lifelong learner. Many teachers that I have had during my education have had a positive impact on my decision to grow and develop the skills that are fundamental to pursue a successful teaching career. My aim is to be a part of an honorable profession with the optimism that one day I will become an efficacious teacher who can provide future teachers with inspiration, as my teachers have provided for me. Through personal educational experiences and peer-reviewed academic literature, I am able to shape my approach to my pre-service teaching, as it will influence my future practice. As a teacher, there is not just one singular approach to educating students; there is a need for flexibility, diversity, adaptation and reflection.
Choosing a career is not an easy task. As a child, I never knew what I eventually wanted to grow up to be, but in the back of my mind I would always say a teacher because I come from a long history of teachers in my family. One of my grandpas was a high school math teacher along with coaching the football team. My aunt is an elementary school substitute teacher specializing in special needs students, while my uncle is a high school history teacher. While, my father is a physical education teacher who has taught at both the elementary and high school level. Growing up around so many teachers made me think I was destined to be a teacher, although at the time, I was not passionate about it, until my senior year of high school. Senior year I decided to take a child development course where I had the opportunity to volunteer daily at an elementary school. I quickly fell in love with the students and decided that inspiring young children to succeed was my calling. It was this opportunity that made me decide that becoming a teacher was my destiny. Last year I declared as a Child and Adolescent Studies (CHAD) to peruse my dreams of becoming a teacher
Carnes I feel as though I have a better understanding of dealing with the school system from the parent’s point of view. I think doing this interview can help me to be more prepared if a child with disabilities is present in my classroom. This is actually the cause of the high point of the interview because Ms. Carnes had a surprised tone when hearing my questions because of the dedication the educational system is putting into preparing the new generation of teachers to be fully aware of any situation we may face with a student with disabilities. I feel a sense of pride knowing I can be knowledgeable in any situation may face with these special cases in the classroom. On the other hand, I was surprised by the amount of patience she has as a parent with a child with cerebral palsy. From her answers in the interview she has to face challenges parents with the average child do nor. I gave me a deep respect to the parents who face these challenges such as making sure their child receives the proper education they need. Lastly, after completion of the interview, I feel slightly more nervous about going into the teaching field. I know teaching these students I want to make sure