Teacher Interview – Flashcards
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Tell us about your education and teaching experience.
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I received a bachelors degree in elementary education from University of North Florida. I graduated with honors: magna cum laude (MAG-na coom LOUD-ay). I am currently a substitute teacher in clay county serving all schools, grades, and subjects. In fact, I have subbed at this school more than once. I am also working on obtaining a Masters degree from UNF in Professional Elementary Education with a specialization in technology.
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If a lesson went wrong, what would you do?
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Things don't always go according to plan. Give a specific example of when a lesson didn't work. Focus on how you analyzed what went wrong and identified the weaknesses with the lesson. Describe how you went about improving the lesson by various means such as changing the complexity level of the content, using available resources, asking for advice from other teachers and reviewing your classroom management. It is important to acknowledge that failures do happen and indicate that you have the insight and maturity to deal with them.
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How would you use assessment in your classroom?
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I feel that the more you know about what and how students are learning, the better you can plan learning activities to structure your teaching. while the students would be given some formal assessment, I would be using mostly simple, non-graded, in-class activities that give both me and my students useful feedback on the teaching-learning process.
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What would you do with a student who was a continuous problem?
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Keep an open communication with the parent, remind both of the school and classroom rules. Work together to develop a goal and plan to help the student improve. always stay firm, consistent, fair, and patient with all students.
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Explain your behavior policy.
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1. Respect others. 2. Raise your hand for your turn to speak. 3. Keep your hands, feet, and objects to yourself. 4. Keep the room clean. 5. Be in the class when the bell rings.
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Describe a lesson that went well.
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I taught a science lesson on evaporation to a group of second grade students. In this lesson all the students were actively engaged in the lesson. Filled several jars with water and placed them in different areas of the room, some with lids on them and some without. I let the students picks the places, but I made sure to direct them to cover two in shade and two in sunlight, each with one lid on and one lid off, I let students help me mark where we filled the water, everyone was so excited. I make a POE worksheet in which the students were asked to predict what would happen if... we also answered why do you think that will happen. I loved that lesson not only because the students were so interested, but because they were able to dig deeper into their critical thinking skills.
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How would you differentiate a lesson?
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Provide students with different ways to learn what I am teaching. This could be through a research paper, role play, diagram, poster, etc. The key is finding how your students learn and use a variety of methods to meet their specific needs.
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What would you do if a student's parents gave him or her no support at all at home?
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Offer a steady safe environment for the student. Remember to encourage all students to do their best and remind them that you care. continually invite parents into their childs school life by offering and suggesting a variety of ways they can help.
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How do you enlist parent support for the students in your class?
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I provide a variety of opportunities for parents to volunteer, each with different types of time limits and ability requirements. Parents these days range anywhere from the busy both parents working full time type families to the stay at home parent. I plan to have a volunteer basket in my room. I saw a teacher with this type of basket and parents at any time could come and check the backet for an item or description, pick it up and get to work on it. these range anywhere from making copies, cooking goodies at home, pulling out pages from books, donations of pencils and ink, to the fall festival and tutoring students. I also want to add that when parents do volunteer, I think it is imperative to say thank you either orally or written.
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Name a book you have read recently related to education.
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I recently read the book "Classrooms Teachers Survival Guide" by Ronald Partin. I thought it had some really good suggestions on management techniques. It also had a lot of pre made forms in it.
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Do you have any questions for us?
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1. Do you have a mentor program? 2. I noticed on your website you have a lot of extra curricular activities including run walk club, are there opportunities to help out with any of these? If so what area do you have a need for. I have a lot of experience with computers and with art. 3. Do your teachers team plan, or do they work individually? 4. How often does the grade level have team meetings? 5. I have always been successful with getting parents involved in the classroom, how active are parents at this school or within the school district? 6. I am well-versed at integrating computer technology into the classroom, what kind of resources does the school have available?
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How would your students describe you?
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1. caring 2. consistent 3. visible 4. prepared 5. motivating
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What are the three(3) most important traits, characteristics or attributes a teacher should possess and why?
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flexibility, creativity, and passion: 1. Flexibility- because you often have to adapt lesson plans, make last minute changes to suit the needs of your students and be prepared for many situations that can arise. 2. Creativity- you need to create lessons that reach each learner based on ability and interests, capture their attention, make them want to learn as well as find way to make those lessons intertwine with their own lives and experiences. 3. Passion-because you need to love what you are teaching, be committed to it and be enthusiastic about it and be genuine with those feelings.
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What are 5 adjectives that describe you?
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1. energetic 2. determined 3. flexible 4. creative 5. fair
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Tell me about yourself.
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I received a bachelors degree in elementary education from University of North Florida. I graduated with honors: magna cum laude (MAG-na coom LOUD-ay). I am currently a substitute teacher in clay county serving all schools, grades, and subjects. In fact, I have subbed at this school more than once. I am incredibly exited to be a teacher and an just waiting to get started, while I am waiting, I am working on my masters degree in Elementary education with a specialization in technology. I just took the GRE and should start classes in January.
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What is your philosophy of education?
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Every student deserves an education tailored to his or her strengths and needs.
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Name a class you enjoyed during college, and why you chose it?
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I enjoyed my second literacy methods course because the teacher stated up front what she was expecting of us. she told us what we would be learning and what we would know by th end of the course. She then provided the students with all they needed to pass the course and was always there to answer questions. Mrs. Wilder was agreat teacher to me.
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What personal strengths can you bring to our school?
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I am very good with technology, in fact I am working on my masters degree in educational technology. I want to learn new ways to incorporate the knowledge I have in technology into the curriculum. for instance, I taught a lesson on Africa and instead of describing Africa,I accessed Google Earth and took the students on a trip to Africa to see what is looks like. this was not only a great hook to get them interested, but I think students learn more with real life applications.
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What experience do you have working with kindergarten (or grade interviewing for)?
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I preinterned in a Kindergarten class. I have also subbed in many Kindergarten classes, in fact I am scheduled to sub at one on Monday.
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What do you know about developmentally appropriate practices for this age group?
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A developmentally appropriate classroom is an active one. Both teachers and students learn from one another. The teacher sets up the environment to facilitate development of skills, to pique interest, and to allow for independence.In a developmentally appropriate preschool classroom, teachers help children solve their own problems by asking questions like: Is there another way you could try it? How did you make that happen? Why do you think your plan didn't work?
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Describe what your classroom will look like?
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Upon entering my classroom you will find a lively and colorful room completely centered upon children and active learning. Sight words, the alphabet, numbers, and inspirational quotes cover the walls while large bulletin boards proudly display students' work. A large area contains a carpeted reading or group corner specifically for storytelling, show-and-tell, weather discussions and calendar and day-of-the-week conversations. This classroom includes an abundance of age appropriate reading materials and student mailboxes where children place personal journals, home reading books and workbooks in the morning and then collect newsletters or other parent communication at the end of the day.
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What was the most valuable thing you learned in your student teaching?
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To over plan and to be flexible. I feel you should have a plan and procedure for everything. It makes the day smoother and makes for less chaos. I do also feel that no matter how prepared you are you should always be flexible, it is rare for things to always to as planned, so be flexible and ready to thow in your backup plan.
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Name a strength.
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creativity and technology. I list two because for me they go hand in hand. I am able to sift through countless ideas on the internet and find the most relevant to what I need and use it to spark a beginning for me to build upon when coming up with a creative way to teach a new concept.
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Name a weakness and how you overcame it.
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Answer - Your response could include something that may have been a challenge in the past, which you have taken steps to rectify. It is important to be truthful, they will be testing your honesty. In addition, they will be checking to see if you provide a weakness that is critical to success in the position. For example, the interview will likely end quickly if you answer you have a difficult time management the classroom. The key to answering the question is to turn a negative into a positive. Think of this question as an opportunity to sell yourself. Here is an example: You wouldn't say, "I have a difficult time organizing my day." Instead, rephrase the answer by saying. "There are so many creative activities I plan for my students and class time is limited. It is difficult to incorporate all of the activities that I would like my students to learn from. Over time, I have realized to prioritize what lessons are the most important to enhance my student learning. I now realize that I can't do everything I would like to."
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What strategies would you use to develop students' critical thinking skills?
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- Blooms - I would use a variety of teaching methods to encourage students to think "outside the box." I would use questioning techniques aimed at going further inside a students' head or thinking. I would encourage students to answer the "why" and "how" questions. I would encourage students' to relate the subject matter to their own lives and put themselves in the situation and ask them how they would handle the problem or the content we were learning about. I would use problem-solving, open-ended questions, logic puzzles, and analogies to extend lessons.
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How do you assess students to determine appropriate level of instruction?
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I would use a mix of informal assessments (teacher observation, interest surveys) and formal assessments (pre-tests, comprehensive tests, TAKS scores, any subject-specific test recommended by the district).
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How would you address different ability levels and learning styles in the class?
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- I would use a variety of reading material, tiered questions and reading material, pair-share, lecture, graphics, and technology to reach each student. This would address the different ability levels as well as the different learning styles that are sure to be in any class. I would constantly monitor students to ensure that they understand the material. I would offer students choices for assignments, such as written, or verbal, or art work to show me they understand and can relate to the subject matter. I would have students work in small groups so that each student could contribute to the end product, using their learning style to shine. - Task Cards. There are three levels of tasks: Modified, On target, Challenging. They all measure the same standard, but the activities are different depending on the level.
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Discuss an appropriate evaluation process and subsequent development of an education program for a student with special needs.
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- RTI - An appropriate evaluation process for a student with special needs would include conferencing with the students' parents as well as his / her other teachers. In addition, I would use both formal and informal assessments to determine any needs for modification that might warrant intervention. - If I noticed that a student was struggling and might require special modifications, I would assess the student using informal and formal methods. I would use teacher observation coupled with intuition. I would document the students' progress or lack of progress. I would collect data using a variety of methods. I would also contact the parent and explore whether or not the parent has noticed the student struggling. I would document as much as I could, then encompass my findings in creating a plan that addresses this student's needs.
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Explain how you use ongoing assessment data to differentiate instruction to ensure success for all students.
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I would say something asuing a pretest or check-in to see what students already know. Then i would create activities, questionsm projects, etc from the information gathered through this pre-test (doesn't have to be a test, can be a KWL chart or another way to see what students already know). From there i would do another check-in a following week to see where the students are currently at as some may be progressing faster than others. I would re-evaluate my lessons to fit that.
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How do you assess the level of engagement of students?
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Direct observation walk around the room and visually observe small groups. Also you can find out how on task students were when you were looking at the group across the room through assessment. also I like to ask my students things like, what did you learn from listening to your partner when they doing a turn and talk.
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How do you show flexibility with your students?
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- I show flexibility by differentiating instruction to meet the diverse needs of my students. My schedule and planning is also flexible if students are getting into a certain concept I might spend a little more time on that concept. If a concept needs to be re-taught, I might have to move my lesson plans around to meet their needs. Also, because assemblies, emergency drills, and other events can occur without warning in the school day, I show flexibility with my students by always knowing what to do and keeping calm.
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How would your co-workers describe you?
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I know they considered me to be hard working. In fact, the other team members often thanked me for the extra hours I put in. In addition they have described me as being a reliable team member, when I say I will do something, then I do it.
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What's an innovative idea you've introduced or could introduce in your school?
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When I was in 5th grade in Germany I attended a school that had a program called "Read to Succeed" It took the traditional reading log a step further. The students recorded what they read, how many pages, etc. but the school offered rewards and incentives including a reading party for the students. I enjoyed this program as a child and was found myself loving reading. I would like to take that program and make something similar and introduce it to the school.
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What are some strategies you would use with struggling readers?
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I make sure to meet with my lowest level small reading group on a daily basis to ensure that they are receiving as much exposure to literacy as possible (in a guided manner). I work on decoding skills with them to be sure they can read and understand the print. I also work on simple comprehension skills such as the basic story elements of character, setting, and plot. Once they have mastered those skills, we continue to work on higher level thinking skills. Throughout this process, I constantly assess the students with running records and comprehension exercises to be sure they are making progress and feeling successful.
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Describe your behavior management plan.
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I currently use a traffic light behavior system in my classroom. Each day, the students begin on the green light. After repeated warnings, the student's name tag is moved to the yellow and then red lights. At the end of the day I mark the color they ended on in a daily behavior report which goes in the student's daily folder. The parents have the opportunity to make comments and questions in this folder. All students will begin the next day on green, regardless of where they were before. If a child is not responding to this system or is in need of something more, I don't hesitate to work with the child and the family to create an individual behavior plan, such as a sticker chart or a number chart. This becomes necessary when non-verbal cues, discussions with the student, and meetings with the student and family have not helped the behavior.
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How would you handle a situation where a student is repeatedly disruptive in your class.
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I believe that the students are responsible for their choices. What I do is in response to each specific choice. I let the students know that they are causing a problem for someone in the classroom and they need to find a way to solve the problem. If, after time has passed, they haven't figured out a solution and the problem still persists I give them two options. The options vary depending on each special situation and special individual. The student then chooses an option with the understanding that their previous choices are what put them in this position. If a student thinks the options are unfair, they can tell me quietly and we'll have a conference to figure out what would be a fair option. If a student is repeatedly disruptive I follow these guidelines, but create a signal (only known to the individual student and myself) to let them know they need to think about their actions. I would work with the student to come up with some strategies to get their behavior under control.
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What are your 3 highest priorities in your teaching?
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1. Creating a safe and positive classroom community. 2. Instilling values and a love of learning in my students. 3. Reaching all of my students by incorporating a variety of learning styles and student interests.
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What is your relationship like with parents?
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One of mutual respect and teamwork: I have an open door policy where parents know they can come to me and discuss any problems or concerns their child is having in class, and we can work together to help their child. From the very beginning, I let the parents and students know that we are all in the school year together.
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What is your relationship like with students?
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One of mutual respect and teamwork: The students and I share a classroom community that we work on from the very beginning of the school year. From the very beginning, I let the parents and students know that we are all in the school year together. I show the students that they are active participants in our classroom and their education.
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What is your relationship like with coworkers?
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One of mutual respect and teamwork: My co-workers and I have a collaborative relationship where we share ideas. I am always a team player when it is in the best interest of the school and the students. I enjoy collaborating with staff members and building upon each other's ideas to make the school the best it can be.
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What do you look for in a principal?
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1. He cared about the students. 2. He cared about the teachers. 3. He developed a "family atmosphere" in our school. By that, I mean that we cared about each other, and looked after the needs of each other. 4. He tried to give us lots of oportunities for stress relief. Every faculty meeting started with something fun. 5. If a parent had a complaint, he always checked the situation out thoroughly. If the teacher was right, he supported her. If she was wrong, he worked with her to help learn from the situation. 6. If he came in the classroom for a surprise evaluation, and it wasn't a good time, you could just say, "Can you come back at another time?" and he didn't hold it against you. You could do that once a year. 7. He recognized when we were stressed out, and treated us accordingly. 8. He treated us with respect. 9. He was accessible
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Incentives?
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1. Marble jar for entire class 2. Treasure box 3. Friday lunch with teacher
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What would your language arts program look like?
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My language arts program is a combination of reading and writing. In terms of reading, I feel that it is essential to cover all aspects of it, from shared reading to guided reading and even read alouds. I use literacy to hook my students into lessons in math, science, and social studies by sharing different genres and subjects with them related to what we are studying. In terms of writing, I love teaching both the mechanics and the process of writing. In the mechanics portion, I teach my students about proper grammar and sentence structure. In process writing, I teach my students how to take an author's craft and incorporate it into their own writing. In process writing, I care more about the students gaining experience and confidence in their writing than whether or not they have 5 sentences in the paragraph.
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Talk about Balanced Literacy
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Balanced literacy is a way of incorporating writing and reading throughout the school day in various forms. There is shared reading, interactive reading, phonics, guided reading, and read alouds. There is also guided writing, interactive writing, and independent writing. All of these aspects of balanced literacy combine to give the student an education that encompasses all areas of reading and writing.
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Describe your planning process for a major project or unit.
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First I would decide on the objectives of unit and how I would best meet them with my students. I look over the Sunshine State Standards and the district curriculum to make sure I include the necessary information for my students. I compile a document with background information for myself. Based on my students learning styles and interests, coupled with the unit's objectives, I start designing activities and assessments that reflect the content and the students. After planning out the activities and assessments, I confer with colleagues. Before, during, and after teaching the unit or project, I reflect on what goes well and what doesn't. I keep notes about the reflections to guide me with updating or changing the unit or project in the future.
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Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be an outstanding teacher.
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An outstanding teacher is organized, prepared, flexible, and creative. A solid knowledge of developmentally appropriate practice and early literacy education is a must, as well as a willingness to include families and build a caring classroom community. An outstanding teacher sets clear expectations, encourages children to make choices and ask questions, and fosters a love of learning and literature. I believe outstanding teachers are known for their adaptability. I have learned from my student teaching and experience as a reserve teacher that no two days are ever alike, so my "plans" are constantly shifted, even though my expectations for the students are consistent. Outstanding teachers are overly organized, which is a great trait to have when teaching a number of different classes. Effective teachers must have a passion for the subject if they expect to have motivated students. I adore history and finding ways to make history relevant to today's students. The final attribute that makes an outstanding teacher is the ability to look upon your subject with perspective and teach the students to be objective when confronted with new information. I understand that everyone who enters my classroom enters it with a specific viewpoint that is different from everyone else. This variety of background knowledge enhances the classroom. I believe one of my strengths is to have the students participate equally and bring their past experiences into the classroom with them.
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How will you meet the needs of children with many different skills?
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I would address a wide range of skills in my classroom through assessment and intentional planning. Throughout the year, I would observe closely, take notes and collect documentation, and use both formative and summative assessments. I would use this information to determine strengths, needs, and interests of each child, and plan curriculum based on these findings. I have found that I often differentiate far more than I think I do just by making sure that my lessons are varied and exciting for the students.
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Define teacher effectiveness.
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Students are learning (as shown by formal and informal data). The teacher actively teaches and moves around the room. The teacher differentiates instruction to appeal to all the learners in the classroom. Students understand and demonstrate classroom rules and procedures. The teacher communicates well with parents and is organized.
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Describe the teaching techniques or strategies that are most effective for you.
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How would you individualize instruction for students? (slow learners/advanced?)
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What procedures do or would you use to evaluate student progress?
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Who should be responsible for discipline in the school? Why?
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How would you integrate technology into the curriculum you teach?
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Tell us about your teaching challenges?
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Tell us about your teaching strengths?
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What do you feel is the most effective way to communicate with parents? How have you used this technique?
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What qualities do you have that would enhance our teaching staff?
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How do you want students to view you?
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Is it ever justifiable to force a student to learn?
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no, encourage, yes, force, absolutely not
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What new ideas would like to initiate in your classroom?
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How do you get students excited for learning?
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Through the use of a hook in every lesson.
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What are your three most important reasons for wanting to be a teacher?
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How much do you want to know about your students in order to be most helpful to them?
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What three things do you most want to know about your students?
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What four key components do you believe you must include in a lesson plan?
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A objective, a hook, an assessment that matches the objective, and the plan.
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When you think about your students, in what major ways do you most want to influence their lives?
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Put these in order of importance, Planning, Evaluation, Methods, Discipline. why?
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Discipline-because without this, learning will suffer. Evaluation-because a teacher has to know what their students know in order to be effective Methods-because you have to know how your students learn best, and what works for one class might not work for another. Planning-teachers need to be prepared for what they're teaching that day, but without the first three, the best planning will go by the wayside.
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if you have kids in your classroom that are in different varieties of reading fluency how would you teach them?
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Who qualifies as an at-risk student, and what procedures do you have in place?
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An at-risk student is someone who has failed a grade or any portion of the TAKS test. They could also be in danger of failing and have a low socioeconomic status. I would praise them often, and have high expectations of them and all my students. I would have tactile and kinesthetic activities planned and offer tutoring before and after school.
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Running Records
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Do you know about ___ program - answer you use if you DONT know
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she said that she wasn't familiar with that practice, but if it were an approach that the school used, she would do everything within her power to learn about the method - including collaborating with fellow teachers - to become skilled in utilizing it to benefit her students.
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What approaches do you utilize to motivate your students?
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I use positive reinforcement as well relating as many lessons and activities to things that the students like, such as sports, shopping and many real life situations. I believe that kids have an inborn curiosity about the world around them. It's my job as teacher to channel and focus that curiosity. Depening on the grade level, you can talk about incorporating projects or group work. Depending on the school, you can talk about the wonders that kids have access to, thanks to the technology available-- they can see a clip of Neil Armstrong on the moon for a science lesson or see the Berlin Wall coming down in History.
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What specific teaching strategies do you use to achieve results with students?
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I believe the students have to be able to SEE what is going on, by me modeling it. They actually have to TOUCH the activity involving manipulatives. They would have to DO the activity with worksheets. Lastly, ASSESSMENT to make sure the students understand what was being taught. It's my job to help them channel that wonderful inborn curiosity and structure the information in such a way that they'll want to learn more. And, particularly in math, teachers have to realize that sometimes kids are so confused that they simply don't know what to ask. And that's OK. At that point, you go back to the very beginning, and take it in incredibly tiny increments. If it means dropping today's lesson plan to get everyone caught up, that's OK.
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Why did you decide to become a teacher?
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enjoy opening up new worlds to kids. You enjoy teaching them to love to learn. You know, deep inside, that this is what you were meant to do
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How do you challenge students?
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Tell me about yourself.
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1) Work out what the THREE most important qualities are for the job. Begin your answer by stating that you have these qualities. For example, if it is a sales job, the most important qualities they are looking for might be: The ability to communicate well with people. The ability to set goals and stay on track. The ability to handle rejection. So you would say: "I am an extravert who interacts well with people. I like to set myself goals and keep them and I'm very persistent." 2) Say where you last worked (or say the job that was most relevant to the position that you are applying for now) and pick one or two things you achieved at that job. For example: "I worked as a sales rep for the Savoy Company and I was their top salesman for three years running. Last year I sold over 1 million dollars worth of widgets" 3) Say why you want to work for the particular company you are applying for. Show specific knowledge about the industry and the company that you are applying for. Show enthusiasm about the company. Example: "I want to work in pharmaceutical sales because it is an area where I can use my ability to create solid long term relationships with clients. I want to work for your company in particular because you concentrate on gastroenterological drugs which is an area that is growing at the rate of 20% a year. That gives you a solid base from which to introduce new products like Endophine. I'd like to be part of that."
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Tell me about a time when you had to tell a parent something they did not like to hear.
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Tell me about a time when you had to tell a coworker something they did not like to hear.
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How do you build classroom community?
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How will you build community with other teachers?
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What are your expectations for your special ed students?
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I basically said that, while I make accommodations for the students who require it, I have high expectations for all of my students
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How do you involve ELL parents if they can not speak English.
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A child in your class is told to sit down. The child refuses and says "I don't have to." What do you do?
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Before I discuss how I would respond to the student, I would begin by saying that I'm a firm believer that as long as it's not a distraction to the other students and it's safe, a student can stand, kneel, lean, etc. at their desk. Some students just can't sit. I even have times where I stand at a table or desk to work on something. Now, if the student was distracting the other students or if the activity required the student to sit in his/her chair, I would give the student a warning and also given them a 30 second window of time to get seated. I may something like, "Billy, I'm going to help Sally for a minute and when I'm done, I expect you to be seated." If all you do is stand over them and wait for them to comply, it could turn into a real power struggle. When the window of time to comply has passed and if the student still is not seated, I would have them "refocus" by taking a time out/filling out a form stating the misbehavior and what they're going to do to fix the problem (basically what stg does with the discipline book). This idea is great because it provides you with instant documentation! If the student still does not comply after refocusing, they would receive a consequence. IMO, an appropriate consequence for this situation may include removal from the group they sit with. Part of sitting with a group involves respecting others while they're learning and if you're standing is distracting, you can't be part of the group anymore. I would have the student sit elsewhere in the classroom, alone for a bit. I would give them the opportunity to rejoin the group and the next consequence would be a phone call to their parent and finally, an office referral.
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Describe how you will promote sensitivity to racial, cultural, religious, and ethnic differences in your classroom.
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To promote a multi-cultural sensitive community, I would provide opportunities to learn about other cultures from bringing in guest speakers to showcasing books about other cultures, races, etc.
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Describe the assessment techniques you will use to evaluate student learning.
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To evaluate student learning, I use both informal and formal assessments from simple observations to checklists to formal assessments used school, district, and state-wide. The most useful strategy I use to assess student learning is to simply ask the students questions throughout the lesson or activity.
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Why should we hire you.
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I'm creative, dynamic, flexible. I like to solve problems, etc. I will bring a fresh perspectiveAnswer - Your preparation and research is imperative to successfully answer this question. Provide a few reasons why you're interested in the school or district, and what in particular sparked your interest. What is your personal experience with the school or district? What do you know about its student body, faculty members, industry reputation, community involvement, educational goals and objectives, upcoming initiatives, demographics, or extracurricular activities? This information will help you to accurately respond to the above question. The word accurate is important -- don't answer the questions by using old information
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How do you implement an equal opportunities policy in your class?
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How do you integrate your class with the school as a whole?
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What are your thoughts on team-teaching?
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I am sure many of you have participated in team-teaching and realize the benefits of this strategy. The interviewer who asks this question wants to discover, if you are flexible, enjoy working in a team environment, have experience in this area, and what your viewpoints are on the subject. It is an effective strategy for teaching large groups of students. Encourages teachers to collaborate and generate ideas ... two heads are always better than one! Talk about team-teaching experiences you have had, and the positive results that transpired.
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How would you describe a successful principal?
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It is important that a successful principal... •has a vision and a plan to reach that vision...combined with the ability to bring faculty members together to form a cooperative team and motivate them to reach district goals and objectives. •be visible... the principal's presence should be evident on a continual basis. He or she must be easily accessible to both students and teachers. •has a great sense of humor, and can relate well to a diverse group of individuals. •genuinely cares about the students, teachers, parents, and the district.
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How would you involve parents in the education of their children?
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What was the most frustrating thing that happened to you as a student teacher?
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Why did you decide to become a teacher?
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If I were your principal and we were setting goals for next year, what would they be?
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What is the last book you read?
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It is the first day of class, you are writing something on the board and a paper wad hits you in the back, what would you do? Later the same day, if all the students drop their pencils, what do you do?
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Do you believe you should build rapport with students? If yes, how?
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How do you encourage students to learn? Can a student be forced to learn?
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How do you prefer to use computers in the classroom?
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Describe your student teaching experience.
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What do you like most/dislike most about teaching?
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How do you feel about noise in the classroom? How do you handle noise in the classroom?
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How would you handle making a difficult phone call to a parent?
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In what ways do you encourage creativity in your classroom?
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Tell us about a lesson in which you've used differentiated instruction.
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How do you teach kids to utilize higher-order thinking skills in your classroom?
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Do you make learning fun for students? How?
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What do you do to prepare your students for state or standardized tests?
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If I walked into your classroom on a typical afternoon, what would I see going on?
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How do you measure student performance in your classroom?
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Describe a successful lesson. Tell why it was successful.
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What would you do if a student wasn't handing her homework on a regular basis?
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How much homework do you give?
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Besides lecture, what methods of teaching do you use?
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Tell us about your discipline philosophy.
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What are your classroom rules? How do you make students familiar with the rules?
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One student hits another student. What do you do?
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A student throws a pencil across the room. What do you do?
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Explain what you would do if a student was swearing in your class?
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What would you do if a student was complaining about an assignment you've given?
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Would you describe yourself as a "tough" teacher or an "understanding" teacher? Explain.
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What are some ways you can avoid behavior problems?
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Without giving any names, describe the most challenging student you've ever taught.
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What would you do to calm an angry parent?
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In what ways do you communicate with parents on a regular basis?
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A parent writes a note and tells you that their daughter could not complete their homework assignment because she had a dance recital the night before. What do you do?
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How do you keep parents informed of their childs' progress?
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How computer literate are you?
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Do you think it is appropriate for children in school to be using the Internet?
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Give an example of a time when you've worked on a team.
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Describe one time when you've acted as a leader.
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How do you feel about team-teaching?
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What can you do for a student that is extremely gifted?
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Describe a gifted student.
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How would you recommend a child for special education services?
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Most classes have students with a wide-range of reading abilities. What can you do to meet the needs of students with high reading abilities and low reading abilities at the same time?
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What is your least favorite age/grade/subject to teach? Explain.
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Describe one college course that taught you the most about being a good teacher.
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Who influenced you to become a teacher?
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A student confides in you and tells you that his parent abuses him. He asks you not to tell anyone. What do you do?
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How do you communicate with administrators?
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What kinds of inservices would you be eager to attend?
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List five adjectives that accurately describe yourself.
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Describe the differences between a good teacher and a great teacher?
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If you teach a lesson and your students don't seem to be "getting it," what do you do?
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How do you provide support for students who are not performing as well as they should?
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What can you do to meet the needs of students who do not speak English?
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In what ways can you teach students to be accepting of one-another?
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How do you feel about working in an inclusion classroom?
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How do you meet the needs of a student with an IEP?
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How would you teach the writing process?
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Describe a high-interest project that you might assign to your students.
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Do you think you are a flexible person? Explain.
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How do you incorporate writing into your curriculum?
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What part of this job are you looking forward to?
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What part of this job scares you?
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In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges that teachers face today?
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How can you make your teaching connect to students' real-world experiences?
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If I were to call your references, what might they say about you?
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How can teachers reach out to the community?
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How do you think a friend or a professor who knows you well would describe you?
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How do you work under pressure?
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What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
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Discuss your student teaching experience. What did you like? Dislike? Changes you would have made?
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What experience do you have with in-class support?
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Please tell me about your most challenging experience while working with children or in the classroom?
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What techiques do you use to keep pupils actively involved during a lesson?
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What is the most important "thing" a student could learn in your class?
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Explain how you have changed your lesson plan preparation and presentation as you have gained experience.
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How do you stay current in your field?
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How well organized are you? Why is organization important for a teacher?
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What are some of the considerations you make when planning your lessons?
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How much homework will you assign? How do you know how long it will take your students?
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Should a teacher intentionally use humor in the classroom? How do you use humor in the classroom?
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What can you contribute to our school?
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Why do you think you will be a successful teacher?
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Why should I hire you instead of other applicants?
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Describe the best lesson you have delivered? Why was is successful?
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What do you consider to be your major strength you bring to the classroom?
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What do you believe is one area you want to work on improving?
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Is there anything you would like to add to help us evaluate your candidacy?
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What role does classroom management play in the educational process?
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When students say they want the teacher to be fair, what do you think they mean?
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Tell us about your other school-related experiences such as extra-curricular activities, committees, curriculm development, etc.
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With what extracurricular activities would you be willing assist?
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What was the most challenging discipline problem you've encountered and how did you handle it?
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How would you create and and promote a safe atmosphere within your classroom?
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If pupils were having difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
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What techniques would you use to be sure that pupils understand?
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How would you assess your effectiveness as a teacher?
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How do you feel when a student fails?
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Describe three ways to motivate students
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Would you describe an outstanding teacher to me please?
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What kind of people do you find it difficult to work with and why?
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Do you have a specific grade level/age that you prefer to teach? Why?
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Do you have a specific grade level/age that you prefer to teach? Why?
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How would you conduct a parent-teacher conference?
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1. Begin your conference with an encouraging note about the student. "John does very well in a lab setting." 2. Place yourself in the position of the parent, who wants an honest report from you, but may dread hearing that his or her child is not doing well in aspects of your program. 3. If there is a problem, phrase your remarks tactfully, - "I need some help in understanding why it is so difficult for John to concentrate. Can you suggest something that might be bothering him?" 4. Listen closely and sympathetically. You may learn things that can help you deal with the student. 5. Be sure every parent feels his or her child is in good hands. Display pride in your teaching responsibilities. 6. During the conference, express the attitude that this is "our" problem, not simply the parents. 7. Make sure that all parents feel that they are important partners in the child's development in school. 8. Be sure when summarizing your remarks that you make it clear to the parents that they have helped you. 9. Close the conference with a note op optimism. "I'm so glad, Mrs. Jones, that you have suggested helping Carolyn with her homework habits. I am sure this will be reflected in the quality of her assignments."
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what is your teaching style?
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Highlight how you are able to adapt your style to the needs of the students. For example, you may adopt a facilitator type style that emphasizes student-centered learning with students who are comfortable with independent learning. You can support your answer with references to the phrases and words students and colleagues have used to describe you as a teacher.
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CHAMPs
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CHAMPs, a proactive approach to classroom management which focuses on expectations for Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, and Participation and can be used within a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework to promote positive student attitudes and behavior. Through a series of eight modules, the presentation explains steps for implementing key aspects of CHAMPs classroom management - Vision, Organization, Expectations, The First Month, Motivation, Monitor & Revise, Correction Procedures, and Class-wide Motivation Systems - and it also provides recommendations and resources for training teachers and paraprofessionals in the use of CHAMPs.
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How is CHAMPs used?
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The best way to use CHAMPs is to break it down into separate activities. My school came up with a chart. For example, they have lecturing broke down into each component. Can the students talk during a lecture and so forth. They then added every conceivable teaching scenario, such as group work, testing, and computer work. Each classroom has the chart in the front , with CHAMPs expectations posted. A good teacher is suppose to reference the champs chart before each activity. If the teacher is dividing the children to groups to work she would say" Class, we can communicate only with members of our group, if you need help raise your hand, the activity is group work, the materials you need are pencil and paper, I will know your participating when you talk only within your group and are writing, and all of this leads to success. "
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What does CHAMPs stand for?
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C is communication, H is help, a is activity, m is material, p is participation. Communication refers to whether or not the students can talk during a certain activity. H stands for how will they get help. Activity defines what they will actually be doing. Materials is self explanatory - what materials will they need for the activity. Participation means how will you know they are participating.
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What is CHAMPs
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CHAMPs is a module of classes that most new teachers are now encouraged to take, focusing on classroom organization as the key to managing discipline. The theory assumes that when students know what is expected of them, they will behave and the classroom will run smoother. The premise was that most classroom disruptive behaviors are directly linked to a lack of organization. When CHAMPs is used all together it is suppose to create well behaved and organized children.
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Guidelines for Success:
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Be Responsible Always try. Do your best. Cooperate. Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
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Concepts about Motivation
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•When a behavior is engaged in repeatedly, it demonstrates a level of motivation to engage in that behavior. •If a behavior does not occur, it demonstrates a lack of motivation to engage in that behavior. •The teacher needs to increase the students motivation to behave responsibly and complete assignments, respectively.
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Motivation = Expectancy x Value
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•Expectancy:degree to which an individual expects to be successful at a task •Value:degree to which an individual values the rewards that accompany that success
