The Big Interview Lavette Hale EDU 650 Dr. Richard Newman September 7, 2015

Introduction My name is Lavette Hale and I am applying for the lead teaching position in 4 th grade at Timber Ridge Elementary. I have worked in education for 8 years: five of those years as an aide, and the other three as a classroom teacher. I feel that having such experience will make me great candidate for the position, as well as allowing me to have the knowledge and skill set to implement and enact important and significant changes within the school. I am confident that together, we can lead the school to success.

Philosophy of Education Students will be greeted with a warm smile and a handshake everyday as I believe that it is important to greet each child. This can help to provide a sense of belonging and affectionate behaviors are important factors in social-emotional development (Zanolli & Saudargas, 1990). The environment that a child will encounter will be warm and inviting. If students do not feel safe in my classroom, whether it is emotionally, physically, or socially, they will not be able to function in a positive manner and this could have a negative effect on their learning. Of the responsibilities that a teacher must take on, being there for the student is of the upmost importance. “The potential of an individual student is limited only by the desire for an adult to draw upon it” (Lopez, 2013, chp.3). The time I invest in my students will have a direct impact on their learning, so it is important to get to know each one and devote the time necessary to help them reach their full potential. Students will engage in hands on activities, collaborate amounts their peers, and be provided with ample opportunities to share their thinking, as these are all skills the students will need to be able to function successfully in the global economy (Newman, 2013). In order to provide my students with the best education possible, I will continue to attend professional development sessions that will help to expand on my skills and strategies, collaborate with my colleagues, as well as engage in higher-level educational programs. In doing this, I will be able to teach content that is meaningful, applicable, and inviting to students.

Classroom Management I believe classroom management is the key component in any educational setting. If students are in a safe environment, then learning can take place. My fourth grade classroom management plan will help to set the tone in the class, be used to prevent behavioral problems, and effectively including all students in the classroom so that their needs are met. Having the right environment for all students to learn is my major goal of implementing good classroom management; without it the students would not be able to learn. It is important to have well defined rules set up by the beginning of the year so that the expectations will be known and the teacher can focus on teaching (Newman, 2013). Rules of the classroom should reflect consequences for both positive and negative behavior. Rules will be created with the students. This will help to create a student- centered classroom that focuses on the needs of the student (Newman, 2013). It is important to me to include the students in the rule making process, as this is their home away from home and should have some say in what rules belong in it. Students will be expected to: respect one another, work to their full potential, engage in a variety of activities, think creatively, and become peacemakers by using problem solving skills. My focus is to have a student-centered classroom where the students help to construct their learning in an encouraging environment. The desk will be arranged in groups of four or more to help provide the students a better opportunity for collaboration or group work. It is very important to engage students in discussion to try to draw out and challenge ideas and let the class learn from one another. Motivating students and building trust is what will help to run a smooth classroom. According to Brozo and Flynt (2008), “Student motivation increases when teachers are their allies in the learning process,” (page 173, paragraph 5).

Different School Models Traditional classrooms are age based classrooms that put the teacher at the forefront of student education. While this approach is a little outdated, it can still be implemented using student centered instruction. Student-centered instruction focuses on skills and practices that enable lifelong learning and independent problem-solving. Student-centered learning theory and practice are based on the constructivist learning theory that emphasizes the learner's critical role in constructing meaning from new information and prior experience. It helps to put the students’ interests first and gives them a voice in their learning experience. In a flipped classroom, students watch lectures and learn lessons at home, and do their "homework" in the classroom (Newman, 2013). When students return to class, they ask questions of the teacher and peers to gain a better understanding of the content. Both methods put student learning first.

Effective Lesson Planning and Design Effective lesson planning requires research using various resources to gather information, clear learning objectives, and “clarity, completeness, and specificity,” (Newman, 2013, chp 9.1). Clear learning objectives help the student understand what is to be learned and are used for evaluations during a lesson, class period, or activity (Newman, 2013). Using the backwards design model to help plan lessons helps the teacher to focus on the end results first. The approach places the assessment at the heart of the planning process (Whitehouse, 2014). Teachers must start with the learning outcome, focus on developing a plan to assess the learning outcome, and then plan the learning activities (Newman, 2013). The students role is to create questions for a variety of purposes, give peer and self assessments, and engage in meaningful and elaborate discussions.

Assessment Matters Assessments are used to obtain information on student progress and knowledge, matters of education, and to determine decisions about curriculum. When thinking about and creating an assessment, you must be sure that it is clear, easily understood and structured so that learning objectives are met. They need to be carefully planned and implemented in order to measure student achievement. Newman (2013), states that assessment plays a crucial role in shaping teaching and learning. Teachers should use assessments to help determine the students’ strengths and weaknesses within a given subject. The information received from the test should then be used to help create an effective plan to guide students to success. Assessments have been developed, both formative and summative, in the hope that teachers and schools will do things differently (Mehrens and Lehman, 1991). Darling-Hammond and Wise (1999), described assessment as a means of setting appropriate targets for learners, encouraging curriculum reform and improving instruction and instructional materials. According to Rick Wormeli (2010), teachers should focus more on formative as opposed to summative assessment. A good formative assessment has the ability to access, interpret, analyze and use the information for making decisions aimed at improving learning. Summative assessment on the other hand is used to determine a student’s overall performance in a given learning area at a particular time and then provide a summary of what students understand and able to do (Darling-Hammond & Wise, 1999). This type of assessment normally involves exams that cover a wide range of materials in a given subject while formative assessment covers a small portion of material. Formative assessment enables teachers to involve students in the process and thus enabling them to have better understanding of what is being taught. Engaging students in the learning process enables them to retain the information for long as they actively participate.

Professional Learning Communities (PLC) Professional learning communities are, "the process by which teachers, individually or collectively, influence their colleagues, principals, and other members of school communities to improve teaching and learning practices with the aim of increased student learning and achievement” (Newman, 2013, chp 14). It is a community where everyone shares responsibility for ensuring student success. Teachers must take on a “balcony perspective” in order to gain a true understanding of what occurs in other classrooms and schools.

References Brozo, W. & Flynt, E. S. (2008). Motivating students to read in the content classroom: Six evidence-based principles. The Reading Teacher, 62(2), Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database. Darling-Hammond & Wise. (1999). High stakes: Testing for tracking, promotion, and graduation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Lopez, D. (2013). No excuses university: How six exceptional systems are revolutionizing our schools (2nd ed.). Turnaround Schools Publications. Mehrens, W.A. & Lehmann, I.J. (1991). Measurement and evaluation in education and psychology. (3 rd Ed.) New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Newman, R. (2013). Teaching and learning in the 21st century: Connecting the dots. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Stenhousepublishers. (2010, November 30). Rick Wormeli: Formative and summative assessment [Video file]. Retrieved from Whitehouse, M. (2014). Using a backward design approach to embed assessment in teaching. School science review, 95(352), Zanolli, K., & Saudargas, R. (1990). Two-year olds' responses to affectionate and caregiving teacher behavior. Child Study Journal, 20(1), 35.