Teaching Teachers Brian Kitta Ivy Tech Community College

Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, and other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner. Name of Artifact: Teacher Interview Date: February 26, 2015 Course: Education 101-4AH Brief Description: This is a PowerPoint chronicling an interview I conducted with two teachers. I have combed through their answers to assemble a presentation. The questions ranged from teaching philosophy to involving students and parents in the learning environment. Rationale: To document my understanding of INTASC Standard 9, Professional Learning and Ethical Practice, I have selected to interview two teachers and document their responses. In talking with two other teachers who are actively in the field, I have gotten an understanding of what to expect when entering the teaching field. I found it helpful to absorb their opinions on the school system. Also helpful was the ability to absorb their philosophies in approaching students as well as parents.

Teacher Backgrounds Austin Dietrich Paramount School of Excellence Spanish and ELL for grades K-8 Jordan Byrd Brookview Elementary School 3rd Grade Accelerated

Why did you decide to enter teaching? Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd O Tutored English in Spain O Indianapolis Teaching Fellowship O internship as an ESL teacher O Started college wanting to do social work

How many years have you been teaching? O Three Years Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

What grade levels and/or subject areas have you taught? O Kindergarten through eighth grade Spanish O ELL teacher and coordinator O Summer school O ENL for third grade O Third grade homeroom O Kindergarten reading specialist Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

What are the traits of an effective teacher? O Not taking it personal and not making it personal O Looking at a lesson and being able to fit all of the learning styles into one lesson O Getting to know their behavioral style Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

What is the single most important quality a good teacher possesses? O Patience, sharing O Empathy and patience Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd “a centered presence in the classroom, a sensitivity to the classroom setting, an ability to respond thoughtfully to each student, and a desire to help students feel capable and competent” – p 210

What are your values, beliefs or philosophy about the teaching profession? Have they changed over the years, how? O Rewarded for working on a problem, rather than solving the problem O Humanizes himself as a teacher O Students have to master so much in a certain amount of time, making them better human beings is being left out O Not allowed to master something and then move on to a challenge Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

How is your classroom arranged to optimize learning? O Windowless, long classroom O Two rows, facing the center aisle O Round tables with seatbacks O Reggio Theory Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

What are your strategies for effective classroom management? O Isolating them O Sitting them by themselves Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd “Although we do need structures, routines, and class rules to guide the teaching and learning in our classrooms, the way we arrive at these guidelines is crucial.” – p 182

What types of lesson plans do you create? How do you incorporate state standards in the curriculum? O Cross-content O Anything to do with Spain is a culture standard O Speaking or writing a word maintains a standard. O State standards are the only things allowed to be taught O Math, reading, writing O Prepare them with other states’ testing. Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

For you, what are the most exciting aspects of teaching and your work? O Student last year could not introduce herself, and this year tried out for the school musical with speaking lines. O Seeing kids be nicer to each other O Forging a tiny little family Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

Who has given you the most support in learning to be an effective teacher? O Professors from the program O Principal cares O Other teachers Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd “teachers rated cooperative and competent support colleagues and mentors as the factor that has helped them most in their teaching positions” – p 39

How do you encourage involvement of parents and families in the school and your classroom? O Spanish Parent Teacher Association O Position before and after school in the front office O First two years had little to no parent involvement O Helicopter parents now can come at any time and be in the classroom Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

What do you see as the pros and cons of ISTEP? In what ways, if any, has ISTEP affected your teaching? O Grades for schools may get school shut down O They bring in more teachers that couldn’t get hired anywhere else O Not passing a test could hold you back O ISTEP rules teaching Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

How do you know you are successful? O Dealing with students successfully O When he is gone for a day and he comes back and the parents say, “where were you?” O Kids have to master what we are teaching them O Not just teaching the skill, but teaching them to be confident in the skill Austin Dietrich Jordan Byrd

Bibliography Koch, J. (2011). TEACH (2nd ed., p. 39, 182, 210). Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth