Mock+Interview

1. A typical day in my classroom would involve lots of fun, lots of learning, and a lot of class interaction. I believe that my students should be actively involved in what happens in the classroom, and my lectures would be interacttive so that I can keep the interest of my students.

2. A hostile parent in the classroom can turn into a dangerous situation, but I do believe that honesty is always the best policy. For example, if I had a parent that was upset about a child's grade, I would not only explain why their child received the grade, but also what they can do better next time so that the grade can improve.

3. I believe that to have a highly effective classroom, you need to make sure that your students understand the material fully before moving on. Too many teachers just continue talking without asking their students questions about what they just heard, or asking for examples from their students, which doesn't guarantee comprehension of the material.

4. One of the lessons that I have taught and would continue to keep in my classroom every year is a research paper. I believe that my format is effective because I let the student pick their subject so that they are interested in it, and then come up with their own thesis, which allows them to be more actively involved in the project then merely being told what to do.

5. My teaching style could be best described as eclectic. I like to do many different kinds of activities to keep my students on their toes, and to ensure that all of their different learning styles are met.

6. I believe that learning is 75% the student's responsibility, and 25% the teacher's responsibility, and although many would disagree with me, I do believe that any student that wants to learn will learn, and those that don't want to learn won't, regardless of how effectively the teacher presents the material. That's not to say that the teacher is off the hook, because as a teacher, I need to make sure that I am ensuring retention of the material presented.

7. I have a zero-tolerance policy in my classroom, which means that if I have to tell a student to stop a particular behavior and they are disruptive again, they will immediately be asked to leave the classroom and head to the principal's office. I believe that learning is best done in a community, and I want all of my students to participate along with each other, not against each other.

8. I think that what makes a teacher outstanding is their ability to really connect with their students. There are plenty of good teachers that can teach effectively, but to be outstanding, they really need to be able to create a dialogue with their students that helps them become involved through interaction.

9. One trend that has been developing over the last few years is the use of technology in the classroom. I do feel that students learn in many different ways, and I think that many students would benefit from being able to use computers in the classroom to take notes. I would allow my students, under strict supervision of course, to bring their laptops to class. This would help them to be able to take notes and organize them better, and it would allow the students to be able to effectively work or papers or group projects that are normally saved onto their computers. Another "trend" that is being seen in education is a rise in the number of ESL students. I do feel that I am unlike many of my peers in that I believe that everyone should be graded equally, regardless of your first language. Many teachers give students who's first language isn't English a break when it comes to grammar and spelling and other parts of speech. However, I do not believe that this helps them when thy are in the real world, living here in America. As an English teacher, learning proper English is something that I would stress in all of my classes, and I would make sure that everyone is being treated equally, including being graded equally.

10. I want my students to be proud of their accomplishments every day, so I would make sure that I acknowledge them when they give a correct answer, when their behavior is great, or when they have done well on a paper or a project. Also, I think that every student needs an opportunity to be heard, so I will make sure that all of my students always have an open outlet so that they can share the things that they have to say.

11. I believe that my two top strengths are that I am very outgoing, so it is easy for me to not only talk to a room full of people, but also to engage them, and that I am a very patient person, which I believe is very important trait for any educator to have. I think that my two biggest negative qualities are that I might be too hard on some people when it comes to grading, proper grammar, etc., and that I'm not really a disciplinarian when it comes to behavior, which is something that I definitely want to work on so that my students don't think that they can walk all over me!

12. To make sure that my students are not only retaining the information that I am giving to them but also to make sure that they know the material well, I am one of those teachers who would give a lot of mini-quizzes throughout the lessons. This is important for me as a teacher so that I know what what students have learned, and also to know what they are struggling with so that I can approach the topic from a different angle if need be.

13. Because I am an English teacher, a student that was failing my class would know that it was because they were not reading the books, turning in their work on time, etc. I do expect a lot from my students, but if I know that my student is trying their hardest, I would never fail them. However, if a student was really struggling, I would work with them on whatever it was that they needed help with. I also love offering extra credit, but never on an individual basis, so there would always be ample opportunities for a student to show me that they really do want a better grade.

14. I believe that there are many different methods of teaching and of learning, and even though I know that technology has become such a huge part of education, I do not believe that it should ever take the place of a regular learning environment where a teacher stands in front of a classroom and teaches. Rather, it should supplement the learning that is already taking place by providing an outlet for presentation and student expression.

15. I believe that I have an advantage over some other teachers because of my young age. It was not that long ago that I myself was in high school, so I know what students these days are used to and what they are looking for. Also, I think that my continued passion for learning is very important, because I know that I will always be striving for education myself, which will help me be a more effective teacher.