Teaching Platform

Intern Espoused Platform Conference

Partner Interview

Lindsey: Why did you choose to become a teacher?

Nikki: Um I choose to become a teacher because I feel as if I have the personality that’s patient, kind and caring and that mainly I love the kids. So that’s why.

Lindsey: All right, five years after your students have left your classroom, what do you want them to say about you as a person? About your teaching? About the learning that occurred during their time with you? So first we’ll start with, what do you want them to say about you as a person?

Me: I want them to say about me that I was able to change their life in a positive way and really make a difference in what they’re learning and their ability like how that they want to learn.

Lindsey: And about your teaching. What do you want them to say about your teaching?

Me: That my teaching was fun and engaging and that they felt safe in my classroom and comfortable enough to talk to me about anything.

Lindsey: I’m laughing because I said almost the exact same thing that you just said. I just remember those words.

Me: Oh jeeze.

Lindsey: So funny it’s kind of alarming. And what do you want them to say about the learning that occurred during their time with you?

Me: Um, that they obtained a lot of information that they learned five years ago and they had a lot a fun time doing it. Right?

Lindsey: Perfect.

Me: Haha, okay.

Lindsey: All right, why should students learn the content that you teach?

Me: Um I think for an elementary age level we are teaching them um the content that they need for upper grades like math, science, reading, language arts, I feel like that’s very important. It’s also very important for their imagination to grow with reading and that in like group work they learn responsibilities and social interactions and that are manners and positives that they need in life all the time.

Lindsey: How will you know that you have taught a successful lesson and how do you know when your students have learned what you hoped to convey?

Me: Okay, I’ll do the first, successful lesson.

Lindsey: How will you know that you have taught a successful lesson?

Me: Um, I think from two things, assessments that I give them and also their reactions and for I know students are different like timing wise but also like if they grasp it really easily it will get done um quicker. So I think that.

Lindsey: And how do you know when your students have learned what you hoped to convey?

Me: They’ll be ready for the next subject and still use that information with the stuff that I continue to teach them in the future.

Lindsey: All right, if I were a new student in your classroom and I asked you, “What do you expect from me?” what would you respond?

Me: I expect you to always try your best and to listen to other and have respect for others, as you’d want for yourself.

Lindsey: If I were a parent of a new student and asked you to describe the learning environment in your classroom, how would you respond?

Me: Um the learning environment is safe, comfortable and also controlled with my classroom management skills they all feel that same way every student individually.

Lindsey: So tell me more about when you say safe and controlled what do you mean by that?

Me: Safe meaning that they feel at home in my classroom. They feel safe that they can talk to me and there’s not going to be an intruder coming to hurt them and there’s no bullying going on. Safe that um that they are safe to be themselves and to learn the best that they can. And controlled, not really controlled but like um I have it structured so they know everything they have to do if I was absent one day and a substitute came in it would be structured enough they could start their morning work and get started without me.

Lindsey: Perfect. Homestretch one more.

Me: Okay.

Lindsey: What analogy would you use to describe what you hope to be as a teacher? You might answer the statements: teaching is like a ____________ or teaching is ____________________. Like teaching is like a banana but I just totally made that up.

Me: A banana? Um, haha, teaching is like the ocean or the beach I guess. Some days you have sunny days and the waves are really calm and other days it’s like a hurricane so but then after the hurricane there’s an eye in the storm so it gets good!

Lindsey: Awe I love that! That’s cute, adorable! I remember I said it’s like a garden. Its where the kids plant their seeds and watch them grow and you eat the rewards! All right that’s it. Well done.