Teacher Interview 3rd grade

Interviewer: Brittney Beaulieu Interviewee: Ms. Espinoza

Date: 2/20/17 Time: 4:15

Planning Questions:
- How do you write a typical lesson plan?
I start out by looking at the curriculum map for the unit , students will know, will
do and look for ideas online (new) or talk to other teachers, vocab, how to teach
before writing. Guided reading to meet students needs.

- What types of materials do you need available when you plan lessons?
Curriculum map/standards, computer resources, manipulatives, colleges

- In what ways do you plan to accommodate individual differences in the

classroom?
Across the county we uses resources such as iready, dreambox , which are
individual based activities. The biggests way though is through the use of small
groups during math and reading, intervention and remission block to re-meet with
children for additional activities, I also make sure to explain vocab especially with
my ESL students

Instructional Questions:
- What are some of your instructional challenges as a teacher?
New grade level new content, meet the needs of ESL students, unmotivated
students learning harder material, behavioral problems disrupts flow

- What have been some of your instructional successes as a teacher?

Kids are doing good job of learning vocab, real world and actions to go with it, kids
doing good in science-hands on

- What do you consider essential characteristics for successful teaching?

Genuinely have to love children good and bad, understanding of the way they
develop, organized and prepared (writing and look over plans know what youre
doing), patient, good communicator with admin and parents to share whats going
on in classroom, positive and remember why youre doing what youre doing, about
coming in every day

- How often do your students receive social studies/science instruction?

6-7 weeks of science, 2-3 weeks of social studies, build in social studies during
literacy time

- Are you satisfied with the amount of time that you currently allot for social
studies/science instruction? Explain.
Ideally no, I would like to have a little more social studies time but science is
good.

- What does reading instruction look like in your classroom (e.g. readers
workshop, basals, etc.)?
Monday vocabulary minilesson, hand-on activity, literacy independent reading
or writing, pull groups, interventionist and ESL teacher (we have three teachers
working in groups during our reading time), each week students practice skills
through contracts but there is no group work on contract -review vocab, reading
and written response, words their way

Classroom Management Questions:

- What motivation tactics do you use to ensure a desire to learn?
Try to give positive praise, lesson important to pass the test but need to know this
to pass your life life lessons, area, money. Talk a lot about making growth instead
of perfection incentives, struggling

- Tell me about the classroom community.

Good community, came together and wrote own class rules 2 treat others way
want to be treated, dont do something to hinder others learning, positive
community class meetings, super improver wall, create own goals prize when
level up

- Tell me about the pacing of lessons and interaction in the classroom- use of
time- and other aspects of timewait time, and time using teacher talk and
student talk. What works well with your students?
Reading minilesson is hardest because its the longest, turn and talk to share
ideas, dialogue journals 0- write down answers and switch to agree.
Math minilesson is much shorter, whole group problem solving
Science and social studies hands on component to stay engaged , harder with
Social studies

Other:

How do you feel about your first year in third grade?

It is definitely a change from being in kindergarten I do not have a very expanded
knowledge about third grade material although I think it does help that my daughter
is a third grader so I know what they are like.

Are you nervous about the EOGs?

Yes I am nervous but I think as a third grade team we do well with supporting one
another through this.

Reflection on Interview:

I found this interview with my CT to be very beneficial to begin my clinical

experience. The answers she gave me, really gave me an insight on how her
classroom functions and what her students were like. She also gave me great advice
that I can use when I become a teacher like the importance of teamwork and
getting to know the staff at the school. I also really liked how she emphasized
positive praise and how she focuses on the growth of the students. I also saw this
during my observations and I think it is very important to teach students that seeing
growth in their education is a huge deal and my CT really used this to motivate
students to do their best. I could also tell in my interview that my CT had a positive
attitude towards teaching and her students and I think that says a lot. I also saw
this attitude reflect in the classroom and it definitely had an impact on the dynamic
and community of the classroom.