Educational Psychology: Expertise in Teaching

Expert Teacher Interview Questions

1) Do you feel you are confident teaching all the subject matter? Are there some areas you
feel more comfortable teaching? Less comfortable? Has an area of specialization aided you
in teaching the subject matter?

Yes, I feel confident teaching all areas. I do have an area of concentration in Social Studies,
so I teach two classes of Social Studies and the other teacher teaches my class science.  It
is one less class to prepare for and it gives me a chance to meet some other kids.  I teach
all other subjects.

2) How have you encouraged the less motivated students to participate in the lesson and do
their work?

I let my children know that they are at least responsible for paying attention.  They do get
called upon and I try my best to keep a tally on class participation.  As far as their work is
concerned, these kids are ten years old and in fourth grade.  They make the choices.  When
work isn't turned in, I give them the chance to "fix" it themselves before I make any home
contact.  If this doesn't work, calls are made and maybe a conference is set up.

3) What student-centered techniques do you utilize to enhance student understanding?

(e.g. small group work, class discussions, jigsaw method of group work, student-centered
discovery, etc.) Do you recommend some types of student-directed learning over others, or
not at all?

I use a lot of classroom discussion and let students discuss things in pairs before we discuss
as a group.  I use my boards and do the very best I can to ensure all kids understand what
is being discussed.  I don't get the chance myself to work with small groups as much as I
would like because our class sizes are so big.  I recommend myself, to let kids work at an
answer or goal by themselves first, then discuss what they have with a neighbor.  Then we
get together and discuss as a class.

4) What teaching materials have you found to be educationally useful in the classroom (e.g.
computer, Internet, CD-ROM, board games, flash cards, etc.)?

Computers have been helpful.  We have a great typing program that I feel has helped the
kids learn to type and have some fun doing it.  Since our school is in the Renaissance
programs for Reading and Math, computers have been a major tool for teachers in
monitoring student accomplishments. The internet is helpful for our Science Fair.  We have
15 laptops that teachers can check out to find information on their projects.  I try to have
educational board games for inside recess as well.  Boggle, for instance, is one game my
kids fight for and it is good for word recognition and they still learn while having fun.

5) Briefly, how would you age appropriate a lesson on sexual harassment, for example, to
third graders?

Briefly, I try to stay away from it.  We do have a "good touch, bad touch" talk that is given
by our guidance counselor.  Also the county comes in once a year and has this conversation
with our older classes.
6) How have you integrated multi-cultural issues into the classroom (e.g. guest speakers,
field trips, etc.)?

We talk throughout the year about many issues.  I spend very much time at the beginning
of the year about not judging anyone based on color, size, weight, etc.  We do celebrate
Black History Month by talking about many famous African Americans.  Our town has a
Mexican Fiesta that is popular with our youth.  I observe Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday by
listening to his "I Have a Dream" speech and giving each student a copy to keep.

7) Due to the mainstreaming of exceptional children, how would you generally change or
alter the curriculum for a student with a mild learning disability?

I check with the kid's B.D. or L.D. teacher and find a way for the child to succeed, and
maybe take a look at the student's I.E.P.  I let the associate monitoring the child know that
however the child needs to do this work to succeed is fine with me.  For example, my kids
that were in my class last year took open book tests and took them in the L.D. classroom. 
Even this was a struggle for a couple of students, but my classroom with 31 students
wouldn't allow them the environment to concentrate.  It's all about the student feeling or
having success.  I gain nothing by not allowing accommodations for their needs.

8) How have you dealt with issues of classroom management and disruptive students (e.g.
set rules and consequences, notes home or conferences with parents, principal, etc.)?

My classroom is all about respect.  You respect me, I'll respect you.  I do communicate with
students first and give them the chance to change their behavior.   Setting rules,
communication through their planners, notes home, and conferences are all things I feel
any good teacher does.  If you have good help at home, you can do anything.

9) What are some of your professional goals? How about long-term goals for your students?

I coach two sports: Track and Field and Cross Country.  I would like to continue to do this
until I reach the 25 year mark.  Currently, I have been coaching for 14 years.  I really enjoy
teaching children and coaching young adults.  I would like to continue taking classes to
better myself.  I started a masters program in administration, but it wasn't for me.  For my
students?  Take advantage of good opportunities.  Don't be afraid to ask questions. 
Graduate from high school.  Pursue something after high school: college, trade school,
military.

10) In your own words, what should be the main goal of any teacher?

To TEACH - but make learning fun.  Smile.  Laugh.  Be fair and impartial.  You are the best
part of many student's day!

07P:075:007
25 September 200x

Expertise in Teaching
When asked to name the teachers who have had the greatest positive impact on us, we
tend to name those who were warm, energetic, enthusiastic, organized, impartial, and
competent in their field. Expert teachers employ all of these traits, and, as the text states,
are "experienced" and "effective" and have "developed solutions for common classroom
problems" (Woolfolk, 2001). I chose to interview my fourth grade teacher, Mr. Brian
Mendez, because he not only demonstrates expertise in teaching, but also has created a fun
and proactive learning environment, which I hope to emulate in my future classroom.

In order to teach effectively, the teacher must have a strong knowledge base of the
material (Woolfolk, 2001). Mr. Mendez feels confident teaching all areas of the curriculum. A
teacher who does not feel comfortable in his or her ability presenting a certain aspect of the
material would most likely have difficulty relating the material to children. Specializing in a
subject is not only important for advanced knowledge base, but for practicality as well. Mr.
Mendez noted that having different teachers specializing (and teaching) in different areas of
the curriculum saves time in lesson planning: students visit another classroom for science,
for example. This arrangement also offers him an opportunity to meet with other students. 

Expert teachers are also instrumental in motivating all students to learn (Woolfolk, 2001).
When a student lacks motivation to learn or do work, these experts scout out ways to
encourage learning. Mr. Mendez holds his fourth grade students accountable for getting
their work in and in on time. The students are given choices as to whether to redo
homework for a better grade, thus granting them more autonomy in the classroom. An
important goal would be to have his students be motivated by intrinsic goals – a will to do
better. When students are essentially in control of their learning, they can better set goals
for themselves, and take pride in their finished product. However, some students still need
that extra push of encouragement, and that is when parents are informed.

Expert teachers take into consideration "settings in which students learn" (Woolfolk, 2001).
Mr. Mendez is very aware of these "settings," and has explored various ways in which group
work enhances learning in his classroom. He has found that having students work
individually on a task, share their findings with a neighbor, and then regroup for a class
discussion is recommended for larger class sizes. With class sizes growing, expert teachers
must discover effective approaches to group learning.

Expertise in teaching involves utilizing materials that are curriculum based and age
appropriate (Woolfolk, 2001). My expert teacher says he is quite impressed with a typing
program which is informative and fun for the children. Educational board games, such as
Boggle, aid in word recognition and are fast-paced fun. Mr. Mendez realizes that students
learn best when the computer program, board game, or project, is enjoyable to the
students. The expert teacher knows that learning can be fun, and will integrate different
learning activities into the curriculum.

Not specifically mentioned in the text, but of equal importance regarding expert teaching, is
the manner in which the teacher handles serious problems. Expert teachers are able to
explain difficult situations, such as sexual harassment, to students in an age-appropriate
manner. Mr. Mendez realizes that issues as complicated as sexual harassment may not be
appropriate to discuss with fourth graders in a large group setting. Specialists such as the
school guidance counselor offer age-appropriate lessons, such as "good touch, bad touch."
Unless the school was experiencing problems, it would be unnecessary to subject young
students to discussions, outside that of the guidance counselor, that could cause
awkwardness, discomfort, or cause even more problems. Moreover, expert teachers would
not wait for the problem to escalate; problems are dealt with immediately and fairly.
Expert teachers understand the importance of diversity in the classroom, and understand
how cultural differences can affect how one learns (Woolfolk, 2001). They also utilize the
school as a democratic institution where values such as tolerance and acceptance are
stressed. Mr. Mendez demonstrates his expertise by starting off the year explaining to
students that they are not to judge other people based on race, weight, etc. Although the
teacher's year is filled with curriculum standards and testing mandates, an expert teacher
will make time to discuss with his or her class the "I Have A Dream" speech by Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., or take a field trip to the Mexican Fiesta. 

A teacher's main goal is to teach, and this does not just apply to average or above average
students. Expert teachers strive to help every student achieve, even those with special
needs. By reading through a student's I.E.P., Mr. Mendez can determine what kind, and how
much help a student will need for test preparation, homework, etc. Expert teachers care
about every student's achievement and make accommodations for students with special
needs, in order to create a fair learning environment.

Expert teachers handle the classroom in an orderly and democratic fashion. Teachers should
not have to scold their students or beg and plead to gain attention or control. Through the
years, Mr. Mendez has based his classroom management philosophy on the issue of respect.
I believe this is a very important classroom philosophy: the teacher respects the students,
and in turn, the students respect the teacher. He stated that good teachers set classroom
rules and follow through with the proper consequences.

Professional development was not mentioned specifically in the text, but I believe it to be an
important aspect of expert teaching. Continuing education not only keeps the teacher's
mind active, but also creates more opportunity to explore different areas of teaching. Mr.
Mendez chose to pursuit a Masters program in administration, but found he was not
interested. By pursuing a higher education, teachers discover areas that peak their interests
(thus becoming areas explored in depth) and those areas that do not.

Expert teachers have goals for themselves, their students, and their schools (Woolfolk,
2001). These might be day-to-day goals, such as teaching the concept of long division; or
they might be long-term, such as helping students develop tolerance for people of a
different culture. My interviewee, Mr. Mendez, emphasized that every teacher, beginner and
veteran, must realize that his or her main purpose is "to TEACH." Expert teachers know
their main goal is to teach, but also go that extra mile by making learning fun, expressing
warmth, and establishing a fair and democratic learning environment.

Achieving expert teacher status is not solely dependant on years of teaching. Some veteran
teachers do not exhibit any of the above qualities, and some beginning teachers seem to be
born with such abilities. Analyzing Mr. Mendez's comments, I have come to the conclusion
that expertise in teaching develops after some time and practice, but is mainly a product of
patience, and an understanding of children. Expert teachers are aware of how each
individual learns, and is attune to every unique learning style. Preparation is key to
establishing teacher quality (Woolfolk, 2001). Expertise in teaching is not a terminal state:
methods and styles must continuously be altered to accommodate for each new influx of
students. Thus, expert teachers are flexible. However, teachers can develop their expertise
by listening to students, offering feedback, noticing effective individual learning styles, and
understanding the ways in which each student is unique and special.
Yes, it is a fulfilling job.. because if your a good teacher who could touch the lives of the
learners.. it could be a forever lesson for the students.. and that`s the most fulfilling job that a
teacher could do.