Blog 17 - Interview 4 Reflection

Interview 4 Audio

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?

• The most important thing that I learned from this interview was how common core is a step in the right direction, but its not living to the potential that everyone was hoping it was going to be. It gives kids more than just learning how to memorize something they are actually learning the process of how things work. 

2. How will what I learned affect my final lesson?

• It gives me a variety of things to add to my presentation. Like how some teachers think that common core is a waste of time, and others think that it is a step in the right direction. I can include the opinions of y mentors and other example I have of teachers.

Fourth Interview Questions

1) Who do you plan to interview? What is this person's area of expertise?

• There are many people that I can take in to consideration when thinking about who to interview for my fourth interview. I could interview one of the other math teachers that teach the advanced class. Or to interview the principal of the actual school so that I can get the opinion of the higher ups of the school. 

2) Post 20 open-ended questions you want to ask an expert in the field concerning your senior project. Your focus should be finding answers to your EQ.

• What has being a teacher done to show you about kids at this age?
• How long have you been working in the education system?
• How much has it changed from when you started? 
• Has it changed in good ways or bad? And how so?
• Do you feel that you've left a lasting impression on a student?
• My Eq is "What is the best way to ensure that middle school students retain what they learn in class?"
• How would you recommend I answer this question?
• Do you have books on education that you have read that you could recommend?
• What did you do as a first time teacher that you wish you could change now?
• How do you deal with disruptive kids in class?
• Have you noticed if boys and girls learn different subjects differently?
• How do you help kids that seem to be struggling, but put in no effort to try and improve themselves?
• Have you picked up some things from past teachers that you now use in your own classroom?
• Is there anyone who you think can help me answer my essential question?

Third Interview Preparation - What is the best way to ensure that middle school students retain what they learn in class?

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?

• I plan to interview the other 7th grade teacher Mr. Kawakami. He teaches the advanced class of mathematics. 

2.  Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview? 

• I have not yet scheduled the interview but plan to do so this week when I go to mentorship.

3.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ.

• What has helped you with teaching advanced middle school math?

4.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).

• What do you do when you see that some students are struggling with a lesson you taught them?

5.  Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ. 

• How do you know when students understand what you taught them in class?
• What do you recommend to new teachers who are having trouble with teaching students?

Blog 10 - Interview 2 Reflection

1. Please explain how you are spending your mentorship time (Is it at a workplace or somewhere else?  Are you shadowing?  Are you able to do tasks that are meaningfully related to the topic?  If so, what?  Are there other people who are experts in the location?  Etc...)

• I am spending my mentorship time in the same place but doing two things at once. I go volunteer about two days a week and four hours every week. When I go in i arrive fifteen minutes before his class of the day begins. Once class starts I am able to sit in and watch how he teaches. My mentor teaches both math and science. After class is over my mentor usually stays after school to help kids who feel they need more help in homework or school work in general. During this time I am able to work with the kids and tutor them with homework, while also getting experience on reinforcing what they learned in class. 

2.  How did you find your mentor?  How did you convince this person to help you?  

• My mentor was actually my seventh grade math and science teacher. He was the one that told my parents and I about Ipoly. Unfortunately after seventh grade he got moved to another school. But he came back to Sparks a few years ago and I was able to visit him. I convinced him to be my mentor when I mentioned what it was I was doing for my senior project and what Ipoly's senior project consisted off.

3. How would you rate your comfort level with your mentor at this point in your relationship?  How does this relate to the time you've spent so far at mentorship/with this person

• If I would rate my comfort from 1-10 with my mentor I would say it would be a good 6. We have been around each other long enough to talk professionally and non professionally. This relates to the time I've spent with my mentor because I get to see them both inside and outside the classroom. And by having this comfort with my mentor, it gives us the chance to talk about his teaching and if there was anything I would change, add, or have done differently. And I think this is the most important aspect I have regarding my mentorship. 

4. What went well in this interview?  Why do you think so?  What do you still need to improve?  How do you know?  How will you go about it?

• My interview went well, it was about the same length as my last one and we were able to talk about things in between. I still need to improve on my small talk in between questions but I am slowly improving on it. I think I can fix my skills on small talk by getting to know my mentor a little better. 

Blog 5 - Interview 1 Reflection

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  Is there anything I would do differently for other interviews?

• The most important thing I learned from my interview was how my teacher saw teaching as a career for others to take on. He wouldn't recommend it for just anyone, he sees it as a hard career for someone to take considering the pay vs. the amount of schooling required. For other interviews I would ask that the person I interview have a set time for me to do the interview. 

2. Did I get additional resources and contacts?  What is the most useful?  Why?

• I did get additional resources and contacts. My mentor gave me several books and authors that cover my topic. Regarding contacts he gave me two names of teachers that would be willing to let me interview them. Both of the resources and contacts are equally useful to me and I am using both of them. They're useful to me research wise and useful to me as other possible places I can use for mentorship hours.

3. What makes my interviewee qualified to help me? 

• My interviewee was my mentor Mr. Roberto Alvarado. He is qualified to help me because of the eight and plus years he has been teaching. 

Blog 3 - First Interview Preparation

1. Who do you plan to interview?  Why?
• I plan on interviewing my current mentor, Mr. Alvarado, he is currently a teacher at Sparks Middle School. I plan on interviewing him because he has been teaching for about 12 years, and he was my seventh grade pre-algebra and science teacher. So he has experience with teaching middle schoolers. 
2. Five questions will be assigned to all seniors to ask.  What additional questions do you plan to ask?
• What is one of the most memorable moments you have had while you have worked in this school? What about in other schools?
• Do you feel that you have made an impact on any students? How so?
• How has working as a teacher affected your life?
• How much would you recommend someone come into this field of work?
• Can you give me a general view of what is to be expected on a regular day in your classroom?