Teacher Interview

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Teacher Interview 

     I had the pleasure to interview a teacher at the school I am currently working at and although we work together this interview allowed me to get to know her on a more personal level. Val is a teacher for students transitioning out of high school, ages 18-22. I work in our middle school department so I never really had a chance to have a sit-down with Val and talk to her about her teaching style.

     In the broadest sense, learning occurs when experience causes a relatively permanent change in an individual's knowledge or behavior. The change may be deliberate or unintentional, for better or for worse, correct or incorrect, and conscious and unconscious (Woolfolk 246).

     One feeling stuck out right from the beginning of our interview and that was Val's unmatched lover for her students. Val talked greatly about each student and them being an individual. I feel some students who are nonverbal are often pegged as they have nothing to say. Val seeks out her students core gifts and does everything in her power to have them fully express their talents and voice. This relates to the Woolfolk text in regards to her desire to have her students learn in a way that will hopefully change them for the better. Val talked a lot about how everyone has baggage, even the students and as a teacher your goal is to create a positive environment for your students as soon as they come into class because you never know what your students had happen to them prior to arrival.

Due to pictures of students around the class I was unable to give a tour of Val's classroom but I have never seen a more well-constructed learning environment. Woolfolk discusses talks about the importance of classroom rules. Unlike routines, rules are often written down and posted, because rules specify expected and forbidden actions in the class (Woolfolk 428). Val sets her expectations high for her students and clarifies expected behavior by creating an atmosphere that has fun, appropriate yet engaging reminders around her classroom. In her classroom is a fully decorated Christmas tree which indicated to me through our interview is she wants her students to feel as comfortable as they would at their home. However, there are rules at home that must be followed. Each student had a specific job each week that they were accountable for along with daily objectives they were expected to meet. As far as behavior goes, she treats each student differently because everyone responds differently. I admire Val, I think she is an ideal special education teacher. I hope to someday model my teaching strategy as she has modeled it to me through our time together.