Interview with Professor Palmer of Iona College

over 20 years of teaching highschool level history

1. What is the hardest part of your job?
Meeting all the different learning levels. Cos kids learn at diff speeds but you want all of them to
get something out of the class. Also, a large percentage hate history so you have to renew their
love to the subject.
I am worried being a history teacher, I will end up with students who are already set that history
sucks and wont give it a chance . Also I thought that something to the extent of
accommodations for learning levels would be a hard task
2. What were some techniques you used to make them enjoy learning? Humor. You better have a
sense of humor. Political cartoons. Grab their attention for with absurdity. Gotta start slow. I
sing in class. Very poignant topics or speakers. Class discussion but keep track of who
discussions, forces them.
I have a sense of humor..but Im not sure people will find me funny. I better start writing down
some jokes. You also stated the power humor has on children. This is something I will keep in
mind in the future when I make lessons up.
3. What advice you give if you could talk to yourself on your first day of teaching? You can always
loosen up later, you can start soft but loosen up later. Dont have to be mean, just be very
professional.
Be strict. A looming task it seems since I am sure I will fall in becoming too nice like many other
young students. They can smell it on you, I dont want to be walked on by a bunch of 14-18 year
old kids, so I must find that fine line of respect.
4. What do you consider to be your most effective teaching strategies? My discussions, where
they have to participate. And sense of humor. And development of responsibilities (late to class
you have to sing. Hold the hand of someone of the opposite sex and serenade them)
I am sure that this great lady sparked the candle for some marriages in her many years as an
educator at both college and highschool levels. That is something great that kids will take with
them outside of school. I also agree from her statement about discussions. Having kids work with
the content and think on a metacognitive level is a key to mastery.
5. Classroom management: In terms of classroom management what is the most difficult
situation you faced and how did you deal with it? Learning how to do deal with topics that are
very controversial. And presenting them in a fair manner. Do NOT show your opinion. Difficult
subjects.
Deciding whether or not a kid is legitimately emotionally upset. Death; break ups. Kids in high
school are emotional roller coasters.
History/Poli Sci is a touchy subject in all aspects. (Hence the term politically correct) I hope to
become a great devils advocate for arguments that stir in class. This seems like another fine line
kind of thing. Things must remain respectful.
6. What is your approach with dealing with difficult parents? Do you have an example? Cherri
Kurik: upper socio economic class of people were the worst. They thought they owned you, you
were just a service. Theyd come in with their lawyers, throwing their weight around. Theyd
make donations and then get their way. They way Id handle it, never ended up right. I had an

girl with an IEP and I assigned ppt. and she had South Africa. Id give her extra time to work with
me, and let work with others. She said she people got aids by touching dirt. So I failed her
because it was so Ludacris. Her parents came in with an administrator and had a shouting
match.
Gotta love parents. Their kid is always right. I also really enjoy the fact that she holds every
student regardless of learning style or disability to a standard. This is an amazing characteristic
and I feel she did the right thing here. As for parents, I guess I will know what its like when I get
my first complaint.
7. How do you feel about standardized testing? Is it beneficial or does it inhibit teachers? I think
its fine, but most teachers do not. I think its fine because some teachers are renegades. There
are some schools that have no curriculum. Standardized testing is good. teaching to the test is
nonsense it keeps you on course.
Very surprising to me, coming from a private school background I enjoyed the freedom a teacher
had with a lesson, but at the same time I do believe that a common ground to which every
student should know, should exist. This made me rethink my stance on testing. Teachers should
have responsibilities like this..but improvements should definitely be enacted.
8. How was your experience with students with Learning Disabilities, what type of
accommodations did you make that were effective for them? Everybody has a disability. I find
theyre more enthusiastic and harder workers than my normal students. They know they have a
problem and work for it. What have I done to help? Everyting, time and a half on a test(
naturally). Giving them goals that are high but not on the same par. Finding alternate means for
them to learn or test take. Reteaching; constantly working with them helped a lot for them.
This makes me worry about students with disabilities who go under the radar. Not everyone ends
up properly diagnosed. Her statement makes great sense. Think if every single person was able
to know what and what not works for them in terms of learning styles and strategies available
for them.

9.
Differences between high school and college students?
1. Sense of humor. High schoolers are shocked more easily and get offended by "politically incorrect"
sayings. College students do not.
2. Maturity- :High school students are more apt to "party" more, not taking their education as seriously
as college students do.
3. Responsibility - High school students are mostly irresponsible, college students realize consequences
follow misconduct and irresponsibility.
4. High school students are more light hearted.
5. College students quickly learn that they need to finish in four because it costs so much;. High
schoolers usually do not care about financial responsibilities
6. High schoolers join more activities, have more free time, follow the time honored traditions they feel
they are entitled to have as seniors, juniors etc.

College students do not have time to join lots of clubs, they carefully consider what they join as an asset
on their upcoming resumes.
7. College students are apt to miss classes more frequently and subsequently adjust their schedules,
high school students have no power over this.
8. High school students often think they have "second" chances to do assignments etc, over. College
students do not usually get that second chance.
Nothing really surprising or out of the ordinary in this answer, although the maturity answer is open to
debate. I think regardless of level, both groups would like to party.

10. what are your thoughts on alternative assessments?

Personally, I believe in them. People are different and learn at different paces therefore: why not?
I will tell you that it means a ton of more work on the teacher's part. You have to meet with the
student, get a good understanding of them, and then strategize on the best way to assess their
knowledge. Then you must set it up and prepare an equitable test for them in response to their
needs. It is appreciated but not easy.
I have students who I give longer on tests, allow some to take it over, take a test in a learning center and
even allow some to submit to oral questioning to achieve an assessment. Finally, if you know that the
student has put in 100& effort and has done the very best they can, then make a numerical adjustment.
Very powerful. They place the burden on teachers, but benefit students at an immense rate. Not every
person learns or can show mastery in the same way and I must become more aware of that.