TEACHER INTERVIEW

TeacherInterviewProject
MerlynNoriega
IvyTechCommunityCollege

TEACHER INTERVIEW

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InTASCStandardsRationalePage

Standard#9:ProfessionalLearningandEthicalPractice
Theteacherengagesinongoingprofessionallearningandusesevidencetocontinuallyevaluate
his/herpractice,particularlytheeffectsofhis/herchoicesandactionsonothers(learners,
families,otherprofessionals,andthecommunity),andadaptspracticetomeettheneedsofeach
learner.
NameofArtifact:TeacherInterviewProject
Date:October4,2016
Course:EDUC101IntroductiontoTeaching
BriefDescription:
FortheTeacherInterviewproject,Iwasaskedtoselectateacherofmychoiceto
interviewabouttheirexperienceinteaching.IhadtowritedownorrecordthedatathatI
gatheredaftertheinterview.Lateron,Ihadtoincludemyinformationintoaonethousandword
essay.
Rationale:
TodocumentmyunderstandingofInTASCStandard#9,ProfessionalLearningand
EthicalPractice,IhaveselectedtoincludetheTeacherInterviewProject.AlongwithwhatI
asked,theteacherprovidedadifferentpointofviewontheprofessionformeandtellmeabout
herwayofteachingandifithadchangedthroughouttheeducationalcareer.Withthe
knowledgegained,Iwasabletoevaluatemyviewsoneducationandthefieldandlearnmore
aboutthefutureknowledgeIwillprovidechildren.

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TeacherInterviewPaper
Introduction
TheteacherthatIhadinterviewedwasMs.MariumKhan.SheisanAmericanborn
Pakistani.ShegraduatedfromIUPUIin2014.Ms.KhanteachesENLEnglishasanew
language.Shehasworkedinlowincomeschoolsandworkswithchildrenwhohavejustcameto
theU.SandarelearningEnglishandhowtoread.Mariumknewshewantedtobeateacherat
theageofeight.Hermotherhadgottenherablackboardandsomechalk,shewouldwriteand
makelessons.Lateron,Ms.Khanstartedteachingthelessonstoherlittlesisterpretendingtobe
ateacherwhilehavingherlittlesistersitonadeskandforcinghertolisten.Shehasbeen
teachingfortwoyears.Ms.Khanhastaughtmanychildrenofallagesandgradelevelsfrom
kindergartentofifthgrade.MariumteacheschildrenEnglish.Toaddon,shetakesinfeedback
fromtheparentsandteachersaboutwhatsomethingsthechildisstrugglingonwhichandthen
shetutors.
TeacherResponseSummaries
MariumKhanbelievesthatessentialqualificationstobeingateacheristobe
compassionateandcaringbutalsocarryastrictclassroomsothingsdonotgetoutofhand.Some
demandsthattheprofessionhasisthatsheneedstoreportanythingthatdoesnotseemrightwith
achildalsoshemustrecorddataofteststhatshowinthechildisimprovinginthesubjectof
language.Ms.Khanalsohastodressprofessionallyandmaintainaprofessionrelationshipwith
coworkersduringschoolhours.Shelikestomaintainconfidentialityandliabilityissuesinher

TEACHER INTERVIEW

classroomwhendealingwithparentsbynotdiscussinganyfamilyissuesopenlyinfrontof
otherstudents.Thereshouldbeameetingwithfamilyandchildinaprivateconferenceroomand
theirsituationshouldnotbediscussedwithotherteacherswithouttheirconsent.ThewayMs.
Khansupportsthefamiliesofherstudentsathomeisbysendinghomegroupprojectsthatthey
canworkontogetherandbondwhiledoingso.Whenaskedifsheliketointeractwithher
childrensfamiliesshequicklysaidyesbecausethatisaperfectwaytogettoknowherstudents
betterandtheirlearningmethods.However,theapproachchangeswithdifferentfamiliesthatare
fromdifferentbackgroundsbecauseMs.Khanherself,comesfromadifferentbackgroundlike
them.Shesaid,Icomefromadifferentculturalbackgroundmyselfaswell.SoItendtorelate
tothemmorethattheothersbecauseItrymybesttoplacemyselfintheirshoesduetotheface
thatIknowhowtheyfeelaboutbeingnewinacountry.Sheexplainedtomethatlikethe
familiessheconnectswithwhilechangingtheapproachsheisabletoputforwardmorehelpfor
herminoritystudents.Ms.Khanworkswithchildrenthatspeakmorethanonedifferentlanguage
andaretryingtolearnEnglishsoshestatedthatdiversityplayedahugeroleinherschool
becauseoftheamountofstudentsthatentertheschoolmostofthemallcomefromadifferent
place.
TeacherResponseComparisonandContrast
Furthermore,usingtheAccept,Reject,Refinemodelthatwediscussedinclass,I
believethatinthefieldofeducationsomeoftheessentialqualificationsateachershouldhaveis
tobeunderstandingandcaringabouttheirstudents.Ateachershouldbewillingtogrowand
learnalongwiththeirstudentsandnotjuststayinoneplacewiththem.InsomanywaysIagree
withthetheoryMs.Khantalkedabout.SomeofthedemandstheprofessionhasonMariumare

TEACHER INTERVIEW

thesameasIwouldthinkwouldbedemandsonme.Ialsothinkthatonemustmaintaina
relationshipthatisprofessionalwithothercoworkers.Iwouldalsoagreewithlooking
professionalforthefield.IalsoagreewithMariumcompletelyonmaintainingconfidentiality
andliabilityissues.GrowingupmyteacherswouldtalkaboutstudentsinfrontofthemandI
rememberthatIwouldquestioniftheywouldtalkaboutmeinfrontoftheotherchildren.Asa
teacherIwouldneverdiscussfamilyissuesinsidetheclassroom.ThereasonMs.Khansends
homegroupprojectsforherchildrenissothattheycanworkonitwiththeirfamilies.Idont
agreewiththisbecausemostchildrenprobablydonotlivewiththeirchildren.Insteadofsending
homegroupprojectsIwouldmakemyclassroomenvironmentintoonethatanyonecanwalk
intoandfeelwelcomedandcomfortableenoughtoaskquestionsandbethemselves.Yes,Ihave
developedafamilyteacherpartnership.DuringthetimethatIwasingradeschooltherewere
manyteachersofminethathelpedmeoutsideofschool,butoneteacherhelpedmyfamilyalot
bytalkingtomymomandtalkingtoheronadailybasis.Ms.Khanhasdevelopedsomany
familiyteachpartnershipsbecauseshehastoconnectwiththeparentsabouthowthechildis
improvingintheirlanguage.Myapproachdiffersfromfamilieswithdifferentculturesaswell
becauseIcomefromadifferentculture.Ms.Khanstatedthatshefeelslikesherelatedmoreto
thedifferentbackgroundparentsandIagreecompletely.Withfamilyfromdifferentculturesits
hardtotrytorelatetothembutitmakesiteasierformesinceIcomefromthesamebackground.
Diversitywashugethingformegrowingup.Igrewupinschoolwithonegroupofpeople,Iwas
theonlydifferentoneIwaslookedatdifferently.Lateron,Imovedandfiguredoutwhat
diversityreallywaslikesoitplayedahugeroleonmyeducationbecauseIlearnedmoreabout
myownandsomanyothercultures.

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Personal Belief System

One of the statements that I would agree on with Ms. Khan is her approach to
families of different culture backgrounds. A family seems to try to help understand
their child more when they see that even if they are struggling in certain subjects. I
would approach a family with different backgrounds differently because I know its
already hard enough for their child in school and I could try to relate to them more
than other teachers. In my own practice I would tell the parents to feel completely
comfortable to come to me with any questions or concerns about their children.

Secondly, I would refine the projects Ms. Khan sends home to her children to work on
with families. I refine it because some parents may not live with their families or both parents so
it could make them feel left out or different from the other children in the classroom. I would
instead create activities for the class to do together on their free time so that I am to see my
students show me what they do know and what they dont know without feeling left out. This
would benefit the student by helping them create social skills in the class room as well. Further
more I would create different types of activities for the children with different learning methods
because no one is the same. Michelle Edwards, says that educators know that not all students are
identical, all teaching is not the same (2016). Discussing that teachers do not always teach the
same way because students are different.
Thirdly something I would from personal experience disagree with is creating family
parent relationships. Due to the fact that at my job as a daycare teacher parents sometimes try to
take advantage of having a close relationship with the teachers. A teacher should not be so close
to a student on a personal level. I feel that if a parent has issues with what is going on with

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anything outside of the classroom it should be discussed with the administrators of school.
However, I would be happy to help parents but never on such a personal level.
Personal Ethics, Morals and Value System
MariumKhanlikestomaintainconfidentialityandliabilityissuesinherclassroomwhen
dealingwithparentsbynotdiscussinganyfamilyissuesopenlyintheclassroom.Thereshould
beameetingwithfamilyandchildinaprivateconferenceroomandtheirsituationshouldnotbe
discussedwithotherteacherswithouttheirconsent.Thiswaysheprotectswhatsheistoldand
whatshesaystotheparentstellher.PersonallyIbelievethatyoushouldneverdiscuspersonal
issuesinaclassroomsettingatall.Iwouldnotlikeitifmychildsteachdiscussedourpersonal
issuesintheroomortootherteachers.Toaddon,parentteacherconferencesexistforareason.
Aparentandtheteacherareresponsibleforhowtheirchildisdoinginschool.Thatiswhyitis
importanttodiscussanyissues.
Reasons for Becoming a Teacher
I knew I wanted to become a teacher at the age of eight when I would play teacher with my little
cousins. One of my reasons for wanting to become an elementary school teacher is because I
want to help create the future children of society. I want to create a new way to educate children.
Being a teacher to me isnt about the money, its about educating young minds for the future.
To add on, I want to help teach more children that come from different diversities. According to
Brian Hansen says, such teachers have the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that students meets
all academic standards. This includes understanding on how teach students from diverse backgrounds
(Edwards 2016). This means that there are not many teachers that know how to create ways to teach

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children of minorities. In the profession, educators should know how to teach the skills required for
students to show that they are learning on academic skills.
Lastly, I would like to help the teacher shortage. I do not like that fact in class we discussed how
in IPS schools they are cramming students into classrooms just because they were short on teachers.
Michael Edwards also says, that to help fill positions in high need areas, we advocate incentives that
include student loan forgiveness portability of teachers credentials and pensions and scholarships for
teachers who pledge to work in shortage areas. (Brian Hansen 2001, 6). This causes the schools to lose
money making them more low income schools. I want to benefit from those benefits by also heling those
urban schools in need.

Summary
Inconclusion,asaresultofconductingthisteacherinterviewIrealizedthatteachersare
thereasontheworldgoesround.Ateachercandosomuchforachildorsomeoneandnotget
enoughcreditforwhattheydo.Theprofessionissomethingthatshouldbetakenvery
seriously.Doingthisinterviewhelpedmelearnalittlebitmoreaboutwhatandnottodoinmy
ownclassroom.Ms.Khantaughtmealotandgavemesomegreatadvicetotakewithmeinto
myfuturecareerasanelementaryschoolteacher.Toaddonwhilebecomingateacheronemust
notbefocusedonthemoney,teachinghastobeapassion.Apassiontowatchchildrengrow
andexpandtheirhorizons.Tosumup,IamthankfulthatMs.Khanhelpedmelearnmoreabout
thefieldofeducation.

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References

Edwards, M. (2016). Shifting gears. The Education Digest, 82(3), 35-37.

Reterived on September 30, 2016

Hansen, B. (2001, August 24). Teacher shortages. CQ Researcher, 11, 633-656.

Reterived on September 30, 2016

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