Section Six

Teacher Candidate Teacher Interview Video

One of the best things about the teacher education program that I have been a part

of for the past year is having unique experiences that are specifically designed to aid us in

our future endeavors. This video is one of those experiences.

Interviews are always terrifying. You never know what questions they are going to

ask, what you are going to say, how many people are going to be in the interview room

with you etc. and then there is the dreaded tell me about yourself question! Interviews

are an all around uncomfortable situation but they are vital in reaching your career goals.

Having an opportunity to have a sample of potential interview questions, participate in a

mock interview and have a recording of ourselves answering the questions is an amazing

experience and will surely aid in setting us apart from other candidates. Having this mock

interview to look back on later will give us the confidence to answer the interview

questions knowing we are giving our best answer and showcasing our very best work.

This mock interview video is also good for you, the reader. It gives you yet another

glimpse at me as a teacher candidate, and can answer any potential questions you may

have had. You can view my video here: and again, thank you for your time.
 Interview Questions

Briefly share a little about your background experiences that have led you to choose

a career in education.

My journey into the field of education has been a very non-traditional one. I was

not the little girl who dreamed of being a teacher, however I knew that whatever I did, I

was going to be working with children. From the time I myself was a child, I enjoyed

working with children younger than myself. In elementary school, I was art of a reading

buddy program through the gifted and talented program I was a part of, I helped take care

of my younger cousins and eventually began babysitting in high school. When I started

at SUNY University at Buffalo for my undergraduate college education, I was a nursing

major with hopes of working in either the maternity or pediatric unit. During my

sophomore year of college, I was placed in a work-study at the preschool program held at

the University. That moment changed my life. The second week of my placement, I

changed my major, applied to work at a child care center as a teacher aid and I havent

looked back since. I am now working as a building based substitute teacher at a charter

school in the city of Buffalo.

What have you learned in your teaching training program that will make you an

excellent classroom teacher and colleague?

The professors and coordinators at Medaille College have truly created a

wonderful program that is designed to show us the ends and outs of teaching, even before

ever stepping foot in a classroom. What I love most about the program is how current the
classes are with the trends in education today. For example, one of the most beneficial

classes we took is our Technology in the Elementary Classroom course. There, I not only

learned how to create and use a SMART board presentation in the classroom, I was given

professional development training on the subject. I am now able to not only use this

wonderful technology to teach and engage my students, but I can also teach my

colleagues who are unfamiliar with it how to incorporate it into their classrooms as well.

With school districts heading towards including more technology into their classrooms,

having knowledge of and training on how to use the technology before being hired is a

great advantage. I also now have experience working as a team with colleagues. During

my time at Medaille, there were many times we were given the experience to team plan

and team-teach lessons. Many schools are taking a team approach to their planning and

teaching; and I now have the knowledge and experience to do that before ever stepping

through the door.

Provide us with an example of a lesson you taught. How did you integrate it with

other curriculum areas, address the common core learning standards, technology,

student engagement, and motivation. What were the results of the lesson?

In my time as a substitute teacher, I have had the opportunity to teach hundreds of

lessons across grade levels (kindergarten to 8th grade). One lesson in particular comes to

mind. It was my first day subbing alone. Prior to this, I was shadowing a sub that had

been at the school for years. My job that day was to teach 2nd grade. After reading the

plans, I realized the very first subject was math. This being prior to starting the program

at Medaille, I had no experience with the Common Core modules and was terrified! The
lesson was a DISATER! The children seemed completely confused; I was a mumbling,

stuttering messjust awful. During a prep period, I asked one of the other teachers to

explain the concepts and how they were supposed to be taught, as per the common core.

Later in the day I was able to go back and reteach the lesson due to a window of free time

the children had.

How will your knowledge of the current trends in education inform you as an

educator in our district/board/school?

Being an educator means that you, yourself are a lifetime learner. That is

something that I take pride in. Not only am I a member of several organizations, I am

also a firm believer in taking advantage of as many professional development

opportunities as possible. Although I am not a classroom teacher yet, I currently attend

professional development when offered through the charter school at which I sub. I have

also taken part in several professional development opportunities through Medaille. I

also believe in sharing the knowledge that I have learned with my colleagues; which will

benefit not only my students, but also the school community as a whole. I am a teacher

who is comfortable with change. Trends in education come, go and come back with a

new name often. As an educator, I believe it is my responsibility to be flexible to those

changes as it pertains to the success of my students.

Why should we hire you instead of the other applicants we have interviewed?

I am well educated, and I am a team player. I am up to date with all of the latest

trends in education and I have also studied the foundational theorists and professionals. I

have showcased my ability to lesson plan, use technology and stay in touch with families

with my Weebly website. However, my most endearing qualities that set me apart from

the other candidates are my drive, work ethic and passion. As someone who has faced

adversity since being a young child growing up in the inner city, I am driven to succeed

in all that I do. I have a passion for this field and for the students that I work for. My

desire to be the best at what I do and work ethic makes me a very dedicated person. I am

dedicated to the field and I will be dedicated to this school.

Conclusion

This has truly been an enlightening, engaging and personal journey. This capstone

is not only the conclusion to this chapter of my educational journey, but a peek into my

life and the events that have lead me to where I am today. I have shared both positive and

not so positive experiences I have had, my medical journey with Lupus and most

importantly, why I am surely prepared to become a teacher. I hope you have enjoyed this

ride with me. Thank you ever so much for taking the time to read my portfolio.
References

Danielson, C. 2004. The Framework for Teaching. Retrieved from

http://www.danielsongroup.org/charlotte-danielson/

Gay, G. 2000. Culturally Responsive Teaching. Teachers College Press

Merriam-Webster dictionary. 2017. Educator. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/educator

Smith, M. 2007. Howard Garner and Multiple Intelligences. Retrieved from

http://sts.schools.smcdsb.on.ca/UserFiles/Servers/Server_97729/File/St.Thomas%20Aqui

nas%20Catholic%20Secondary%20School/Staff%20Links/Ms.Whelton/Gardners%20MI

%20by%20Smith.pdf

Wong, H. 1991. The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher.Retrieved

from https://msu.edu/~parker13/science08/TE802/802files/Wong&Wong-1.pdf