Video Interview for Position of Head Teacher Shirley Kerner-Harmala EDU 650: Teaching Learning and Leading in the 21st Century Instructor Richard Newman 9/7/2015

Application for Position of Head Teacher  I am applying for the position of Head Teacher. I understand that the duties will include:  Teaching a class of my choice. I prefer second or third grade reading.  Work in collaboration with the teaching staff to improve teaching methods.  Provide direction and leadership to teaching staff and students.  Create a safe and productive learning environment.  Create and implement a develop plan for school improvement. I look forward to working with the students and teachers at this school. I plan to create a safe environment where teachers and students can work together to increase learning and develop skills needed for the 21 st century.

My Qualifications I feel that I am qualified for this position. I have completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science from Ashford University, and I am currently working toward my Master’s Degree in Reading Literacy. I have spent the past ten years as a homeschool teacher for my son. This has given me experience teaching every subject and every grade. My true passion is reading, and I would like to teach first or second grade reading. My goals are to teach students to learn for themselves and prepare them for life after grade school. In order to reach this goal, I:  Help my students develop advanced reading skills.  Teach proper communication skills, both written and verbal.  Help students develop critical thinking skills.  Encourage students develop creative thinking skills.  Provide a student-centered learning environment that promotes high achievement.  Provide interactive assignments that are customized to their individual learning styles, interests, and abilities.

My philosophy of teaching is that education needs to be student- centered, personalized, and challenging. “Student perceptions were generally more favorable when instruction and individual tasks provided opportunities for students to make choices, collaborate, and share in control of learning processes and outcomes (Davis, 2010, p. 74). My teaching includes: Student-centered rather than task-centered curriculum. Lesson plans customized to fit student learning style and ability. Lessons that are engaging, interactive, and facilitate learning. Assignments that teach students how to learn by themselves. Promotion of communication, collaboration, creative thinking, and critical thinking skills. (eurekascarlet, 2014) I expect my students to: Advance at least one reading level by the end of the school year. Become an active participants in their education. Strive to be the best they can be. Philosophy of Teaching

Classroom Management Teachers need to organize their class in a manner that appeals to students of all learning skills, varying interests, and different abilities. Good classrooms must:  Create an environment of learning that feels safe and inviting.  Accommodate different activities.  Allow students to make mistakes.  Have rules that are designed to be inclusive.  Have desks that are easy to move, allowing students the ability to work alone or collaborate with other students.

Classroom Layout Reading Classroom separated into different zones or centers. 1) The Learning Center is where the teacher gives instruction and. Students can work individually, or move desks for group work. 2) The Computer Center provides computers for students to conduct research and use technology to assist in learning. 3) The Listening Center provides headphones and players where students can listen to reading assignments and books-on- tape. 4) The Creative Center provides an area where students can work on artistic elements of their projects. 5) The Reading Center is a small library with shelves of books and comfy chairs for pleasure reading

Different School Models Many schools are still using the traditional teaching model, however, this model is not the best choice for student learning. Other models teachers could use include:  The Flipped Classroom – This model is where students watch class lectures at home, and they use classroom time for activities and clarification from the teacher.  The Hybrid Classroom – In this model, students work part of the time in class, and part of the time online.  The Multiage Classroom – Two to three grades are in a class, and students remain in same class for two to three years. Any of these models will be beneficial to student learning, and would be preferred over the traditional teaching method. I prefer using the flipped classroom.

Effective Lesson Planning Lesson planning is the key to the success or failure of a teacher. There is no one best way to create a great lesson plan, but there are elements of every good lesson plan. These elements are: Research topic of lesson. Align Objectives to the Common Core Standards. Make sure it is clear and easy to understand. Make instructions as specific as possible. Complete the entire lesson before presenting it to class. Use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a framework. (Newman, 2013). My preference is backwards design. Backwards design starts with objectives, then assessments, and finally, activities. I find it is easier to align the activities to the assessments.

Assessment Matters Assessments play an important role in effective education. Assessment are used to:  Educate students.  Test student progress.  Show where students need work.  Show how well students retain the information given.  Alter instruction isn’t working.  Get data to improve instruction. There are two types of assessments that are needed for student learning. Each one has a different purpose.  Formative assessments are the learning assessments. They are used to teach students and determine the direction the education should head in. “The information from formative assessments is designed to be used by teachers to calibrate instruction to meet student needs” (Marchand, & Furrer, 2014, p.660). Formative assessments, such as worksheets and discussions, are used for instruction. Other formative assessments, such as pre-tests and quizzes, are used to determine student understanding (Newman, 2013).  Summative assessments are used to check student success. “Teachers often use summative assessments to document student mastery at the end of instruction” (Hoover & Abrams, 2013, p. 219). Standardized testing, final exams, and term projects are great examples of summative assessments.

Professional Learning Communities A Professional Learning Community is a group of instructors who:  Share beliefs, values, and a vision.  Collaborate with each other to create a more effective learning environment.  Are dedicated to continual learning.  Learn from each other.  Share personal practices. (Newman, 2013).

References: Common Core State Standards Initiative ( eurekascarlet (2014). The Teacher’s Philosophy of Educaton. Retrieve at: fs6e2/ fs6e2/ Davis, L. (2010). Toward a Lifetime of Literacy: The Effect of Student-Centered and Skills- Based Reading Instruction on the Experiences of Children. Literacy Teaching And Learning, 15(1-2), Doyle, M. & Holm, D. (1998). Instructional Planning through Stories: Rethinking the Traditional Lesson Plan. Teacher Education Quarterly, Summer, Retrieved at: Hoover, N. R., & Abrams, L. M. (2013). Teachers' instructional use of summative student assessment data. Applied Measurement In Education, 26(3), doi: / Lopez, D. (2013). No excuses university: How six exceptional systems are revolutionizing our schools (2nd ed.).Turnaround Schools Publications. Marchand, G. C., & Furrer, C. J. (2014). Formative, Informative, and Summative Assessment: The Relationship among Curriculum-Based Measurement of Reading, Classroom Engagement, and Reading Performance. Psychology In The Schools, 51(7), Newman, R. (2013). Teaching and learning in the 21st century: Connecting the dots. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.