1. Big Interview Amanda Ibarra EDU650: Teaching Learning and Leading in the 21st Century Instructor: Angela Stephens 4/8/2015

2. A little about me… Hello my name is Amanda Ibarra and I am applying for the Lead Teacher/Coordinators position. I have worked in the early childhood education field for over 14 years. In my career I have worked in the classroom as an assistant, primary teacher and lead teacher. I have accomplished a Bachelors in ECE with a minor in Organizational Management. Currently I am attending school for my Masters in ECE with a focus on Family and Community Services.

3. My Teaching Philosophy Working with children is one of most rewarding experiences for me. Early childhood education gives me the opportunity to mold and nurture a child’s curiosity. This is really important to me because it is a responsibility I take to a higher level. My goal is to provide creative lessons and activities that will help stimulate and support a child’s developmental growth and academic needs on their own level. As mentioned on our textbook, “To be effective, educators need to develop a classroom setting that accepts and respects students for their individuality and uniqueness” (Newman, 2013, Ch.3). I am an educator that values, supports, and respects each family. I strive to give their child the educational opportunities they deserve.

4. Classroom Management Plan My classroom management plan is to teach a classroom of pre-school children between the ages of four and five. I want to help children advance in academic areas that can help prepare them for kindergarten. Areas of academic skills I will focus on are: ▪ Social and emotional development ▪ Math and science skills ▪ Large and small motor ▪ Beginning reading and writing skills This image below is the physical arrangement of the classroom, because this is for a pre-school classroom the room is set up with different areas of learning. In these areas there are toys and activities that foster their development/social learning. Mostly each center allows three children, with the exception of the writing area and computer area. The writing can have two and the computer can have up to four. This allows the children to have a variety of learning experiences in each area of their development. This also allows the children to build a routine and learn to care for their classroom.

5. School Model My implications for teaching and learning is to differentiate for each child. I like to modify the children’s learning to ways that interest them. I think that children learn best when they are interested in the subject. According to our textbook, “Students are more motivated to learn about topics they are interested in or curious about. To be successful, teachers need to find ways, where possible, to engage their students' interests in lessons and in daily classroom work” (Newman, 2013, Ch. 8.4). Learning is serious and very vital but it is also important never to lose sight of the joy and fun it brings.

6. Effective Lesson Planning A good learning objective that aligns with the Common Core standards would be, story telling. The goal would be to get the children to identify who the characters are, where the story takes place, and to retell the story. This is good because the children will be able to gain an understanding to what the text is in a book and what meaning the characters have in the story. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. ▪ Incorporating goals for children ▪ Developing clear learning objectives- use your state standards ▪ Plan activities to engage learning ▪ Learning outcomes- assessments

7. Assessment Matters Assessments play a very important role in helping the children to succeed academically. I find that using both formative and summative assessments will not only helps us plan better lessons, but help us better prepare the skills and knowledge the children need to gain before moving to the next level, which is public school. One source I enjoy using is Teaching Strategies. This assessment is used daily in the classroom, it allows me to capture videos and pictures of the activities or behaviors they are exhibiting. Then upload them to the system and share them with their parents. ▪ Step 1: Observe and Collect Facts – Teachers learn about the children they teach: what children know and can do in relation to each of the 38 objectives. Ongoing observation is an essential part of connecting assessment and curriculum. ▪ Step 2: Analyze and Respond – Teachers use documentation to decide when to teach, what to teach, and how to teach it. Teachers respond as they observe and use what they learn to plan experiences to extend children’s learning. ▪ Step 3: Evaluate – Teachers evaluate children’s progress three to four times a year. ▪ Step 4: Summarize, Plan, and Communicate – Teachers summarize what they know, plan for an individual child or the group based on that knowledge, and communicate what children are learning with those outside the classroom.

8. Professional Learning Communities I think that having schools that serve as a place for continual learning is important for organizations. The business industries today are more complex and require candidates to have lots of knowledge. As individuals we need to keep learning and keep advancing in the knowledge and skills we need to maintain our job or to promote our way up. According to our textbook, “Teaching is a complex and multifaceted profession that requires a high level of skill, collaboration, and continual learning. If the goal of each school is to ensure the success of every student, part of the equation for success must also focus on improving the skill level of every teacher” (Newman, 2013). I think that the priority for improving the knowledge of teachers is more important. I say this because we need to practice what we teach. How can we teach children academics and skills they need to know if we don’t know how to do it ourselves?

9. Thank You!

10. References ▪ Common Core State Standards Initiative (http://www.corestandards.org)http://www.corestandards.org ▪ Rimm-Kaufman, S., & Sawyer, B. (2004). Primary-Grade Teachers' Self- Efficacy Beliefs, Attitudes toward Teaching, and Discipline and Teaching Practice Priorities in Relation to the "Responsive Classroom" Approach. The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 104, No. 4, Pp. 321-341. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3202945 ▪ Newman, R. (2013). Teaching and learning in the 21st century: Connecting the dots. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. ▪ Reed, T, (2013). From Planning to Observing on the Assessment Cycle. Retrieved from: http://shop.teachingstrategies.com/blog/82-from- planning-to-observing-on-the-assessment-cyclehttp://shop.teachingstrategies.com/blog/82-from- planning-to-observing-on-the-assessment-cycle ▪ Teal, (2012). Fact Sheet: Effective Lesson Planning. Retrieved from: https://teal.ed.gov/tealguide/lessonplanning https://teal.ed.gov/tealguide/lessonplanning