Teacher Interview

For my teacher interview, I interviewed a teacher, Jackie Whowell at my school that I work at. She is a fifth grade teacher, that really utilized every aspect of her room. She was know for having really good classroom management and a big focus on SEL. One of the things that stuck out to me, is that for 13 year olds, she set up a calming station, and got these blue carpets and pillows, timers, and posted a sign that gave expectations and guidelines. The students were allowed to come back at any point of the day, and sit in this calming station for 5 minutes. She encouraged the student to feel what they felt, reset and come back to the learning. This was so interest and respectful to the students, I really wanted to get her insight so I could use these strategies in my class. I have to admit if you haven't already caught on this teacher is my mother. I know that I am biased, however she is an amazing teacher, and as you read the interview you can see what makes her so special, and why I want to follow in her footsteps.

 During the interview, she talks about the "ocean" that she created, and caught my eye. She states her best practices are being prepared and getting the students involved and giving students a role in leading classroom management. She has some great advice on getting along with administration. One of my favorite things to ask during any interview is advice for what they would do better if they know what they know now; Question 3 answers this question. Her advice about "your great ideas" is something I need to tattoo on my arm! I know I will need to remember this! She works with some tough students, she works in Maywood. A predominantly African American school, and she does a great job at connecting with their culture, and making students feel welcome in her class. She usually has any where from 12-20 students come early to "hang" as she describes in Question 6.

One of the biggest take aways that I got from this interview, is your classroom will be what you put into it. These children are not just there for learning, they are looking for safety, welcoming smiles, and caring hearts. The classroom has to be set up for the students needs. This is important to do not only in the classroom, but with the families as well. As I interviewed and reread the responses I see an overwhelming theme of being prepared and extending a kind heart.
I think it is important to have a plan, when calling a parent, this isn't a call to just tell the student was misbehaving. What the plan, where do we go from here, how is family involved, is this whats best for the teacher or for the students? I do not know if this is something I thought of prior to this. Another take away, for me, was differentiating. Ms. Whowell talks a lot about making sure the work, classroom, and parent discussion is focused on what the student needs, and will help them be successful, she wants each student to feel like her favorite, and that is not done with zero effort.

She did not want to be recorded, however as you can tell she gives 100% into her written responses, she wanted it to come across as she would speak naturally. Enjoy her wisdom!!

1. What are your best practices for classroom management?

One of the best practices in my classroom would be preparation/organization. I feel it is really important to have plenty of solid activities for the students to ensure reaching the academic goals of the day. I feel like organization of the academic directions paired with consistency/routine such as efficiency in passing out papers, pencils sharpening, lining up for lunch, with a pinch of fun will give you the perfect learning environment. Raising classroom engagement with student leadership of putting students in charge of timing cooperative learning groups, letting them come up with classroom quiet calls (Caller: Red Robin, Students: Yummmmmmm), giving as many choices as possible helps build that fun academic environment.

2. What is your relationship like with administration? 

Keeping a healthy relationship with administration can be tricky. I have found that keeping them in the know with student behavior problems, potential issues is important. I have not found an administration that appreciates being the end of the line of an emotional encounter with a student. If I need advice, direction, or help I make sure I find time in a drama-free environment to get the support I feel I need with a student. Get to know your administration – find out what is important to them. Sometimes it’s the paperwork, or listening at PDs. I have tried to find the simple things that are important to them and do them. 

3. What areas do you wish you could go back and changes? 

*I would frontload more structure with routine in the beginning of the year and put students in charge of it. I tend to move quickly and want to make the most of my instructional minutes and have robbed the routine minutes. Build routines for transitions and fun out of their seat opportunities. Students love to be in charge. Give them as much as possible. I have role name tags with the role procedure on the back. Teach them how to do the role before having them do it.  

*I would stay away from grand-standing speeches, especially about bad behavior. They are boring! Kids tend to get nothing out of them. Always find a way to be positive even when the students are negative. Fix problems in private as much as possible.

*Keep them busy! Have their instruction day jammed packed.  Always have meaningful work for those student’s who finish early. Think through how you will go from one activity to another so you build on learning moments. 

*Be okay when your great ideas don’t work! There was probably something there that caught your eye and made you think it was a good idea – find it and track down where it went wrong. Then fix it! Don’t be so hard on yourself when things don’t work out as planned. Students seem to pick up on that perfectionistic tendency and it really works against that idea that we learn from our mistakes. 

4. Do you have areas of opportunity?

Opportunities– oh yay – this profession is an artistry. This upcoming year I want to shore up writing. I have seen some fun ways to make grading those bad boys so much easier. Have them highlight in different colors the different requirements like restating the question, answering the question, etc. I have started using rubrics which has helped in grading writing. I am looking at ways to incorporate more fun writing into the day so they get more practice. Also I need to find a way to get their writings with feedback and provide a way to have them incorporate that.

5. What are your strengths?

My strength in the classroom is that I value fun. I try to find a way to bring music, dance and silliness into the classroom. Students need to be kids. I love to laugh with them. Being a trauma-informed school has given us great skills to work with these kids. This is something that I enjoy and bring to the table. I have a lot of great structure in the classroom for these students to feel safe and blossom. 

My other strength is my preparedness. I am huge in having solid learning activities prepared. I believe in differentiation and make sure that every level is represented.

6. What philosophy do you incorporate in your classroom, or believe deeply in?

I want every student to leave my class and say “I was Ms. Whowell’s favorite student” I want to them to have that great feeling that comes from having your teacher care and understand you. I have for years opened up my classroom ½ hour early to give students a chance to “hang.” Yes, I say it is for homework help/test make-up but my real intention is give the "needy" a chance to talk and feel important. I have lots of work like stapling papers and passing out work to supply towers, sharpening pencils, they complete to feel important and valued.

7. How do you address specific students who continuously act out or push your boundaries?

This is a tricky one. One must find the problem first before you can help. Talking with them quickly let's you know what is going on. Unfortunately, time is the one thing teachers do not have much of. I have found that having classroom procedures for emotional needs helps. With a hand signal students can take advantage of a “time-out” area in the room helps when students feel overwhelmed. My area is called “the ocean” I have a nice picture of waves coming in. I put a plush little rug on the floor for them to sit cross-legged. There are emotion cards to help students identify what they feeling. There are calming ideas like breathing, yoga, and self-talk. There are Power Talk prompts to help students get in control.

Students who have impulsive issues many times benefit from tracking this for themselves with a great reward that they choose. Harder issues that come from emotional areas are more difficult. 

Nothing takes the place of talking with a student to find out what is going on. Then coming up with a plan. Some problems are simple – the student will periodically need space. Having private work areas are easy. Sometimes the problem is difficult and I will bounce ideas off other teachers or a behaviorist if the school has one. Using punch cards, tally sheets, reward boxes, etc. - get a plan, find an incentive, implement, adjust! 

8. How do you communicate with parents?  Do you communicate only when you have problems?  Periodically with all parents?  Weekly letters or emails or via apps? 

This has sure changed over the year. I have had a website and weekly letters but now use app called Class Dojo, emails and phone calls. I can shoot a quick email and tell a parent that the student is doing good. I have found that you need to consider the parent need as well as the student’s need for communication. Each family has a different level of need. Some are good students that the parent needs to be updated. My most effective academic communication piece is making sure the students are given weekly updated copy of their grade sheet. It has grades for all assignments and missing assignments.

I have found that when I do have students that need more parent support to be careful how I sound when calling and asking for it. I am not calling and complaining about a child or give the impression I am exasperated. I am the expert and I need to be strategic for what support I need from the parent and be sure the parents have the capability of that kind of support. I try to turn an unpleasant call into a request for a “pep talk” with the student. “Please encourage your child to...”

When I have special cases, I do give out my cell phone and text back and forth with the parents. I want them to know I am putting a piece of me out there and make it easy for them to get a hold of me. By the time a student reaches 5th grade, the parents of students that gets a lot of phone calls home already knows the drill. I need them to know that as the teacher I can handle the problem, I have a plan and I will do everything in my power to help their kid be successful. 

9. What are some tips for keeping your students on task?  Do you allow talking while working?  Students to have free range of seating (or specifically during center or group time).

Research supports students talking to increase academics. Yes, I want as much “scholar talk” as possible. I teach Reading so I have graphic organizers set up with questions to answer. I monitor these cooperative groups and by pulling my debrief from what I have heard at these groups, it helps keep them on track. I try and have extra TTYP (Talk To Your Partner) questions available for early completion. Also, one of the student roles is a timer to keep track of the 3 – 5 minutes that each activity needs to be complete so we keep it tight. Also using a randomizer (Dojo or sticks of chance) to pick a student to debrief helps keep all groups on track. I also use a clipboard to keep track of progress on lesson objectives – it is amazing how their “scholar talk” increases when I am jotting down notes after listening to a group. Most importantly, my physical presence is the most beneficial in keeping intrinsically-challenged groups on track. 

During center work, another job I created was small group manager. The role was created to have a student to monitor talking and being on task. If a student raises their hand, the student monitor goes to them and most of the time the monitor will have been trained for the problem. If the monitors don’t, they come and interrupt me. Also, I use checklists and give rewards for student complete center tasks.