RUNNING HEAD: Teacher Interview

Teacher Observation and Interview

Carrie Cline
Ivy Tech Community College
February 22, 2015
Deborah Cale

Teacher Interview

Standard, Description and Rationale

Standard Nine: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually
evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others
(learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the
needs of each learner.
Artifact: Teacher Observation and Interview Project
Date: February 22, 2015
Class: EDU 101
Description: In the following paper, I discuss several aspects of teaching. I was able to observe a
teacher in her classroom and interview her. We discussed the qualities of a teacher, what makes a
teacher effective and how her philosophies and values have changed over the years.
Rationale: I feel I am able to connect this to standard nine because this paper shows the
flexibility and changes a teacher will go through during their career. It also shows how adaptive a
teacher has to be day to day.

Teacher Interview

Early in the morning school is silent and still. The calm of it is almost un-nerving to a
new or even experienced teacher. They know that when the first bell rings the noise and
commotion will flood the halls. They will begin to greet the students that are happy and check on
the ones they worry about. A teachers day is not just from the first bell to the end bell. Teachers
live their jobs. It is a profession that defines you as a person. In a recent interview with a
teacher, I had the chance to see this in action. Kristy Eisenman is an eighth grade English
teacher at Zionsville West Middle School. She has been teaching for this same school
corporation her whole career, which spans sixteen years. She always knew she wanted to teach
and she always knew she wanted to teach middle school. Kristy shared with me what she thinks
it takes to be an effective teacher, her philosophies on teaching, and her opinion on which of my
personal qualities will make me a good teacher.
Effective Teaching
Kristys style of teaching is nurturing. Watching her interact with her students you see the
love she has for them radiate from her. When I asked Kristy what she thought made an effective
teacher without missing a beat she said Patience. I personally got to see Kristys level of
patience when observing her. Kristy had just gone over the game plan for the day, when a student
immediately asked what they were doing for the day. Kristy just calmly explained it again. Many
students are distracted now and seem have shorter attention spans. Kristy seems to think this
trend is due to the integration of technology into the class room. For what she has seen many
students rely on the technology, but dont fully understand how to use it. Kristy also stated that
you need compatibility with all stakeholders. This includes the kids, parents, co-workers, and
the administration. You have to be able to adapt to any and all situations that come up during the
school day and even after. Honesty and compassion were also some of the first things she listed.

Teacher Interview

As she listed her choice of adjectives to describe an effective teacher, personable, adaptive, and
honesty made the list also. Kristy said, You need knowledge, of course, but it is the other things
that make you effective. This quote ties into Kristys philosophys about teaching.
Teaching Philosophy
If I had asked the fresh faced young Mrs. Eisenman what is your teaching philosophy I
would have gotten a textbook answer. She would have said to make sure every child excelled in
reading and writing. That she wanted to change the lives of every child she taught. As the years
rolled past and her personal life took off, Kristy had a daughter. She went from arriving at work
at 5 a.m. and spending hours on bulletin boards to focusing on the individual child. Kristy saw a
stress in her own daughter that she didnt realize she was placing in her students. She focused on
quantity over quality. Kristy then took stock of what really mattered to her. The feeling of safety
in her classroom. Kristy wanted her students to feel safe to make mistakes. Her biggest goal now
is that her students leave her classroom as respectful people. Kristy has focused on the safety of
her students and the content has followed. When students feel they can make mistakes without
getting attack by their teacher they will continue to try. Kristy picks and choices assignments so
she can build her environment. As a teacher you will have high, mid, and low ability students
you have to be able to make all level of students feel protected against test scores and grades.
The importance of individualism and safety will always hold water as a quality teachers need.
Qualities of a Teacher
Quality and effectiveness are close cousins, but still crop up as different things. Kristy
has the qualities of being nurturing and patient. Kristy also is dedicated to her students not just
her curriculum. Recently, I took stock of what qualities I had that I felt would help me as a
teacher. My dedication and work ethic were the first to come to mind. I have always been a hard

Teacher Interview

worker, and never leave anything incomplete. This will come in handy when I have piles of
papers, and projects to grade. The value I place on learning is also an important quality. I love to
learn, and I like kids. I try even now to inspire friends, family, and others to strive for lifelong
learning. I am still an advocate for the library in these modern times simply because it is an
institute of learning. These qualities alone are not all you need. In a school you will be involved
in group efforts. You have to have a flexibility. Kristy has been involved in co-teaching and team
teaching. She says that at time strong personalities will collide. Considering this, I looked back at
my flexibility. I might be bias but I feel I am a fairly flexible person. I can adapt to all situations.
An angry parent blaming me for low scores because I am a new teacher, or even the principal
asking me to decorate their office bulletin board because they just dont want to. In the teaching
profession you have to be prepared for any and all situations.
Conclusion
During this interview I was able to talk to a teacher with years of experience. I was privy
to some insight of what it really takes to be a teacher. The passion, the patience, the fortitude
required to make an impact and be successful in this profession. Kristy Eisenman is a great
example of the growth you experience during your career. You will walk into a classroom with a
plan and then those plans will go up in flames. Your cookie-cutter reason for teaching will
change. Your ideals and philosophys will expand and reform. If I learned one thing from this it
is that you will have no idea how each situation will play out. The best quality of a teacher is
their willingness to change and adapt. These two things will create a classroom of safety and
progression. I feel this is the shared goal of all educators.