Mock Interviews

I was thrilled with today's presentation on Mock Interviews. This is extremely beneficial to me and my understanding of what goes on behind those closed doors.
I know now that I will have to enter the interview being prepared to describe particular situations and give examples, while including education "lingo" throughout my responses. I will prepare a brief, but effective closing statement for all my interviews so it leaves the board members with a lasting thought.
I also enjoyed when the class broke up into groups and we had the opportunity to answer specific questions from the various principals. I was nervous, yet I realized, if I had taken 5 seconds to gather my thoughts and set up my answer in a coherent format, then I would have been set. I think it is far better to pause and think about it rather than rambling on from the start.
The Catholic system presents itself as a wonderful environment to work in, for we have the opportunity to reflect on human mistakes and think about what Jesus would do, and let our students know that Jesus was a teacher- we should always follow his example.
Some of the questions posed (although they will not be exactly the same) seem generic for an educator's interview. Assessment, differentiated instruction, classroom management, qualities as a teacher, parent-teacher communication, etc, are all things that a teacher should have philosophies of, and ways of carrying out tasks related to these topics.

Social Issues Day- January 16th

The first workshop I attended was entitled "War affects on immigrant children". The speaker introduced the workshop in Slovakian, and all members of the workshop were confused, thinking the whole session would be spoken in this unfamiliar language. However, the speaker was only making a point- that many of our students may not always understand what we are saying due to their language barriers. She talked of her experience in Yugoslavia during the war, and what effect this had on her children.
We completed a "Where I'm From" poem activity, that she suggested we use as an introduction activity at the beginning of the school year. It resembles a "mad-lib", and students are required to fill in the blanks ex. "I am from (name three celebrations:"____________,_____________, and ___________. We shared our completed poems with the rest of the group, and learned quite a bit about people's backgrounds and family history.
I think that children with ESL will be challenging to teach (i.e. do we give them an easier assignment because it is harder for them to understand, or do we implement the proper procedures to ensure these students are at the same level?) Nonetheless, Due to the fact that I want to teach in metropolitan areas, it will be unquestionable that I will be faced with immigrant children and their pasts that shape who they are.

Block 1 finale

During Block 1, I grew professionally as a teacher. I made goals, worked hard at finding ways of acheiving these goals, and then made improvements in my teaching strategies. I believe this is how a teacher should always be. A teacher should continually find ways to improve their instructional techniques and classroom management instead of accepting their current, consistent way of teaching.
Half-way into my block, my associate teacher really began to assist me and guide me through my lesson planning, which I greatly appreciate. She began to observe and offer constructive critism.
I have returned three times already to my classroom, and cannot bear the thought of never seeing them again. However, I know that once my next block commences, I will grow attached to those students as well, and the cycle will continue.