Running head: EDUCATION

Teacher Interview Project

Mawi Mawi
Ivy Tech Community College

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Teacher Interview Project

Since I work at Perry Township Early Childhood Academy, I decide to interview one of
the teachers at school. Her name is Michelle Langdon. I decide to interview her because she
always has new ideas about their learning routines and how she can control the students
behavior. I like to become preschools teacher so she is the right one to interview. Another
teacher is my supervised teacher for service learning, Jennifer Ketchem, first grade teacher in
Douglas McArthur Elementary. I decide to interview her because I think that I need more
experience at Elementary since I was not American student. I need to know their school and
learning systems.
Traits of an Effective Teacher
According to answers of two teachers, an effective teacher must be someone who loves
children, thinks outside of the box, and someone who is organized and planned and not afraid to
stoop down to their level to help them understand. To be a good teacher, flexibility is necessary.
Teaching is demanding and constantly changing so an affective teacher needs to be flexible and
willing to change and try new things in classroom.
Philosophies, values and beliefs of these teachers
Michelle Langdon: Before she had field experience, she used to have the idea of teaching in her
mind. She used to think all children were sweet and innocent like her when she was their age.
However, the more experience she has, the more she has learnt that some children have more life
experiences already then she probably ever has. For this reason, her philosophy of teaching has
been shifted to wanting to understand a students background and focus on the positive things in
their life, more so than teaching the academies.
Jennifer Ketchem: Her beliefs about teaching have changed over the years, especially since she

EDUCATION

had children of her own. She believes that every child has the capacity to learn so she tries to
foster a love of learning in her students. She also believes that parents and teachers must share
the responsibility of educating children.
The most important quality of a good teacher is to understand children capacity, teach the
academies accordingly and focus on the positive things in their life. It also need to flexible to try
new things and to make parents involve in children education. Parents also need to share the
responsibility so letting them know children behaviors and learning process is teachers job to
do.
Traits, quality or behaviors I possess
After interviewing two teachers, I think that I have many similarities with them in their
thoughts, belief and philosophy about teaching. Loving and understanding children is number
one priority for me in teaching. If we dont understand them, how can they count on us for their
life? We need to know their capacity too so it will be easier to learn and teach them the
academies accordingly. Sometimes I lost my temper and patience, when I handle with naughty
children, but I calm myself down with thinking that I am the one they could talk and rely for
their part of life.
Therefore, teaching is a demanding and constantly changing so I need to be more flexible
and more patient than I ever was. The more experiences we had, the more possible to be a good
teacher. It needs to be ready for changing and for challenge for every year.

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References

Personal Communication. (2014, September 26). Interviewed by Mawi Mawi with Michelle
Langdon
Personal Communication. (2014, September 25). Interviewed by Mawi Mawi with Jennifer
Ketchem
.