What is your teaching philosophy?

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime (Chinese Proverb). This adage can be applied to a myriad of lessons, but for a teacher, our goal each year is for every child. I applied to a public school at the behest of a friend and went on several interviews. On my last interview, the principal asked me if I was ready to be recognized as a “great teacher” or a “great educator.” He advised me that being a great teacher meant that I came into class with a lesson prepared, used a textbook, graded papers, and repeated this process each day. An educator, on the other hand, is willing to stand up to great challenges, stimulate minds, learns students, commits education, and teaches. Nine years later, I have not only become an educator, but also a servant leader. In servant leadership, the leader is serving and taking into account the needs of those they lead, infuse discipline, and encourages a respect for all. This sort of empathy is not a hollowed shell that shakes conviction from a leader but rather a means for adopting the norms of the organization. In a posting by Wagner (2012), "Individuals must possess the ability to empower, and influence all team members; especially senior executives" (para 1). In the vein of servant leadership, it is important to listen to others, however the servant leader, unlike any other, must know the time for the discussion to end. In my desire to serve, I serve my students, my colleagues, and my community.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

I would identify the student's learning style and modify my instruction to meet that particular style.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I would provide them with tools or resources to use in the process of their learning. I would also use student thoughts and/or mistakes to help students reflect on their understanding.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would encourage them using a positive but firm method. I will track their progress and use a goal tracking system.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

I usually alter the content to something of the student's interest and instructional level.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

I get to know how the student learns. Some students need multiple models of instruction, while others need to manipulate the concept themselves. The most successful strategies are the ones where the students are aware of their metacognition.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

I would express my interest first. Normally I find some way to bridge the content with contemporary issues.