Section Six: Teacher Candidate Teacher Interview Video

Introduction

The final section of this portfolio presents a screencast teacher interview video, including

responses to questions that may be commonly asked during a job interview. In this interview

simulation–which can be accessed at https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/crfbcKVndgx–I showcase my

work and make connections to my portfolio artifacts, standards, teaching skills, strategies, and

professional disposition. Additionally, I walk viewers through my Weebly teacher website–which can be

accessed at https://salviclass.weebly.com/–displaying my creativity, professionalism, attention to detail,

and my technological skills among others. Each page within this website is tailored to fit the content of

that page, with all images and resources carefully selected to supplement or enhance the material.

I enjoyed developing my website as well as the mock interview video. From it, I have gained

practical, sought-after skills that will benefit me as a teacher. Rehearsing a question-and-answer session

served as a refresher to the interview setting, and prepared me with how to approach certain questions

that are often asked during these interviews. While it took several attempts to complete, my areas of

improvement became apparent in my first few attempts. With each attempt, I experienced

improvement in my responses, increased confidence, and I felt better prepared to answer the questions

in a more effortless manner.

Teacher Candidate Interview Questions and Responses

As mentioned, this part of the video offers responses to frequently asked interview questions. In

my Screencast-O-Matic video, I share my background experiences that have guided me towards a career

as an educator, how the MSED program has equipped me to become an exceptional classroom teacher

and colleague, a walk-through of an engaging math lesson plan, how my knowledge of the

developments in the field of education will inform my instruction, and why I believe I would be a good fit

for this position.

Question 1: Briefly share a little bit about your background experiences that have led you to choose a

career in education.

Having initially been trained in accounting, I found after several years of experience with some

of the top financial institutions, accounting firms and corporations, that I was lacking passion in that line

of work. Having a strong desire to work with children, I chose to step away from that career and pursue

my goal of attaining a Master of Social Work in order to work with youth from underserved

communities. I had given my resignation from my role as a Financial Analyst upon being accepted into

York University’s Honours in Psychology program. During my undergraduate studies, I began to

volunteer as a Youth Mentor for SMILE Canada – a non-profit organization that assists children and their

families from minority communities by helping them manage and overcome the challenges that children

living with exceptionalities or critical illnesses face, as well as the challenges of their families. To gain

further experience working with children, I began working as a Before and After School Educator before

joining the Halton District School Board as an Educational Assistant (EA) where I am currently working.

It was during this time that I realized that I wanted to pursue teaching. Being in the classroom

every day and having the opportunity to work with elementary-aged students reminded me of just how

impactful this profession really is. Teaching is one of the most important jobs in our societies and

teachers have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of so many people. I also have a

profound love of learning; this, coupled with my desire to work with children, made teaching an obvious

choice. Learning excites me and I hope that my enthusiasm will translate to my students, and that I am

able to instill in them that same love of learning. Being in the company of children and teaching them is

a privilege, and there are so many lessons to be learned from them as well. For me, this is so rewarding

and this fulfillment is what I was in pursuit of when I made the decision to switch careers. After three
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years of working as an EA with the Halton District School Board, I applied for the MSED program at

Medaille College to work towards becoming a teaching professional and realizing my passion.

Question 2: What have you learned in your teacher training program that will make you an excellent

classroom teacher and colleague?

The Master of Science in Elementary Education program at Medaille College has taught me so

much about what it means to be an effective teacher, as well as the importance of professional

collaboration in this field. It goes without saying that content knowledge, organization, establishing

guidelines, effective communication, offering constructive and prompt feedback, modeling, and

creativity are essential to proficient teaching. Teachers should also strive towards instilling appropriate

values within their students. These elements center on what teachers can do to help students achieve

academically, and equip them with practical and meaningful skills that they can then carry forward.

Beyond these skills and fundamental practices, there are a number of attributes and

characteristics that will gear me towards excellence. Students need to know that their teachers care for,

understand and value them, which teachers can do by creating an environment in which they feel safe,

respected, and included. I have learned how much personality matters. To show my enthusiasm, I will be

sure to express my own interest and value in the subject matter, and use an energetic pace. Making eye

contact with students, using variety in my tone and in my facial expressions, and encouraging students

to participate will all help me demonstrate my dedication to my students and to the material. I will

convey warmth to my students by smiling often, by being approachable, by being inclusive, and showing

genuine interest in my students. Humour goes a long way with students and has a tendency to promote

trust, to increase student engagement, and to calm tense situations. Focusing on positive and supportive

relationships with my students will help me become a better teacher and create an environment that is

more enjoyable for everyone.

At the same time, I have learned how important it is to be able to find a balance between being

fun and enthusiastic while also helping students reach their learning outcomes. Holding high

expectations and establishing credibility will help me be able to do this. I will also establish clear goals

and purpose in each lesson, communicate the importance of the subject matter, and demonstrate that I

am knowledgeable about not only the subject matter, but also about my students and my instructional

approaches. This is where differentiated instruction comes in, which I will elaborate on in Question 4 below.

Successful schools depend on collaboration, trust and shared responsibility. Teamwork is central

to the roles of teachers to contributes towards increased student learning and achievement. Through it,

teachers can share goals and ideas, divide planning time, and exchange resources. It is common practice

for schools to have division teams, and building relationships with colleagues only adds value to these

partnerships. Each teacher is unique and has expertise in certain areas, and each teacher can bring their

individuality and knowledge to the table to benefit their colleagues. I know from my experience in the

school board that teachers take on leadership roles in areas of their interests and/or strength, and I

hope to be able to either join or lead teams where I feel I can add value to the school. Also, keeping in

mind that teachers typically have new students each school year, it is always advantageous to gain

valuable insight about students from past teachers in order to tailor instructional strategies to meet

students’ needs. Lastly, effective workplace relationships can also improve staff morale and have

positive effects on overall mental health and wellbeing.

Question 3: Provide us with an example of a lesson you taught. How did you integrate it with other

curriculum areas, address the CCLS, technology, student engagement and motivation? What were the

results from the lesson?

Although I have not yet taught this, I designed a creative and engaging math learning segment

on grade two fractions, which can be found in Section Two of this portfolio. In this learning segment, I

have used scaffolding to build upon each lesson in order for students to develop conceptual
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understanding of fractions. The lesson plan that I would like to discuss is the third of the three-day

learning segment. Lesson one was a refresher on what students learning about fractions in the first-

grade which focused on reintroducing fractions, having students identify whether a whole shows equal

parts, having students be able to divide shapes into equal halves, thirds and quarters, and be able to

recognize parts of a whole both visually and numerically. The second lesson plan focused on

differentiating between parts of a whole and parts of a set, generating simple fractions based on the

number of vowels and consonants in their names, and introduced the concept of unit fractions.

The third lesson plan involves having students generate simple fractions as part of a set.

Students are asked to work with a partner to complete a Fraction Bowling worksheet, where they record

the pins that they knock down as a fraction of the entire set of pins. Students have the option to bowl

using manipulatives (e.g., using snap cubes to represent bowling pins and a hexagon block to represent

the bowling ball), or to play a bowling game online which is one of many ways in which technology is

incorporated in this lesson. Each student gets two turns and will record their results on their worksheet.

This part of the lesson attends to visual and kinesthetic learners. Following this activity, students are

shown a YouTube video that teaches them more about fractions using a song, which speaks to the

musical intelligences in the class to drive the concepts in. I have created a PowerPoint presentation to

guide the lesson, again using technology to inform instruction. The bulk of this lesson plan focuses on

fractions on a number line. Once the lesson is taught, students are shown two examples that are

projected on the white board that explain the final activity in this lesson. I will walk my students through

this activity, which they have the choice to work on independently or with a partner.

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to generate simple fractions as part of a set,

order fractions on a number line, and understand how much fractions are worth on a number line and

how to generate the next fraction in a simple sequence. This lesson aligns to the following Ontario and

New York State curriculum standards:

Ontario Mathematics Curriculum:

- B1.6: By the end of Grade 2, students will use drawings to represent, solve, and compare the

results of fair-share problems that involve sharing up to 10 items among 2, 3, 4, and 6 sharers,

including problems that result in whole numbers, mixed numbers, and fractional amounts.

New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards:

- 3.NF.1: Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned

into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.

- 3.NF.2: Understand a fraction as a number on the number line; represent fractions on a number

line diagram.

While I am not yet able to share the results of this lesson as I have not yet been able to teach

this, it is clear that this lesson is very engaging which will motivate students and increase participation. I

have implemented a variety of instructional methods to differentiate my instruction so as to attend to a

variety of learning styles. This lesson requires students to be active and reflective learners, and the use

of technology helps enhance the learning experience.

Question 4: How will your knowledge of the current trends in education inform you as an educator in

our district/board/school?

Currently, there is a major emphasis on differentiated instruction and culturally responsive

teaching in education, both being highly encouraged practices in today’s classrooms. A one-size-fits-all

approach to learning is neither practical nor effective. Differentiated instruction allows the teacher to

attend to the needs of all students ranging from those with learning challenges to those who may be

classified as gifted or high-ability learners, as well as to various learning styles and intelligences. Through

differentiation, students develop a sense of ownership and responsibility for their learning, as they are

afforded flexibility and given the choice in terms of how to learn the content, and how to demonstrate

their understanding of it. Because of they have the freedom to choose what works for them, this
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increases student interest, which in turn improves their learning experience. This also applies to

culturally responsive teaching, where educators are encouraged to take into account the cultural make-

up of their student body, and to consider this not only in their instructional approaches, but also to

create understanding and acceptance, and to embrace differences.

Another very prevalent trend in education is technology, and is something that I am proficient in

and am comfortable implementing in the classroom. Technology is a great tool to increase engagement

and should be incorporated in the classroom where appropriate to inform instruction. As previously

mentioned, I am familiar with Google Classroom and its functionalities and features, as well as all

Google Workspace for Education apps including Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Google Meet among

others. I also have experience with several educational tech tools including Padlet, PowToons, Visme,

Canva, Smore, Flipgrid, QR codes, and Screencast-O-Matic as a few examples. This topic is particularly

interesting to me, and led me to conduct action research on the use of technology in the elementary

classroom, which was presented as an artifact in Section Three of this portfolio. I believe that there is a

balance in how technology should be used in the classroom, but it should be implemented with purpose

to guide instruction, increase productivity and learning, and to help students develop technological skills

that are essential for 21st century learners.

Question 5: Why should we hire you instead of other applicants we have interviewed?

What might make me stand out as a candidate is that I have over 10 years of experience

working with children and their families in various capacities, and seven years have been spent in

elementary classrooms. Included in this experience are the five years that I have spent as an Educational

Assistant, where I provide one-on-one support to students with exceptionalities and help them achieve

independence, and enable them to access educational programs to promote learning. Through this role,

I have gained experience with planning and executing classroom programs, assisting students with

lessons and classroom activities, removing barriers that prevent acceptance and/or accessibility, critical
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thinking and problem-solving. I have supported students with a broad range of learning difficulties

including physical, emotional and cognitive. My role involves helping students learn self-regulation, and

using de-escalation strategies to guide them back to a state of calmness necessary for learning.

I also have experience with executing Individual Education Plans, and how and when to

implement learner accommodations and/or modifications. I am also comfortable with the use of a

number of assistive technology devices. I am familiar with the functionality and maintenance of

wheelchairs, orthotics, weighted blankets, and communication devices through working with children

with various physical and cognitive conditions. I also have experience with standing desks, wobble

chairs, noise cancelling headphones, graphic organizers, visual schedules, and a variety of sensory tools.

As a Halton District School Board employee, I have been able to partake in several professional

development trainings. Some of the workshops I have taken relate to collaborative problem solving,

learning disabilities and ADHD, accessibility awareness, behaviour management systems, emotional

intelligence, sensory needs training, and how to manage stress in the workplace, to name a few.

I have had the privilege to collaborate with, observe, and learn from many teachers of diverse

backgrounds and instructional styles. My philosophy of education, which was outlined in Section Two of

this portfolio, has been shaped by these experiences. I have learned extensively about instruction,

assessment, planning, classroom management, educational technology tools, and professional

collaboration. These experiences have allowed me to learn, reflect on, and apply the knowledge, skills,

and professional dispositions that are necessary for effective practice.

As mentioned, I really enjoy and am proficient with technology, and I like to implement it in the

classroom when appropriate to enhance students’ learning experiences. I have also already set up an

online Google Classroom, as well as a Weebly teacher website. Both platforms allow me to post

important information through announcements, keep students organized and up to date, give students
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access to learning materials and resources, and to communicate with and keep parents informed, all

while putting my technological savviness on display.

Being a school board employee, I am well versed with board policies, procedures, regulations,

health and safety measures, and expectations which will enable me to transition smoothly from the role

of an Educational Assistant to that of a teacher. My background and interest in psychology, social work,

and counselling will also serve as an assess to a career in teaching. I am committed to teaching through

enthusiasm, appeal, dedication and collaboration.

Conclusion

This final section was a fitting way to conclude the portfolio. This segment offered relevant

experience through the development of both the Weebly teacher website and the teacher candidate

interview video. Having been able to practice interview preparation in a low-stress environment gave

me an opportunity to refine my responses, be cognizant of my body language, and to increase my

confidence for an in-person interview. I was able to assess my strengths and areas of improvement, and

make adjustments to my approach and performance to improve my delivery. Overall, I found this

experience to be constructive and beneficial, and feel a greater sense of career-readiness.

As my ELED Elementary Portfolio concludes, I have a renewed sense of excitement, reverence,

and preparedness as I embark on this journey towards advancing my career in education. I am

committed towards the educational and personal success of all students; I will hold my students to high

standards and offer support and guidance in both their academic and non-academic endeavours. I am

eager to take part in learning opportunities and professional development, and to improve my practice

on an ongoing basis. With this profession comes great responsibility – responsibility that I am ready to

take on and to work towards professional excellence. At the start of this portfolio, I said that to me,

success is having my life and my life choices in congruence with my values. This profession makes this

possible for me, and I hope not only to fulfill, but exceed the expectations of what makes a great teacher.