CharlotteAcademic 4 | 13 FEATURED Freelance Writer
Feb 16, 2019 | #1
Why are you interested in urban education and/or Chicago Public Schools?
There are many students in our urban and underserved communities who deal with multiple personal, emotional, academic, and social problems on a daily basis. Many of these students simply are allowed to slip through the cracks of our society and eventually become nothing more than a statistic. I am passionate about teaching these underserved students because I believe there is potential in every single person, no matter his or her background. If we can tap into that potential and nurture them, we could possibly help save countless numbers of these students from living on the streets and offer them a better life.
Please describe a lesson you have taught or observed that was extremely successful. How was student achievement measured? Please be as specific as possible.
I taught a class previously and there was a student who had dyslexia. He had low self-esteem and a negative attitude due to the fact his learning disability had kept him from succeeding academically. I realized there was a problem and together we decided on a learning method which would help him understand the content and still fit with the overall atmosphere of the class. Once the student began seeing his grades increase, his motivation and attitude improved as well.
Describe a time when you were not successful in the classroom or at another job. What went wrong? How would you approach the situation differently next time?
At my first school there was a student who seemed deeply troubled. I feel I was not receptive enough at that point to notice the signs the student was exhibiting. Had I noticed the student was increasingly becoming detached, I possibly could have done something. Unfortunately, I did not notice and the student was expelled for violent behavior. This student dropped out of school and I never saw him again. At that point, I made the vow to always be perceptive to others and let the proper personnel be aware if there is a potential problem before it is too late.
Describe your experience working with students with special needs. Please provide a specific example where you differentiated your instruction.
I taught special education to 7th and 8th grades in a self-contained classroom for Chicago Public Schools. I also taught special education at a therapeutic day school for students suffering with severe social and/or emotional disorders. I have found teaching students with special needs is a bit different than teaching an average student, but this does not necessarily mean the special needs student is an underachiever. I found if I could realize early in the year what each student needed and alter the goals and objectives to those particular needs, the students excelled almost every time.
How will you prepare inner-city high school students for the college experience?
Many inner-city students never finish their first year of college because of the culture shock. If we can speak to these students about the realities of college and help them understand issues which will take place and affect them, the chances for retention will be increased. Question and answer sessions with small groups of students will be a wonderful way to be a helpful resource for the students as they prepare for the next step of their educational journey.
How will you track and monitor the college application process for 50 seniors?
Retention is important, especially when a student becomes a senior and is pursuing his future. Weekly appointments with individual students would be a great way of tracking the progress for students and would give them the opportunity to ask questions which may otherwise not be asked due to peer pressure from friends or other competing students.
Why do you want to become a teacher in an AUSL school?
Due to my past history of dealing with students who had special needs or other types of problems, I feel the mission of AUSL schools is a perfect fit at this point in my career. I will have the ability to help students and give them the motivation to further their education to the next level.
Please give an example of a lesson you taught that went very poorly.
During the beginning of my career, I had not become accustomed to each individual student's learning style. I taught a lesson to an entire class of children and there were three with learning issues. Had I been more perceptive and taken action in the beginning, those students would have had a better learning outcome than with an entire classroom of 'average' children.
Please talk about your experience in underserved communities.
I believe my teaching experience in the Chicago Public Schools, mainly those students with special needs, would fall into the underserved category. It takes commitment and patience to effectively communicate and make certain the students are learning what is needed. This has been my mission for many years.
Please give an example of a lesson you taught that went exceptionally well and one that went very poorly.
A lesson which went well follows: After a short time in my teaching career, I began to realize the problems or needs of those children with learning issues early in the year. I found if I could work with them on a one to one level and tailor the curriculum to fit what they needed in the exact way they could understand, the students would perform better on their tests and other assessments throughout the year. There are no 'stupid' students; there are only those students who need a different approach to learning. Once given that, they will understand and excel.
Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be outstanding when working in student support services.
An educator must be patient, compassionate, understanding, and able to understand the situations from where the students come. Having said this, there also must be a degree of discernment and inner strength to assure the students are effectively being supported and learning what is needed at the same time.
How would you address a wide range of issues in your groups?
There are many cases when a group is quite large and there are issues which need to be discussed and resolved. In this particular atmosphere, it is easier to group the students who have the same concerns or questions into a section and continue in that aspect until all of the questions have been brought to light. At that point, you may begin to discuss the issues in each small group and this will help give students a sense of intimacy as well as giving them the believe you are a person who is compassionate and caring enough to answer all questions by whatever means necessary.
Please reflect on the Civitas Schools mission. How will your skills, experience, and interest enable you to enact the Civitas Schools Mission?
The Civitas Schools are a special group of schools which want to create the sense of community and challenge students, no matter what the students' backgrounds might be. They are based on forming strong relationships, focusing on academic accountability, and the collaboration between teachers and students to have the best learning experience possible. As a person who has spent the majority of his life working with underserved and special needs students, I feel I have the patience and compassion to bond with students in a positive way and help them understand the school is truly meant to be a team effort. Also, I have the perseverance to ensure academic standards and objectives accomplished as well as the discernment to ensure every student's accountability in his own academic and social success while a student of the school.
There are many students in our urban and underserved communities who deal with multiple personal, emotional, academic, and social problems on a daily basis. Many of these students simply are allowed to slip through the cracks of our society and eventually become nothing more than a statistic. I am passionate about teaching these underserved students because I believe there is potential in every single person, no matter his or her background. If we can tap into that potential and nurture them, we could possibly help save countless numbers of these students from living on the streets and offer them a better life.
Please describe a lesson you have taught or observed that was extremely successful. How was student achievement measured? Please be as specific as possible.
I taught a class previously and there was a student who had dyslexia. He had low self-esteem and a negative attitude due to the fact his learning disability had kept him from succeeding academically. I realized there was a problem and together we decided on a learning method which would help him understand the content and still fit with the overall atmosphere of the class. Once the student began seeing his grades increase, his motivation and attitude improved as well.Describe a time when you were not successful in the classroom or at another job. What went wrong? How would you approach the situation differently next time?
At my first school there was a student who seemed deeply troubled. I feel I was not receptive enough at that point to notice the signs the student was exhibiting. Had I noticed the student was increasingly becoming detached, I possibly could have done something. Unfortunately, I did not notice and the student was expelled for violent behavior. This student dropped out of school and I never saw him again. At that point, I made the vow to always be perceptive to others and let the proper personnel be aware if there is a potential problem before it is too late.
Describe your experience working with students with special needs. Please provide a specific example where you differentiated your instruction.
I taught special education to 7th and 8th grades in a self-contained classroom for Chicago Public Schools. I also taught special education at a therapeutic day school for students suffering with severe social and/or emotional disorders. I have found teaching students with special needs is a bit different than teaching an average student, but this does not necessarily mean the special needs student is an underachiever. I found if I could realize early in the year what each student needed and alter the goals and objectives to those particular needs, the students excelled almost every time.
How will you prepare inner-city high school students for the college experience?
Many inner-city students never finish their first year of college because of the culture shock. If we can speak to these students about the realities of college and help them understand issues which will take place and affect them, the chances for retention will be increased. Question and answer sessions with small groups of students will be a wonderful way to be a helpful resource for the students as they prepare for the next step of their educational journey.
How will you track and monitor the college application process for 50 seniors?
Retention is important, especially when a student becomes a senior and is pursuing his future. Weekly appointments with individual students would be a great way of tracking the progress for students and would give them the opportunity to ask questions which may otherwise not be asked due to peer pressure from friends or other competing students.
Why do you want to become a teacher in an AUSL school?
Due to my past history of dealing with students who had special needs or other types of problems, I feel the mission of AUSL schools is a perfect fit at this point in my career. I will have the ability to help students and give them the motivation to further their education to the next level.
Please give an example of a lesson you taught that went very poorly.
During the beginning of my career, I had not become accustomed to each individual student's learning style. I taught a lesson to an entire class of children and there were three with learning issues. Had I been more perceptive and taken action in the beginning, those students would have had a better learning outcome than with an entire classroom of 'average' children.
Please talk about your experience in underserved communities.
I believe my teaching experience in the Chicago Public Schools, mainly those students with special needs, would fall into the underserved category. It takes commitment and patience to effectively communicate and make certain the students are learning what is needed. This has been my mission for many years.
Please give an example of a lesson you taught that went exceptionally well and one that went very poorly.
A lesson which went well follows: After a short time in my teaching career, I began to realize the problems or needs of those children with learning issues early in the year. I found if I could work with them on a one to one level and tailor the curriculum to fit what they needed in the exact way they could understand, the students would perform better on their tests and other assessments throughout the year. There are no 'stupid' students; there are only those students who need a different approach to learning. Once given that, they will understand and excel.
Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be outstanding when working in student support services.
An educator must be patient, compassionate, understanding, and able to understand the situations from where the students come. Having said this, there also must be a degree of discernment and inner strength to assure the students are effectively being supported and learning what is needed at the same time.
How would you address a wide range of issues in your groups?
There are many cases when a group is quite large and there are issues which need to be discussed and resolved. In this particular atmosphere, it is easier to group the students who have the same concerns or questions into a section and continue in that aspect until all of the questions have been brought to light. At that point, you may begin to discuss the issues in each small group and this will help give students a sense of intimacy as well as giving them the believe you are a person who is compassionate and caring enough to answer all questions by whatever means necessary.
Please reflect on the Civitas Schools mission. How will your skills, experience, and interest enable you to enact the Civitas Schools Mission?
The Civitas Schools are a special group of schools which want to create the sense of community and challenge students, no matter what the students' backgrounds might be. They are based on forming strong relationships, focusing on academic accountability, and the collaboration between teachers and students to have the best learning experience possible. As a person who has spent the majority of his life working with underserved and special needs students, I feel I have the patience and compassion to bond with students in a positive way and help them understand the school is truly meant to be a team effort. Also, I have the perseverance to ensure academic standards and objectives accomplished as well as the discernment to ensure every student's accountability in his own academic and social success while a student of the school.