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In the first unit of the course, we discussed what it means to be an intentional teacher and some of the
qualities that intentional teachers possess. Throughout the course, we have tied all of the theories and
course topics to the practice of intentional teaching. For this course project, you will complete a Teacher
Spotlight Interview and incorporate the many concepts and theories that we have discussed throughout
the course into your final reflection.
Teacher Spotlight Reflection Paper:
For this project, you will interview a teacher that you believe espouses many qualities of an intentional
teacher. This can be a teacher from your past, one of your children’s teachers, a teacher you work with,
or perhaps even a teacher in your community that you have heard great things about. This could even be
a college professor that you have had or know. You might even want to contact your local district and
inquire who last year’s “Teacher of the Year” was if you aren’t sure where to start for selecting your
interviewee. For your interview, use the Teacher Spotlight Interview Form provided to help plan and guide
your questioning. You do NOT have to submit this form. This is just to help guide you in your interview.
You also may use whatever questions that you choose. The questions on the form are just suggestions,
but you are encouraged to come up with your own questions or expand on the ones provided.
In your Reflection Paper, summarize the interview responses from your teacher interview. Make course
connections by tying these responses to the theories, concepts, and practices that we have discussed
throughout the course. Include your key takeaways from the interview and a discussion of which theories
most strongly drive the practices of the teacher you have interviewed. Elaborate on these course
connections.
An example: If the teacher states that they use a Token Economy system in their class to increase
student motivation, you would then discuss Skinner’s Operant Conditioning and Extrinsic Motivation as
well. These are both theories and concepts that were discussed in the course that inform this teacher’s
intentional practice of the use of Token Economies.
The body of your reflection paper must consist of at least five (5) full pages with additional title
and reference pages, double-spaced with one-inch margins.
Copyright 2022 Post University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
• Use at least three (3) scholarly sources in your work and include all reference citations in
correct APA formatting. You may use your textbook as one scholarly reference. Your paper must
be formatted according to APA guidelines.
• Use complete sentences and appropriate grammar and spelling. Be sure to read the criteria by
which your work will be evaluated before you write and again after you write.
In your interview, ask a minimum of 10 questions. The purpose of these questions is to learn how the
teacher you have chosen to interview utilizes some of the principles of educational psychology that we
have been discussing throughout the course. How does this contribute to this teacher’s success and
intentional teaching practices?
Some possible suggestions for questions that you might ask your interviewee are:
• Do you teach differently than you did when you began teaching? How so? And why?
• Do you ever read research studies in professional journals? If so, how does this change the way
you teach?
• How has the study of educational research affected your teaching?
• What kinds of conclusions have you reached through informal research (your day to day
observations of your students)?
• What style of teaching do you prefer? Direct Instruction? Constructivist learning? A mix of both?
• How do you differentiate instruction for diverse learners?
• How do you manage classroom discipline?
These are just a few examples of questions that you could select for your interview, and you are not
limited to 10. Ask as many questions as you feel that you need to write a comprehensive reflection
paper. +400 WORDS
I interviewed Mrs. Brown, a 6th grade teacher who has been teaching for over 20 years. During the interview, she discussed her many qualities as an intentional teacher and how her teaching style has evolved over time. She stated that when she first began teaching, she followed a more traditional approach to instruction and relied heavily on direct instruction with minimal attention paid to differentiating instruction for diverse learners or addressing students’ social-emotional needs. Over the years, however, her practices have become much more intentional as she has gained experience and grown in knowledge of educational psychology theories and concepts.
Mrs. Brown noted that through reading research studies in professional journals, both formally and informally, she has developed a better understanding of best instructional practices to meet the needs of all learners in her classroom. She now employs differentiated instruction strategies such as flexible grouping within heterogeneous classrooms which allows students to work with peers at their level while still having access to high quality content materials that are appropriate for their learning abilities. Additionally, Mrs. Brown mentioned that cooperative learning strategies are incorporated into lessons so students can work together collaboratively as well as receive peer feedback on their work which fosters academic achievement among all levels of learners in the classroom.
Mrs. Brown also noted that she pays close attention to student motivation by employing some behavior management systems such as token economies where positive reinforcement is given when certain desired behaviors are displayed among the class members. Furthermore, Mrs Brown highlighted the importance of building relationships between herself and each student by providing personalized feedback about student performance during one-on-one conferences or small group meetings throughout the school year which allows her to get valuable insight from each individual student about their unique learning styles or needs they may be struggling with academically or otherwise socially/emotionally related issues they might be facing both inside and outside of school boundaries.
In conclusion after speaking with Mrs. Brown I was able to gain insight into how educational psychology theories such as behaviorism (token economies), constructivism (differentiated instruction & cooperative learning) & humanism (personalized individual feedback & relationship building) play an important role in informing her intentional practice methods within classroom settings allowing all types of learners access equal opportunities for academic success while fostering healthy emotional connections needed between teachers & students alike throughout the entire school year!