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Section 6: Teacher Candidate Teacher Interview Video

Teacher Candidate Interview Video
In this section I have provided a mock interview video to display my skills and answer
questions. This video provides visual exploration of my Weebly website
http://msabrarsclass.weebly.com/ and is displayed there. Many jobs conduct video interviews and
this experience gave me the chance to interact in an online setting with and audience and also
showcase my technology skills. I am able to explore areas of my website and show the viewer
pages and areas of interest as I discuss them. Just as I would prepare for an in-person interview,
the video requires preparation and practice. I think that this video is a great way to showcase my
Weebly website, while providing information and answering interview questions. I am confident
in my skills in certain areas such as technology, but I am always willing to develop further
professionally. I have no problem asking questions from others who are more experienced than I
am, because I am furthering my growth and knowledge. This video is a brief overview of my
skills and abilities, is concise, and allows me to show my best self. My video can be viewed by
clicking on the link: Interview Video to download the video or at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL0tRCfclww&feature=youtu.be
Interview Questions
In this section I will provide questions that could be asked in an interview and my
answers. The responses to the questions will be accompanied with evidence from my artifacts
and Weebly website. The answers highlight my technology skills and abilities to plan, instruct,
assess, accommodate learners, differentiate instruction, develop professionally, manage a
classroom, and conduct research. This interview also displays my enthusiasm and readiness to
become an elementary teacher.

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Briefly share a little about your background experiences that have led you to choose
a career in education?
I am certified to teach English as a Second Language and through teaching ESL I realized
that I am passionate about teaching. I wanted to expand beyond teaching the English language
and since I also like to work with kids, I decided to purse certification in elementary education. I
have also spent a lot of time volunteering as a coach, tour guide, science experiment
demonstrator and other roles which involve educating others.
What have you learned in your teacher-training program that will make you an
excellent classroom teacher and colleague?
In my teacher training I have learned how to develop lesson plans to accommodate the
needs of students, how to be a culturally responsive teacher, and how to differentiate instruction.
Ive also learned the importance of professional development and collaboration with colleagues
to share resources and ideas. My technology skills have improved and further developed
throughout this program. During this program I have learned how to plan effectively and prepare
for lessons. Planning doesnt only mean subject matter but also classroom management,
enrichment or support for students, and accommodating learning styles. I also refined my
philosophy of education and further explored my beliefs and views about education. These
beliefs were established

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 of the lesson?

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I developed and taught an author study lesson about Bill Martin Jr. This lesson was integrated
with Science, Visual Art and Language Arts. The lesson was designed for grade 1 students and
each had different standards and objectives related to their subject. This lesson was conducted on
the Smart Board, integrating technology into the classroom. The students interacted with the
Smart Board and also had handouts to work with.
The lesson was very successful and engaging for the students. The Smart Board
motivated students to participate and they were very keen to participate during the lesson. The
lesson accommodated students different learning styles and also gave students the chance to
work individually and in small groups.
How will your knowledge of the current trends in education inform you as an
educator in our district/board/school?
Technology is very big in schools today and I believe that keeping up with technology is
a good way to stay up to date on trends in education. I think that it is important to explore the
goals, values, and mission statements of specific boards and schools to be able to align oneself
with them. It is important to not only be informed about current trends, but also about the values
that a school has and relating my expertise to that.

Why should we hire you instead of the other applicants we have interviewed?
I believe that I am a well-rounded individual and am passionate and enthusiastic about
teaching. I grew up in a multicultural city, have had the chance to teach in diverse classrooms in
Toronto and abroad, and can speak conversational Arabic, French, and I am fluent in Somali. I
have an aptitude for technology and feel confident using and integrating technology in the
classroom. I can plan, instruct, and assess, reteach, and be adaptable and flexible during lessons.

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I am always willing to develop professionally to further benefit my students and ultimately

myself. I want to have the opportunity to impact students lives in a positive and beneficial way
since a majority of their day is spent in the classroom.

Conclusion
In this section, I shared my experiences in creating a screencast video highlighting my
skills and abilities by answering interview questions. I also provided the questions and my
responses in this section as well as in the video. This section culminates my portfolio project and
shares who I am, my skills, abilities, my competency, and my overall preparedness in becoming
a teacher. This process of writing the portfolio has given me further appreciation and has made
me grateful the opportunities and experiences Ive had.

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