Special Education Teacher Interview Questions Tell us about yourself/ What can you tell us about your background that will bring your resume to life? Well, I've wanted to be a teacher since I was five. I can still remember playing games with my sisters when I was younge r and always wanting to play teacher. My decision to be a teacher started in high school when I began exploring exp loring more job opportunities working with children. I did a lot of babysitting and tutoring, and it was then that I decided I wanted my career to be working with children. I developed a love for pecial education when I was junior in college during student observations and student teaching experiences where I found myself being drawn to students that re!uired more support. "here is truly nothing more rewarding than watching a struggling learner finally grasp a concept that had been difficult. I love being able to do that every single day. Why is collaboration important? I think #ollaboration benefits the !uality of instruction and supports for students with disabilities. $esources are combined to strengthen teaching and learning opportunities, methods, and effectiveness. %ach member of the team brings their individual skill set, training, and uni!ue perspective to ensure that the individuali&ed needs of each student are met. If I walked into your classroom right now what would I see? If you walked into my classroom you would see a colorful classroom, that creates a warm positive and stimulating environment for students to work in. tudents will will feel safe and comfortable. ou ou would see rules(expectations clearly laid out and visible for students and teacher to reference when whe n necessary. necessary. ince a majority of my teaching is done using flexible grouping you will see some students working directly with a teacher, other students working independently on a center activity and others engaged in an activity working with an assistant(") assistant(") *if one is available av ailable to me+. ou will also see some sort of technology component being integrated into lessons. ou ou will see students engaged, answering !uestions, collaborating and sharing information with each other, and participating in classroom discussions. ou would see students enjoying learning. What is your classroom management style? I clearly lay out the rules and expectations from day one so that my students know exactly what is expected of them. "he classroom expectations are made visible to the students and teacher to reference at all times. In terms of reinforcement, my classroom style is built upon the foundations of applied behavioral analysis and positive reinforcement techni!ues. I use classroom wide reinforcement techni!ues for students modeling good behavior. or example, in my current classroom we use a sticker system where students modeling good behavior *ex- waiting !uietly during transitions+ receives a sticker. sticker. When students fill up their sticker boards they gain access to a potent reward. or some students, this system is enough, but others that demonstrate some more challening behaviors re!uire more intensive interventions. or those particular students create create a supplemental reinforcement system that best suits their needs. or example, one student gains access to videos on youtube *a very potent reward+ for working responsibly *the
absence of challenging behaviors+ beha viors+ for / minutes. )nother student has a token board that is used to motivate her to remain on task and engaged. What would you do if a student is being noncompliant/disruptive If this behavior was not a fre!uent or recurring behavior, I would shape the student back on task using positive reinforcement techni!ues. or exa mple, remind students what they are working for, give them short, clear directions to follow and use some sort of motivational(reward system until they demonstrate that they are following directions and back on task. It is important to remain calm and be non0reactive during these challenging moments. If this is a behavior that occurs fre!uently, baseline data should be taken to identify the function of the behavior and then a behavior implementation plan should be put in place. What would a traditional lesson plan look like in your classroom? ) traditional lesson plan in my classroom c lassroom would start with a pre0assessment. p re0assessment. "he preassessment helps me identify where the students are at in terms terms of content and prepare the objectives for the lesson. 1nce I have analy&ed the preassessment and I have developed my objective*s+ using the 23 common core standards I then plan the lesson.In my lessons I begin with whole class instruction. I incorporate visual aud itory and kinesthetic components into the lesson to appeal to the different learning styles in my classroom. I model the components then continue on to guided practice. If I have an assistant, I will usually take the time to separate students into groups during guided practice. If I dont, then I will conduct a whole group guided practice. "hen I move on to independent practice. I differentiate instruction by leveling assignments that meet the students &one of proximal development. 4uring independent practice, I walk around the room to see what students seem to grasp an understanding of the material, and what students still re!uire more instruction. )t this this time I may pull a small group in the back to provide more direct(individuali&ed instruction. "he lesson will will be brought back to a whole class for a discussion(review. discussion(review. "he students will then be presented with an assessment to identify whether or not they comprehend the material. uture lesson plans will be determined based on the results of the assessment. Tell !s "bout the #ommon #ore/$ow do you teach to the #ommon #ore State Standards? "he #ommon #ore tate tandards establish clear, consistent guidelines highlighting what every student should know and be able to know(do at his or her grade level. "hey should be the principle(foundation for all lesson plans. *how greater than( less than lesson plan from portfolio+ as you can see from my lesson plans, I incorporate the common core standards into every lesson plan. "he activities(assignments(and assessments may need to be modified depending depend ing on the particular needs of that tha t student, but they will be taught based on the principles of the common core standards.
%escribe the &ain 'oints of the IE' 5+ 6resent levels of students academic performance. 7+ )nnual goals and objectives that describe what the student will learn in the upcoming year. 8+ 6rogress measurement 9 an
explanation of how progress toward goals and objectives will be measured. :+ 4escription of special education services that documents the specifically designed instruction, instructional accommodations, and related services the child will receive. + "esting accommodations and modifications ;+ + If applicable 9 a transition statement. $ow do you teach reading/writing? I teach literacy using a balanced literacy approach, meaning I incorporate all the different components of literacy including word study, whole group shared reading, read alouds, small guided reading groups, and independent reading. I teach using strategies that appeal to multiple learning styles, and I differentiate instruction based on the needs of each student. )ssessments )ssessments should be given regularly and adjustments should be made based on students current levels of academic performance. $ow do you teach math? I teach math in a similar way to teaching literacy in the sense that I u se a balanced approach. I incorporate enactive, iconic, and symbolic components into each lessons. I have students explore the math concept using hands on manipulatives. "he students then create a visual of the concept using a visual or iconic component.
What language arts programs are you familiar with/have e(perience with? I am familiar with !uite a few language arts programs. I have experience with readers(writers workshop, houghton mifflin *journeys+, mcgraw hill *treasures+, 6#I reading program *non0readers(specifically targets autism+, autism and reading comprehension program *joseph porter+ 1rton ?illingham, Wilson, and International )ssociation of 4yslexia written curriculum program. p rogram. I am also familiar with 6I$% and explode the code What math programs are you familiar with/have e(perience with? I am familiar with several different math programs. I have experience with @oug hton mifflin 9 ?oMath, axon math programs. I've worked with the Invision math program as well as the %veryday Math program. I also have experience the touchmath program and have found it extremely beneficial to aid students that re!uire support in basic math computation skills. What are some strategies you use to help a general education teacher modify curriculum and differentiate instruction? graphic or advance, organi&ers, o rgani&ers, semantic maps, mnemonics, chunking, visuali&ing strategies, study guides, highlighting(underlining are just some of the strategies that I would suggest using when working with a teacher to identify ways to modify curriculum. I would also suggest breaking down information into smaller chunks. I would also assist the teacher in leveling assignments making sure that the work stays within the students
&one of proximal development. I will always make sure the general education teachers know that I am a resource for them and they can use me as a resource whenever they need.
What would you tell a general education teacher when he/she says a student is struggling and needs to be referred for special education)
If an educator wants to make a referral, I would first ensure that the appropraite data has been collected and proves that this child is demonstrating deficits that may re!uire special education services. I would discuss the $espose to Intervention model and ensure that the appropriate tiers of instruction have taken place in the classroom to ensure that student difficulties are not a result of inade!uate instruction. or example Within "ier 5, all students receive high0!uality, scientifically based instruction provided by !ualified personnel to ensure that their difficulties are not due to inade!uate instruction. )ll students are screened on a periodic basis to establish an academic and behavioral baseline and to identify struggling learners who need additional support. tudents not making ade!uate progress in the regular classroom in "ier 5 are provided with increasingly intensive instruction matched to their needs on the basis of levels of performance and rates of progress. "his includes differentiated instruction of content as well as in a small0 group setting. If students are nor making progress at this level then they move to tier 8. )t this level, students receive individuali&ed, intensive interventions that target the studentsA skill deficits. tudents who do not achieve the desired level of progress in response to these targeted interventions are then referred for a comprehensive ev aluation and considered for eligibility for special education servicesB
What types of assessments do you use? ormative )ssessment )ssessment occurs in the short term, as learners are in the process of making meaning of new content and of integrating it into what they already alread y know. %xamples- a very interactive class discussionC a warm0up, closure, or exit slip(ticketC a on0the0spot performanceC a !ui&. Interim )ssessment )ssessment takes place occasionally throughout a larger time period. eedback to the learner is still !uick, but may not be immediate. Interim )ssessments )ssessments tend to be more formal, using tools such as projects, written assignments, and tests. %xamples- #hapter testC extended essayC a project scored with a rubric.ummative )ssessment )ssessment takes place at the end of a large chunk chun k of learning, with the results being primarily for the teacher's or school's use. tudents(parents can use the results of ummative )ssessments to see where the student's performance lies compared to either a standard *M%)6(MM%+ or to a group of students *usually a grade0level group, such as all ;th graders nationally, such as Iowa "ests or )#"+. "eachers(schools "eachers(schools can use these assessments to identify strengths and weaknesses of curriculum and instruction, with improvements affecting the next year's(term's students.
$ow do/would you deal with a challenging parent? 'rovide a specific e(ample *if possible+ of when you had to deal with a challenging parent? It is important to maintain communication with parents so that when a problem does arise you can immediately address it as opposed op posed to letting it worsen or escalate. It is important to listen carefully to parent concerns, empathi&e with parents, and help determine a solution to the problem. I have had experiences working with some challenging parent situations. I had one parent express exp ress concerns about the level of homework tha t was being sent home. "his particular parent expressed to me that her son *a student with special needs+ was refusing to complete his homework at home and as a result was not able to practice important skills at home. he believed it was because the homework was too hard. I invited her in for a meeting and showed her work samples of the child completing classroom assignments that were of e!ual and(or more challenging work level. I wanted to show her these to demonstrate de monstrate that her child was in fact capable o f completing this work and that this work refusal was probably the function of some behavior. We We discussed some possible options and what I suggested to her was a homework contract. I created the homework contract and sent it home for his mother to use everyday everyda y. It was a very effective system that worked for this student and the pa rent conflict was resolved. What do you know about readers/writers workshop? Dasically it is a way of teaching reading and language arts as an active, student0centered process that gives students, individually and in groups, much of the responsibility for for making decisions about what will be studied and why. It is also an approach that emphasi&es the social and collaborative nature of learning.#ollaboration in the workshop entails sharing responses, ideas, drafts, and finished written products through conferences with the teacher, conferences and journal exchanges with peers and the teacher, and with members of the student's wider, non0classroom, community such as parents. #ollaborating to make meaning, rather than summari&ing or reiterating teacher0held interpretations, is the function of small0group discussion and whole0class discussion. "he teacher in these classrooms takes on many man y roles including that of a learner who, in collaboration with students, constructs meaning through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. %escribe how you prepare students for state/standard *in my case ,-"S.+ test? "he best way to prepare students for the 23 )E is to be teaching to the 2ew 3ersey state standards, in rich and engaging ways, with students throughout the year. @owever, there are specific strategies that I believe are important to help students become successful on these assessments. I like to create assessments in similar formats to the 23)E assessment so they are familiar with that particular style and format. I review basic skills fre!uently to ensure students correctly answer the !uestions considered FeasyG according to state standards. I incorporate the use of mnemonics for example "?I#$D *F"hank ?oodness I #an $ead $ea d DetterG+ where F"G stands for take your time, F?G stands for go back to find answers, FIG stands for italics are important, F#G stands for check your work, F$G stands for read all choices, cho ices, and FDG stands for bubble scantrons correctly. correctly. )nother strategy I use is teaching students t identify and highlight keys words. I also teach them to understand identify extreme words such as FalwaysG or FneverG which usually make a statement false, identify vague words such as FusuallyG or FgenerallyG
which often make a statement true. inally, I model the thinking process used to predict test(examination !uestions based on class notes, textbook, the course syllabus, etc. I believe that some test preparation is important but I also believe it should should not dominate the curriculum(majority of teaching on an averag e school day.
$ow do you use technology in the classroom I incorporate a variety of different technology into my classroom. irst and foremost I have experience with both the M)$" teachnology teachnology program and )ctiveInspire technology programs. I was fortunate enough to attend a M)$" conference where I learned from the individuals of M)$" technology how to enhance lessons and use M)$" technology technology to create enriching interactive curriculum cu rriculum to use everyday. I also use video clips from youtube, I play songs(raps about material to keep students interested. I am very fortunate to currently work somewhere so mewhere that I have access to a lot of technology. My student need routini&ed schedules and each one has their own individual i"ouch i"ouch where we keep their daily schedules. tudents can see exactly where they are and can check off each activity as it happens using the errands app. I have my own personal i6ad that I bring to school to enhance enhan ce instruction as well. I use it as a tool for my centers. I have a variety of educational apps that I use that are related to specific content. I also have recently discovered H$ codes. c odes. Where students use i"ouch(I6ad i"ouch(I6ad to scan a code and something related to content pops up. I also use technology for reward purposes. tudents can gain access to computer(smartboard(i6ad(i"ouch's computer(smartboard(i6ad(i"ouch's for rewards as well if that is a potent reinforcer for that particular student. $ow do you differentiate instruction? 0I differentiate instruction in a variety of different ways. irst and foremost I try to incorporate a visual, auditory, and kinesthetic component into every lesson to appea l to all the different learning styles of the students. 0I also differentiate instruction by leveling instruction(tasks(assignments instruction(tasks(assignments based on student ability. ability. or exampleexa mple- *6resent greater than(less than lesson+ differentiated based on different levels low(medium(high. I determine student ability using ongoing assessments that are done fre!uently. fre!uently. 0 )nother way I differentiate instruction is through flexible grouping. I incorporate small group reading and math instruction throughout the day where students can learn using smaller groups of direct instruction that better meet their individuali&ed levels. tudents are paired in groups based on their current levels. What would a day in your classroom look like?/%escribe the breakdown of your day? http-((teaching.monster.com(careers(articles(>/5 http-((teaching.monster .com(careers(articles(>/550a0day0in0the0life0of0a0s 50a0day0in0the0life0of0a0special0 pecial0 education0teacherBpage5 "his is an example of the day in the life of the special education teacher. If you want a specific block schedule to reference, you can download mine $ight @ere
