Interview 4 (Mr. Lee)

1.)  1.) What is your preferred teaching method and why? Using the manipulative, “toys,” hands on things. They learn 

best by playing math doing math, visualizing things, touching things and experimenting.

2.) Do you know any good books on the subject of teaching math?

No. Best through peers.

3.) What would you recommend a person new teaching learn to get better?

Make all the mistakes, don’t ask, just do things, but afterword reflect on it. Develop the skill of reflecting. Mistakes are the best teacher.

4.) How do you teach a room full of students at once?

Projects, project based learning allows each individual a chance to learn according to their own abilities. Then, you can assist the student in the way they can be best assisted.

5.) What do you do when one of your students doesn't "get" something?

Look for many ways to get through to them, peers are usually an effective way of getting through to them.

6.) If you were to teach a student one on one, how would you do it?

Let them explain to him how they should learn best, the answers, and draw them out of themselves.

7.) Do you reward students for doing well? Why or why not?

Yes, the reward is a “smile.” Have to give it at just the right time. (praise) Sometimes recognition.

8.) What do you do if there is a language barrier? (They speak some of the language but it presents a challenge.)

ELD students are assisted with repetition, word cues, other students, a lot of visuals, and “decoding” skills like context clues. Some solve word problems better because they focus more on the important words.

9.) Are you part of a union? Why or why not?

Yes, it’s required at the middle school to be in a union. It’s expected to be a teacher in the Pomona district.

10.) Why did you become a teacher?

His wife (an engineer) challenged him to take a test to see how he would do as a teacher. After he passed, he liked it and developed more as he went on. Previously he never had the intention of it.

11.) What is the greatest challenge you face as a math teacher and why?

When a student does not want to do math. It is also harder when the student doesn’t have family support. By the time they get to him, they have a negative perception about math. This makes it so he has to fight the fear of math. “You cannot learn if you have fear.”

12.) How would you describe your relationship with the parents of students?

Communicate regularly, and are a part of his “team.” Student success is a result of the teacher, parents, and the student.

13.) Do you rely on any technology? Why or why not?

Yes, he relies heavily on technology. Times are changing, and math changes with it. The application of math also advances.

14.) Why do you teach at this level?

He taught in high school, 5^th grade and 6^th grade, he transferred over here (8^th grade) because he lived closer. Upon reflection, he sees it as the most important time in a student’s life, to see if they will “make it or break it” math wise.

15.) What are your thoughts on homework?

It is a practice of what you learned. He dislikes long homework, and sees it as more of a hindrance. It can negatively affect a student if it’s too long.

16.) What does teaching mean to you?

It’s a challenge we give to our students to overcome, and to better themselves with. It allows them to build character and to overcome future obstacles.

17.) How do you form your lesson plan?

There is a sort of a template, but it changes along with population and student culture/needs. Adaption on lesson plans is his policy, from the year to the very next period. He constantly thinks on what to do to change the lesson to be more effective.

18.) How important is controlling the classroom environment to you?

Prefers orderly over control, tries to help students stay on task. It’s the prime reason they come, otherwise they could be homeschooled. Tries to make it as safe and comfortable as possible, otherwise learning does not take place.

19.) How hard is it to get and maintain a career in teaching math?

Getting a career is really hard, especially with the economy; right now it’s really hard. Maintaining is equally hard. You have to keep up with the change; you can’t just sit still and teach the same thing every day. You have to go to a thing called professional development, and continuously go to colleges, seminars, and other things to keep up.

20.) If you were to change one thing about the curriculum what would it be and why?

Wishes he would have more school hours so he could teach other things from more math to art and music. He believes the students need more exposure to mathematics. Would also like more clubs.