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VISTA PREP INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (BEHAVIOURS (Engaged What can you tell me…
VISTA PREP
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
MINDSETS
Solutions Focused Both/And
What can you tell me about the way you like to learn that enables you to enjoy the process AND achieve your academic goals?
at my own speed
what interested me at the time
listen to audio books all the time
half novel, half education knowledge
interested in what I'm learning
think of a way to be entertaining so they are excited about learning
project that they understand and excited about the content
making learning valuable and able to be applied to them makes them excited
feedback loop cycle in working and teaching
nothing more discouraging to go down a rabbit hole that doesn't have any guardrails - discouraging to have to backtrack before someone steps in and helps
APPLIED KNOWLEDGE
Student Voice
What can you tell me about what you need in order to learn?
quiet and sense of stability
to know if I ask a question it's because I don't know not because I wasn't paying attention
I've already exhausting my resources before I ask a question or reach out for help
taught how to calm down because many are coming from places of trauma so already amped up
boring bus ride already yelled at by driver
in field of collective trauma before getting to classroom
can of soda shaked up before classroom
some staff have empathy for it, some not and some don't care
some staff don't know how to take care of themselves
I need a calm quiet atmosphere
focused and in control of my environment
need to see and read material
need to be in a place when I feel comfortable, phyisically as well as emotionally
split between high achieving students from advantaged families who haven't learned how to be kind to less advantaged in the class
empathy training; feel safe learning with students from diverse backgrounds of advantage
lots of group work to build connection and empathy
positive and encouraging - reach for those achievements
creating environment of encouragement, safety and quiet
students need teachers who will answer questions and listen
teachers who are prepared to teach to know and anticipate where the lesson will go and questions that arise
timely feedback on work done as a result
engaging that I care about that grabs my attention that has connection to my own life and values
TEACHER STUDENT FEEDBACK LOOPS
TRAUMA, SAFETY & SELF CARE
EMPATHY TRAINING
BEHAVIOURS
Engaged
What can you tell me about what you do to achieve the social and emotional learning goals that you set?
purchased ripple effect - teachers who use it regularly and the way intended are having better results
teachers not using it have clear issues
by law required to do suicide prevention asked for help finding a program to use so we use a designated program that is researched and effective
number of students transported to mental health services is decreasing after implementing evidence based program because kids are asking for help faster
evidence based purchased programs that teachers committed to using
more difficult; look at goals by what kids need
need to get to know each student first
form relationships in order to inform practice, then determinig as a class work on kindness, empathy
Developing trust with me as a teacher
build trust through listening - let them tell me a story and put everything else down and listen, even if just for 30 seconds
ask questions of things other than school, what they like to do or home lives
figure out who they are as a whole person
listen for strenghth-based solutions
thanking them for making any good choice they make
being honest with them knowing that I have to report it
honesty and getting to know them
know our families and circumstances really well
understand full context of family structure and background, or when time to pull counsellors in
knowledge of the community
EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMS WORK
ENGAGE WITH WHOLE PERSON
EFFORT TO KNOW THE FULL CONTEXT
What can you tell me about what you do to achieve the academic learning goals that you set?
I know what the goals are; take the time to look at what they want to them to know at end of lesson and end of unit
hold to high standard of behaviour expectations
classroom environment conditions need to be in place in order for learning to happen
flexible with instruction; responding to students that learning differently
I explain things differently; read class as I'm teaching and let that inform my instruction on the spot
better practice
dedicated time 45 min every wednesday to meet with each grade level language arts team, every other wednesday 45 minutes during school day, afternoons are collaboration and planning time
STRUCTURE
is support
at beginning is more coach directed, now TEACHERS DRIVE DIRECTION
COACHING OF PRACTICE
pedegogy and analysing data so they know which areas for each student to know what practice and standard and practice for mastery and how to do that
assessments - end of unit assessments plus benchmark data from beginning of year and mid year assessment, every 6 weeks on basic reading skills
this rigour of coaching is being brought to language arts only
math cirruiculum changed mid-year which has been rocky
language arts more open to change
change harder for those who specialise in MATH
all new teachers in Language Arts - more malleable looking for new practice and ways of doing things not fixed
residue of several years before we had district adopted standard based cirriculum - overcoming that for some teachers as really difficult
teachers see themselves as experts, which is difficult to overcome
ASSESSMENT & PRACTICE THAT INTEGRATES TEACHER TO STUDENT FEEDBACK LOOPS
ATTENTION ON CLASSROOM CONDITONS
MATH TEACHERS EXHIBIT GREATER RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
STRUCTURED COACHING PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS IS WORKING
Disconnect From Why
What can you tell me about how you manage the tension between meeting students where they are at AND ensuring they meet grade level performance outcomes?
if the student is willing
ask kids questions - I can't do that
biggest barrier is students don't think they can
sometimes frustrated back to class
What can you do, what will you do?
what can I do, ask more questions
following the lead of the client
haven't found success getting people to shift
comes down to resiliency skills before they need to be taught
if they have grit
most difficult things to do
goes back to students feeling comfortable in classroom, then their more willing to do the WORK FOR ME
if they can trust me then more willing to give the learning a shot
scaffolding - if 80% are not their, then I scaffold the assignment - what are the steps they need to complete the assignment
allowing them to feel successful while also scaffolding instruction to meet where they are at
TEAM dependent - depends on grade level - 7th grade level is able to talk about that freely and non existent in this team
teachers with more experience have more difficulty managing this
depends on relationship with coach
resistance cohort - teaching 20+ yrs, all male, team split btwn match and language arts are self-contained classrooms don't want to talk about, no interest in developing practice, teach a self-contained class because they don't want to work with others, meets needs for teachers rather than students - 5 years
GRIT & PERSEVERANCE
VIRTUOUS CYCLES OF LEARNING
SYSTEMS
Internal Decision Making
What kind of communication/decision making system would reduce pressure and increase clarity for you?
communication coming from district office
learn things yesterday about how people feel lack of communication from district office, but I have more access to principal than classroom teacher
I'm not afraid to ask clarifying questions, whereas a lot of teachers are
if I need clarity I just go ask and I feel comfortable doing that
like to be included at the table and feel like I am at our site
I feel like I am part of decision making process as school
part of a proactive team
teachers who have inadequate access at home
some teachers lack technical skills which is basic
our language arts curriculum is an online curriculum
Minimum Effort for Maximum Effect
What can you tell me about what it's like for you to interact with our larger system?
not a big deal at school
once I find principal I can ask him
i feel respected
don't feel micro managed me
district on paper I have 2 bosses, district boss is micromanager and doesn't communicate well
infrastructure and decision making that doesn't make it easy for people to respond
information flows
admin forms and communication that works people pushing out info but not a lot of empathy for what it is to receive info
not everybody is diffficult, just some
this district has a coaching program for staff (ELA & MATCH) helps with navigating system GREAT
feel supportive with general admin stuff because of coach
high expectations for teachers and what expected to grade - grade every piece of writing that students do in curriculum DIFFICULT TO DO THIS WITH PLANNING TIME WE'RE GIVEN
onsite we have regular structure plus Rob always available
district - in past had coaches meetings but not this year and model has changed because our job is coaching both vs what we do
superintendent has attended and observed and met twice about my work and practice
also coach new teachers through county office meeting virtually and tape my coaching for feedback
CULTURE
Team Or Students Culture
what can you tell me about how you manage to stay connected with your teaching team AND prioritise student needs?
I get to go into classrooms whenever I want
not stuck behind a desk
I can reach out to students face-to-face rather than call a classroom
I was a classroom teacher first, so I understand the struggle not another interruption by the phone
don't necessarily need to meet with teachers
connect with adults after teaching hours to catch up
I am not very good at staying connected with teaching colleagues; I'm shy
more gifted and seeing needs of children
weekly collaboration with grade level and subject teams when we talk about curriculum and have gotten to know each other
the leadership partner that that I have we went to conference together
don't have students assigned to me so my coaching realm most of the time so I don't have a conflict with that
I have history with students more because I was once a teacher but now I work with adults primarily
School Values
What can you tell me about the school's values?
some students wonderful and
respectful
students who are
kind
being there for each other
COMMUNITY
clear that set of values being reached for SOAR - some staff reaching for it and others not teaching in classroom, which is creating confusion for students
SOAR - like an eagle
achievement
respect
without all staff on board, difficult to change school culture
leadership team - get teachers on board with SOAR
it matters to me that your kind when you leave the classroom
not particularly clear
we organise SOAR but don't think it's internalised by staff or students
CROSS STAKEHOLDER LEADERSHIP ON SOAR
How do you see these values being enacted in daily life at the school?
some parents who encourage students to retaliate physically if being buillied
some teachers who are set in their ways think only reason to respect a student is if student respects them first before they've earned it
group of teachers who are going to do their best job, do whatever it takes
chose to work at this school because I wanted to make a change informed by my faith; being contributing member of society, being kind, want to pass this on to students
disconnect particularly in area of ownership for both students and teachers in consistency with rules and handbooks but don't follow it which leads to unfortunately consequences in terms of rule enforcement
DISCONNECT BTWN BEHAVIOURS & SCHOOL VALUES
What I didn't ask that I should need to know
district has a goal and vision that hasn't been shared with principals or school stakeholders, if shared more buy in
I enjoy my job and am blessed by our admin; appreciate direction taking the school and how they are doing a great job; appreciate working with them after working with different administration
as a school we've made lots of changes for better but sometimes staff doesn't understand a vision that's right because it doesn't agree with their preconceived ideas
adminstrators are in a difficult place not able to share all info about new directions and then not everyone understands WHY changes are essential; not all of reasons why a change need to be make can be shared because it's confidential