What Sets You Apart?

Here's a most interesting question that pops up every now and again.  If you're not careful, this can be a tricky one (and many people have "stubbed their toe" on this query).  Don’t sound arrogant with your answer to this question; but display a sense of confidence.  This would be a good opportunity to bring in the observations, perceptions, and evaluations of others – particularly those who have observed you during your student teaching experience. 

     What sets you apart from the crowd?

     A:   I guess you could say that I’m success-oriented.  I really like it when my students succeed – not just one or two – but when everyone has the chance to improve in some selected area – whether that is social studies, science, music, or language arts.  I’ve been known to create several different versions of the same lesson plan – my own differentiated curriculum – so that every child has the opportunity to enjoy some measure of success.  My friends would say that success is my passion; my college supervisor would say that it’s really part of who I am.  It’s something I hope will be part of every lesson I create and every child I work with.

Your answer should be short and pithy – never drone on about everything you did during student teaching or in your pre-service field experiences.