If I walked into your classroom, what would it look like?

     Q:  If I walked into your classroom, what would it look like?

       A:   The desks in the classroom would be arranged in a horseshoe pattern.  This will open up the front of the classroom for oral presentations, skits, and small group work on the floor.  My desk would be pushed into a corner in the back of the classroom, instead of being in the front.  I know that a desk can be perceived as a symbol of power – its placement in the front of the room is a symbol of power and authority.  I much prefer an atmosphere of shared governance in any classroom.  I would soften up all the straight lines and sharp angles with lots of rugs, bean bag chairs, perhaps an old sofa, a variety of plants and various animal habitats, and some pillows in a reading center.  I have learned that all those lines and angles can sometimes be psychologically inhibiting for students and that rounded edges, lines, and corners suggest psychological safety and comfort for youngsters.  My classroom would also have well-designed traffic patterns allowing students opportunities to easily get to the pencil sharpener, the wastebasket, from their desk to me, from their desk to the door, and from their desk to a center activity.  Those patterns need to be based on both safety concerns as well as ease of accessibility.  Most important, I want the classroom to be a community – one in which students are given opportunities to suggest patterns, arrangements, and configurations.  Those opportunities will help build a sense of personal ownership in what we do and learn.

            You probably haven’t given much thought to the physical arrangement of your classroom.  It, too, will provide the interviewer with some insights into your personal philosophy as well as your ability to plan ahead.

Describe an ideal classroom.

     Q:  Describe an ideal classroom.
     A:   I believe an ideal classroom is composed of five basic elements.  These include 1) Learning occurs best when the development of positive attitudes and perceptions is made part of every learning task.  2) Knowledge is best learned by making connections between what is known and what is to be learned.  I always want my students to understand what it is to construct meaning.  3) I believe that for learning to be effective and meaningful, students should be provided with opportunities to use knowledge in practical situations – that is, opportunities to apply that knowledge.  4) We know that in an ideal classroom students learn best when they need knowledge to accomplish a goal they consider important.  This often involves problem-solving, decision-making, and inquiry-based learning.  And 5) in that ideal classroom, teachers can help students develop the mental habits that will enable them to learn on their own.  Critical thinking activities and metacognitive practices help ensure this.  While these five principles are all part of that ideal classroom, they are also goals or aspirations I see for myself and my students.  That ideal classroom may not always be achievable, but it can certainly be a realistic goal.

            Demonstrate your knowledge of educational principles and practices that can be part of every teacher’s classroom.  Detail those items and show how they can serve as goals for your future classroom.  The interviewer wants to know two things: 1) What’s good teaching; and 2) What kind of teaching will you practice?