Book News

Ace Your Teacher Interview was published in January 2012.  In less than 2 months it has completely sold out of its first printing.  It is now in its second printing and is being snapped up by teacher candidates all across the country.


Here are some of the reviews this book has received:

"I GOT THE JOB!  I GOT THE JOB!!  Thank you, thank you."

"This book gave me everything I needed to ace my own interview (I nailed it.).  It's the best $12.00 I ever spent."

"WOW!  I now have the skills and the confidence for a great interview.  I can't wait."

"It's all here - a practical book filled with super ideas and strategies."


Please share this post (via Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter) with your friends and colleagues.  Thanks.  A.D.F.

What steps would you take with a student who was disruptive in your classroom?

Q:  What steps would you take with a student who was disruptive in your classroom?

     A:   First, I would make sure my intervention was quiet, calm, and inconspicuous.  For example, one day I saw that Michael was not paying attention in class.  So, I used his name in part of my presentation, as follows: “As an example, let’s measure Michael’s height in centimeters.”  The disruptive student – Michael – who had been whispering to his neighbor, heard his name and was drawn back into the lesson with no disruption of the class.  I also believe that the more immediate a reprimand, the less likely a student will feel I condone his or her behavior.  And, perhaps most important, reprimands should be kept brief.  The more I talk, for example, the more I will distract from the lesson and the more I “reward” a student for inappropriate behavior.

             This is another opportunity in which a personal example or anecdote will help to illustrate your point and your philosophy.  Show the interviewer that you’ve had some first-hand experiences and that you knew how to deal with them.  Don’t even think about suggesting that the student be sent to the principal’s office.  If you do, you’re dead!

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK:      “We have had candidates carry in suitcases of dusty art and materials they spread out all over the table.  Some used it, but it was mostly overkill.”

What are some things teachers do that create classroom management problems?

Q:  What are some things teachers do that create classroom management problems?

     A:   Teachers sometimes, inadvertently, create discipline problems through certain kinds of behaviors.  Professor Lewiston, in his course on “Management, Discipline, and Behavior” shared some of the most common behaviors. These included 1) extreme negativity, 2) an excessive authoritative climate, 3) overreacting, 4) mass punishment, 5) blaming, lack of instructional goals, and not recognizing students’ ability levels.  I learned that avoiding these, and other similar behaviors, can go a long way toward creating a climate of trust and caring that will significantly reduce misbehavior.

            Describe your knowledge of the inappropriate behaviors in addition to your own personal reaction to those behaviors.  Let the interviewer know that you are aware of factors that may have a negative influence on students learning and that you are conscious of what you need to do to avoid those behaviors.

What’s the most creative or innovative lesson you taught?

     Q:  What’s the most creative or innovative lesson you taught?

     A:   During the fifth week of student teaching I contacted a family friend at Prospect Hill Cemetery.  He provided my fifth grade class with a tour of the Cemetery.  When we got back to the classroom we divided the class into several teams.  One team worked on a PowerPoint presentation, another team created a timeline of important events in the life of the cemetery from the Revolutionary War to the present, another team looked into burial customs from around the world, another team of students developed an annotated bibliography of books about death and dying, and the final team gathered oral histories from some of the docents and volunteers at the Cemetery.  What was originally conceived as a three-week project eventually turned into a two month multi-disciplinary project that combined social studies, art, music, language arts, and reading into a most exciting thematic unit.

            This is a grand opportunity to provide a specific and concrete example of how you went “above and beyond” the usual lesson planning for student teaching.  Be sure to provide specific details and any reactions you obtained from supervisors or administrators.  Show, as much as possible, how you are willing to pursue projects that are somewhat out of the ordinary – projects that engage students in creative or innovative ways.

What have you found to be the toughest aspect of discipline?

     Q:  What have you found to be the toughest aspect of discipline?

     A:   Consistency!  I discovered in all my experiences with children that the key to an effective discipline policy in any classroom is consistency.  For me, consistency means three things:  1) If I have a rule, I must enforce that rule.  2) I shouldn’t hand out lots of warnings without following through on consequences.  Lots of warnings tell students that I won’t enforce a rule.  And, 3) I must be fair and impartial.  I must be sure that the rules are there for everyone, and that includes girls as well as boys, tall people and short people, students with freckles and students without freckles, and special needs students as well as gifted students.  Maintaining consistency is, and will continue to be, a challenge.  But it’s a challenge I’m ready for.

            The questions about discipline are many and varied.  They can come in a number of ways.  You need to be adequately prepared to respond to each and every one of them in a way that demonstrates your knowledge of this all-important topic and the specific ways you plan to address it.