In the first unit of the course, we discussed what it means to be an intentional teacher and some of the
qualities that intentional teachers possess. Throughout the course, we have tied all of the theories and
course topics to the practice of intentional teaching. For this course project, you will complete a Teacher
Spotlight Interview and incorporate the many concepts and theories that we have discussed throughout
the course into your final reflection.
Teacher Spotlight Reflection Paper:
For this project, you will interview a teacher that you believe espouses many qualities of an intentional
teacher. This can be a teacher from your past, one of your children’s teachers, a teacher you work with,
or perhaps even a teacher in your community that you have heard great things about. This could even be
a college professor that you have had or know. You might even want to contact your local district and
inquire who last year’s “Teacher of the Year” was if you aren’t sure where to start for selecting your
interviewee. For your interview, use the Teacher Spotlight Interview Form provided to help plan and guide
your questioning. You do NOT have to submit this form. This is just to help guide you in your interview.
You also may use whatever questions that you choose. The questions on the form are just suggestions,
but you are encouraged to come up with your own questions or expand on the ones provided.
In your Reflection Paper, summarize the interview responses from your teacher interview. Make course
connections by tying these responses to the theories, concepts, and practices that we have discussed
throughout the course. Include your key takeaways from the interview and a discussion of which theories
most strongly drive the practices of the teacher you have interviewed. Elaborate on these course
connections.
An example: If the teacher states that they use a Token Economy system in their class to increase
student motivation, you would then discuss Skinner’s Operant Conditioning and Extrinsic Motivation as
well. These are both theories and concepts that were discussed in the course that inform this teacher’s
intentional practice of the use of Token Economies.
The body of your reflection paper must consist of at least five (5) full pages with additional title
and reference pages, double-spaced with one-inch margins.
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• Use at least three (3) scholarly sources in your work and include all reference citations in
correct APA formatting. You may use your textbook as one scholarly reference. Your paper must
be formatted according to APA guidelines.
• Use complete sentences and appropriate grammar and spelling. Be sure to read the criteria by
which your work will be evaluated before you write and again after you write.
In your interview, ask a minimum of 10 questions. The purpose of these questions is to learn how the
teacher you have chosen to interview utilizes some of the principles of educational psychology that we
have been discussing throughout the course. How does this contribute to this teacher’s success and
intentional teaching practices?
Some possible suggestions for questions that you might ask your interviewee are:
• Do you teach differently than you did when you began teaching? How so? And why?
• Do you ever read research studies in professional journals? If so, how does this change the way
you teach?
• How has the study of educational research affected your teaching?
• What kinds of conclusions have you reached through informal research (your day to day
observations of your students)?
• What style of teaching do you prefer? Direct Instruction? Constructivist learning? A mix of both?
• How do you differentiate instruction for diverse learners?
• How do you manage classroom discipline?
These are just a few examples of questions that you could select for your interview, and you are not
limited to 10. Ask as many questions as you feel that you need to write a comprehensive reflection
paper.
