• Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be an outstanding teacher.

To be an outstanding teacher, one must possess qualities that add to those around them such as patience, a strong work ethic, passion, a love for children, and excellent interpersonal skills. One of the most important attributes of an outstanding teacher is passion. Being passionate about what you are teaching can be extremely contagious. Students know when a teacher cares and when they are going through the motions. Educators must put students' needs before all else and be driven to meet those needs. Flexibility, cooperativeness, empathy, and eagerness to learn are all important. A teacher is always a learner- whether they are learning from their colleagues or their students. Empathy is needed because students come from varied backgrounds and understanding them and how their background affects their learning is important. Flexibility is needed to be outstanding because things are always changing- students change, research changes, and being able to respond to those changes in positive ways is important. Cooperativeness is also important. Educating is a "team sport" meaning we are all in this together. We all want our students to do well and the more support we have the better we will serve our students. Lastly, an exceptional teacher has excellent core knowledge and training in their area of instruction. With knowledge, training, and enthusiasm an outstanding teacher can create a dynamic learning experience for their students and stimulate them towards success.

• Explain how your past personal and professional experience make you a quality candidate for the position for which you are applying.

My personal experiences were at the forefront of my decision to become an educator, but my education and professional experiences prepared me to provide the best services to my students. I originally wanted to be a teacher because I was fortunate to have such inspiring teachers who truly enjoyed their careers and their students and helped me during challenging times in my life. I began my journey in second grade with a phenomenal teacher. She fostered my love for teaching and learning. In third grade, my sister passed away and I saw how much teachers and a safe classroom can affect the wellbeing of a child. My personal experiences have helped me to understand the importance of having a confidential and reliable adult to assist me in my academic and personal development. I knew that this was something I could provide for others. From there, my passion grew. When it came time to think about college, it wasn’t even a question when choosing my major. My whole life had led me up to this moment. For me, it was like fulfilling a destiny written long ago.

In regards to my professional experiences, I have worked in the field of education in a variety of roles, which have given me the opportunity to develop skills that are transferable and assist in my success. I have gained knowledge in teaching individual students, small groups, and whole classrooms. This experience has allowed my skills in differentiation, technology, and parent communication to grow. I have worked as a classroom teacher, a literacy specialist, a reading teacher and have also been a substitute. I have taught in a setting where my students have come from all over the United States with various life experiences as children of members of the Marine Corps. This has taught me how to adapt and recognize the needs my students have. I have worked with. This was a diverse population that contained students with various learning disabilities and disorders, and many different backgrounds. I have worked with children of migrant workers as well. I include their culture and unique needs in my lessons. I have further developed my ability to be adaptable, understanding, dependable, approachable, and patient. My experiences assist me in my ability to plan and organize, prioritize multiple duties and responsibilities as well as maintain professional composure while dealing with a variety of personalities and situations.

I believe some of my greatest strengths are my ability to adapt to any situation, form meaningful and genuine relationships with students and staff, as well as my integrity. My personal and professional experiences coupled with my innate abilities have prepared me to become a successful and quality candidate.

• How would you address a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom?

To best address each child’s needs and support their skills teachers must first observe children closely and spend time with them to develop an authentic, caring relationship. This relationship means that the teacher can identify what their students truly need because they know when they are truly struggling, need a challenge, or need emotional support. Part of being able to address various skills and abilities is being able to plan in the moment. This means as I plan an activity, I think about how I can adjust the activity in the moment for students who need more time, more support, or experience with concrete materials to understand the concept. I also consider how I can scaffold the experience to challenge children who are advanced learners. Another important element is choice. Whether it be through choice in center work, different manipulatives being offered to students, supportive technology or even the materials such as worksheets being different according to need and skill level (but addressing the same objective.) I make sure each student has the materials and support they need to be successful. I encourage children to participate and explore in the way they prefer. Some students may prefer to work individually, with a partner, or in a small group. Sometimes there may be students who are sensitive to sensory experiences. I allow them to use tools or wear gloves when exploring sensory materials. Even when meeting with children virtually, offering choices shows that we value their independence and preferences.

I also encourage students to support each other. They are usually very aware of their skills and those of their peers. Using my students' strengths to support others' struggles is key to community and confidence building. I may have one student that is excellent at drawing. They could be the "go to" for others that need drawing assistance. This is to celebrate each child’s expertise and encourage them to support children who could benefit from their help.

Differentiation is key to addressing different skills and abilities in the classroom. Being a teacher means providing instruction where every student can understand it. This may mean teaching the same concept many different ways. An outstanding teacher can meet the needs of every learner in their classroom.

• Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be outstanding when working in student support services.

To be an outstanding student support service provider, one must truly care about the students they serve and see each child with the potential to do and to be great. Students who need support services often are lacking self-confidence and motivation. Many times, you have to be their support and their advocate. The support staff should try to provide another perspective on the students' strengths and areas for growth that might have otherwise been overlooked. Being able to add information into the classroom teacher's knowledge of the student helps the classroom teacher to better meet the needs of that student. A support provider must also work well with others, particularly the classroom teacher, to make sure that the work and skills that are developed outside of the traditional classroom are well aligned and supported with the standard curriculum being taught within the classroom. The support service provider must be a clear communicator. If a student is performing well or is struggling then the support staff must communicate this information to the classroom teacher and make decisions together when appropriate.

• How would you address a wide range of issues in your groups?

Prevention is a proactive way to provide intervention education to meet the anticipated needs of your class. Programs focusing on bullying, like "Second Step" for example, can teach students ways to deal with certain situations they may be faced with. Unfortunately, prevention alone will not meet the needs of all students.

A teacher should expect there to be student circumstances that cannot be planned for. For this reason, responsive interventions need to be used. The early identification and treatment for at-risk students is very important. Individual counseling referrals can be beneficial for the student who needs extra support addressing behavioral deficits.

Knowing your students is very important for dealing with issues. A teacher should know a student well enough to know their triggers, what resets them, what calms them, etc. Using techniques known to help the child can help to prevent issues in the future. For example, I had a student with bipolar disorder. I learned this student's triggers and worked to lessen them within our classroom. I knew strategies, like rainbow breathing, helped said student to relax and focus. I also knew when this student was too triggered within our room and when to call the counselor in for a more intensive reset and intervention. Knowing how to help the student calm down helped them to get back to learning and have a successful day.

• How will you support and demonstrate cultural proficiency in your professional practice?

Cultural proficiency in a classroom is very important, especially recently. National events have affected our children probably more than we realize. This is an opportunity for educators to work on becoming culturally proficient in our very diverse society. In order for an educator to meet this goal, they need to recognize their own biases and stereotypes and be conscious of them when planning and delivering content. We also must admit that in our current world, there are differences in the way people are treated based on their culture, appearance, socioeconomic status, etc. We must commit to being a part of the much needed change to make sure that all people are treated fairly. I will always work to educate myself and others on cultural differences to gain more understanding and make connections with my students. Culture is more than an event celebrated on a certain day. It needs to be seen as a whole; which includes the experience, knowledge, beliefs and values of everyone within the school.

• Describe the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in school districts.

Educators need to value what makes each student different and help them to value and celebrate those differences. The world is very diverse and by teaching children to love and celebrate these diversities, we are setting them up to be successful as adults. Also, creativity is bringing together different ideas and making them into something new and unique. By interacting and having positive interactions with those who are different from us, it helps to spark new ideas and thinking. Educators must be sure that all students are treated equitably and are included in a way that meets their needs. This is why differentiation is important within a classroom. Every student is able to succeed, we just have to be sure they are given the tools that they need individually.