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Estefania Huerta

Professor Linda Mobilio

EDTE 255

20 October 2020

Teacher Interview
Questions for interview:​State your name, institution in which you received your degree, and
grade levels you have taught/currently teaching along with subjects.
➢ Interviewee: Ms. Anne Steritz
➢ Institution attended: University of California at Riverside (BS in Administrative Studies),
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Secondary Teaching Credential in
Business, Supplementary Authorization in Mathematics
➢ Positions: Department of Mathematics (Chaffey High School)
➢ Grade Levels Taught: Pre Algebra/ Math A, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Integrated Math 1&2

1. What influenced you to want to continue your education in becoming a teacher? Was
there a positive or negative experience in your early childhood education that made you
think this way? ​I did not set out or plan to become a teacher until I started/became a
substitute teacher after college. I quickly felt comfortable in the classroom setting. I
enjoyed my students and teaching mathematics. I felt I would have been more effective
as a beginning teacher had I experienced a proper teacher training/prep program before
teaching full time on my own.
2. From the years you have been teaching, what would you say is your teaching philosophy?
Did it change from when you started teaching or has it remained that way? ​My teaching
and teaching philosophy has certainly evolved and changed over the decades! I taught
full time for ten years and then part-time after I became a mom. My philosophy has
always included connecting with students, treating them with the dignity and respect they
deserve, trying to make sure their basic needs are met and then do my best to deliver the
academic content in a way that makes sense to them.
3. Teaching may be challenging, but what would be the most rewarding thing about it? ​By
far the best parts of teaching for me are interacting with my students, watching them
grow as students, challenging the strong students to work even harder and encouraging
the struggling students along their way to basic success! I have always loved math, but I
love students even more!
4. As mentioned in the question before, teaching is challenging. What would you say has
been the most challenging thing about teaching or being a teacher in general? ​We are
asked to do more and more professionals and for our students. The biggest challenge I
face is the pressure from the administrator to “pass students along” or somehow work my
magic to get all my students up to passing even when they do not have the skills needed.
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5. What advice or recommendations would you give to someone who wants to become a
teacher? ​Teach what you love and love what you teach! Find a good mentor or two to
observe, work alongside, and from who to learn. Clear your credential if possible before
your first contracted teaching job! Clear your plate as much as possible during your
student teaching and first few years. Try not to coach or take on extra responsibilities
until you are in your groove, which may take several years! Schedule time to care for
yourself, your health and wellness so you can stay the course!
6. Was it difficult to transition from in-person learning to virtual learning? If so, how? Was
there any extra training for teachers? ​I am currently not teaching virtually but there is
professional tech support in the CJUHSD, a lot of peers helping each other on site, and
everyone learning as they go! Establishing rapport is significantly more challenging.
7. Has there been a change into your curriculum now that students are virtual learning? If
so, how? ​The curriculum has definitely changed in the instructional minutes and so not as
much content can be covered.
8. In what ways are you ensuring an anti bias education? ​I have always felt my classroom
should be a safe haven for all of my students to learn and grow from where they are. I do
my best to teach and practice tolerance and acceptance.
9. Is there anything you wish would be done differently in the teaching field? ​As I
mentioned earlier, I wish I would have cleared my credential before I accepted a
contracted teaching job. I felt I was a good teacher in the beginning but I could have been
better! Students deserve the best teachers! Prepare, prepare and then prepare more!
10. What advice would you give yourself when you first began teaching? What advice would
you give to those wanting to become a teacher? ​Other than some of the items I mentioned
earlier I think setting boundaries as far as how many hours you are going to work each
day would be helpful. Teachers can work as many hours as the day is long. In order to
stay the course of a teaching career, try to balance work with restoration and sleep! If you
have a bad day, try to evaluate what went wrong, learn from it, take notes on how to
avoid it happening again and move on! Tomorrow will be a new day to do better!
Teaching can be a wonderful and rewarding career!

Interview Reflection: below

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For this interview, I have decided to interview my high school mathematics teacher,

Anne Steritz. Anne Steritz is actually the person and reason why I decided to pursue a career in

education. I fell in love with her way of teaching and so I decided to be her teacher aid after

completing her class. I was a teacher aid for three years alongside her. After graduating from

high school, I have continued to stay in touch with her but after the years gone by we both

became busy so this interview was very enjoyable. After interviewing Anne, it has become clear

to me that I should not rush into teaching right away. Anne mentioned that the best advice she

would give to a future teacher is to teach what you love and love what you teach. That made me

realize that it is okay if I am unsure of what I want to teach but instead with time know what I

love to teach. From the interview, what surprised me was that Anne mentioned that she took her

first contracted teaching job before she completed/cleared her credential. I had no idea that we

were able to do that! Personally, I plan to learn alongside a mentor during my student teaching

and get the groove of it before I consider jumping into a teaching job. I enjoyed learning about

the ups and downs to teaching in regards to an actual teachers’ perspective. Overall, the take

away I got from the interview was to continue learning from mentors and try to better myself

into the ideal teacher I desire to be. Not only that, but love to teach and teach what you love!!