INTERVIEWS 1

(name)
EDU107/F20
(date)

Student & Teacher Interview

Purpose:
The purpose of this assignment is to talk to a current PK-12 student and teacher in order to get
first-hand knowledge of what teaching and learning is like today. Teachers learn from each other
and the students we teach. It is important to talk with others about their classroom experiences,
especially those that are different from you. The more you learn about the profession now, the
more prepared you will be to begin the journey.

Materials Needed:
 This document to guide your questions.
 Notebook & pencil to take notes during the interview

Process:
1. Locate a current PK-12 student and teacher who is willing to sit down with you for about a half-
hour-hour (depending on their age) and set up an appointment in person or by telephone (not via
email, this needs to be a conversation).
2. Be prompt for your appointment and introduce yourself.
3. Explain that you are enrolled in an introduction to education course and identify your reasons for
being interested in the profession.
4. Use the following questions to guide your conversation. Use follow-up questions as needed to get
full answers to your questions.
5. Give the student/teacher an opportunity to ask you questions or offer advice.
6. Type the responses from your interview.
7. Add a personal reflection to the interview…what did you learn? What do you hope to take from
this process into your teaching career? What connections can you make to class? What
similarities and differences occurred by interviewing a student and a teacher? What are your
lessons learned from this experience?
8. Refer to the grading rubric to see that all requirements are met and make revisions if necessary.
9. Submit the completed interview to Blackboard.
10. Follow up after you have completed this interview with an email, phone call, written note or in
person expressing your thanks to this student and teacher for taking the time to share his/her
experience and expertise.

Student Interview:
 Student’s Name_______________________________________ Grade Level ________
 School District_______________________________________
 District website address________________________________
 Date of interview_________________ by phone? ____ in person? _____
 Relationship to interviewee: (describe and explain)

1. How do you learn best?

2. What helps you learn?
3. What gets in the way of your learning?
4. Why do you find it more difficult to learn certain things?
INTERVIEWS 2

5. What encourages you to work harder at your learning?

6. How do you know if you have succeeded in learning something?
7. What advice would you give to someone like me who is thinking about becoming a teacher?
8. (Add a question of your own; what do YOU want to know that wasn’t covered in any of the
above questions?)
9. Add some notes regarding your personal response to the experience in your writing notebook as
soon as you leave (while the information is fresh in your mind).

Teacher Interview:
 Teacher’s Name______________________________________
 School District_______________________________________
 District website address________________________________
 Date of interview_________________ by phone? ____ in person? _____
 Relationship to interviewee: (describe and explain)

1. Before I ask you more specific questions about the teaching profession, please share your
background as a teacher?
a. Degree and location?
b. Years of experience? _________
c. Grade levels/subjects taught? _________
2. How and when did you decide to enter teaching?
3. Who or what helped you choose to remain a teacher?
4. During your first year as a teacher, what were some of the rewards and/or challenges?
5. For you, what are the most exciting aspects of the work?
6. If you could start over, what would you do differently?
7. To ensure student success how do you develop a good working relationship with students and
their families?
8. What, if any, are your professional obligations after the school day is over?
9. How do you know you are successful with student learning?
10. What is the importance of collaboration in your professional learning community?
11. What advice would you give to someone like me who is in an early stage of the teacher education
process?
12. (Add a question of your own; what do YOU want to know that wasn’t covered in any of the
above questions?)
13. Add some notes regarding your personal response to the experience in your writing notebook as
soon as you leave (while the information is fresh in your mind).

After completing all steps above, type the demographic information (including your connection
to the interviewee), questions, and answers. Following the questions and answers include a well-
developed response to the interview experience. Include your thoughts, explanations, and
connections to class. The reflection part should be approximately two pages organized in the
following parts:
A. What did you learn by interviewing a student?
B. What did you learn by interviewing a teacher?
C. What comparisons/contrasts appeared in the two interviews?
D. What connections to class can you make from the interviews?
E. Overall lessons learned/conclusion
 INTERVIEWS 3

Grading Rubric:

5–A 4-B 3-C 2-D 1- F

Exemplary Proficient Basic Progressing Underdeveloped
The assignment The assignment The basic elements The assignment is Multiple parts of the
contains all of the contains all of the of the assignment developing but not assignment are
required elements elements in a final, are there but the yet at a level that missing or
and is of the highest well-developed final product needs could be considered incomplete.
quality. final product. development and basic.
depth.

I. All demographic information regarding interviewees is included, explain relationship.

5 4 3 2 1

II. All questions asked and thoroughly reported in final document; follow up questions used to gather
details.
20 16 12 8 4

III. Personal response and reaction is clear, concise, and well-developed regarding the experience.
Identify what you thought, explain, and make connections to class.
15 12 9 6 3

IV. Professional Presentation of final project prepared and presented on time.

a. Grammar, mechanics, APA, appearance.
10 8 6 4 2

Total Points Earned: _________

Points Possible: ___50___

Sources:
Flutter, J. & Rudduck, J. (2004). Consulting pupils: What’s in it for schools? p. 4.
Marshall, S. P. (2006). The power to transform: Leadership that brings learning and schooling
to life. p. 125.