Interview With A Teacher

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Norman Norman was recommended by his assistant principal to participate in this study. Norman received his Bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University. Like Karen, he also holds a Master’s Degree in Middle Grades Education. I interviewed Norman at his school on August 4, 2015 and again on August 11, 2015. He was casually dressed, average height with an athletic build. As we discussed how he came into the teaching field, I was reminded that his appearance resembled that of a golfer. Although teaching was his second career, at the time of this research, he had 15 years of experience in education. Prior to becoming a teacher, he was a real-estate broker. According to Norman, when the real-estate market declined, he decided on substitute…show more content…
He described his work as a substitute teacher this way, “I enjoyed being around the kids. The more I stayed, the more I found that I enjoyed it”. Over the past 10 years, Norman and I attended several of the same district led meetings and professional developments. These encounters revealed his commitment to professional growth and development. We met in a shared planning room at his school for both interviews. The interruption of a colleague during our interview, illustrated a shared mutual esteem. Similar to Karen, Norman serves as a teacher-leader in his building. He also supports the teachers at his school with mathematics instruction in his role as the Mathematics Department Contact. According to Norman, his delight for supporting his colleagues and students gives him a sense of empowerment. He stated “when you become a teacher-leader and other teachers come by just to talk to you and rely on what you say, that helps you build relationships with faculty and students”. When asked about the secrets to his success he shared, “Relationship building, and working hard to make myself happy with what I am
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