Inquiry Project Topic

I am doing a group project with Mike and Nicole.





Our inquiry project topic will be "What are the struggles of a first year teacher?" and we are also looking to include the "Portrait of a Teacher" and how teachers relate and work towards the goals stated in it. We would like to interview a first year teacher, preferably from Montclair, and talk about all the struggles they face.





Some example questions would be:





As a first year teacher, what have been some of the major issues that you have come across?





Has the "Portrait of a Teacher" helped you to prepare for these struggles, and move forward to overcome them?





What is some of the strongest advice you have received from anyone at Montclair in reference to becoming a teacher?





Have you been able to format a plan to help guide you througout your career?





In the "Portrait of a Teacher" it states a teacher should be able to, "Build relationships with school colleagues, families, and agencies in the community to support students’ learning and well-being, and work to foster an appreciation of diversity among students and colleagues." How have you approached this topic so far?





What or who helps you to deal with the issues you face; and what keeps you going when you are stressed out?








In addition to interviewing a first year teacher, we would also like to interview a teacher that has been in the field for quite some time, also preferably from Montclair, and is able to talk about what exactly helped them get to where they are today.





Some example questions would be:





What was your first year of teaching like? Did you face any major struggles?





In the "Portrait of a Teacher" it states that a teacher should, "Understand how children and adolescents learn and develop in a variety of school, family and community contexts, and can provide learning opportunities that support their students’ intellectual, social, and personal development." What in your experience has helped you work towards this goal?





Is there anything that you changed about your teaching style over the years?





What would be your advice for students working towards becoming a teacher?





We will be working towards figuring out what can help students work towards the goals stated in the "Portrait of a Teacher." By interviewing teachers and collecting data, we will be able to come closer to a conclusion, or at least reach a point that can help us understand what becoming a teacher really means.