Interview with the Vice Principal

Me: What is your background?

Ms. Ringso:  I was at Steel High for 19 years, in administration for the last four.  Even before I officially held the title of administration, I was fulfilling those duties.  I was the head of my math department after five years.

Me:  I'm interested in teaching in an urban environment.  What are some of the differences that you see between LD and here?

Ms. R:  Really, kids are still kids to me.  I did have to take a sabbatical after 10 years.  Really the only thing I could say is that at Steel High the kids are more needy.  Their more forthcoming with their issues, whereas here a kid will sit quietly and not yet you know anything is going on.

Student:  You said you had to take a sabbatical after 10 years.  Why was this?

Ms R:  Urban education.  As I said the kids are very needy.  It wears you down.

Me:  What made you decide to become a prinicipal?

Ms. R: I wanted a change.  And, I decided to move to LD in order to do that.  It was hard to change the relationships I already formed with some of the teachers.  The disciplinary aspect was the only thing I lacked coming in.

Me: By discipline you mean when students are sent to you.  I wonder do you view teacher's badly if they send you students often?  Some of my young teacher friends adopt a zero tolerance policy in their classrooms and often send students out.

Ms. R: If a teacher sends me students often, they are completely taking the power out of their own hands.  By sending students out, they put me in control of their classroom.  So yes, I do view a teacher negatively if I'm constantly seeing their students.  Your friends, do they get into trouble?

Me: It depends on the situation.  My one friend, yes.  My other friends walks with her students to the office to call their parents.

Student:  Could you tell us a little about your first year of teaching? 

Ms.R:  My first year of teaching was an amazing experience.  My student teaching was like here, not challenging.  The kids just sat quietly in their little rows.  I got a job in Texas 20 miles from the border of Mexico.  My classroom was in a little trailer with no air conditioning and no anything.  All of my kids were Hispanic.  And, I just made it work.

Me:  Do you speak Spanish?

Ms. R:  I learned.  It's amazing I took German all through school and do not remember a word of it.  When I adopted our son from Mexico, I had to spend some time there and just picked up the language.  I guess if you're just plopped into an environment you pick it up.  I can't read or write Spanish, but I can speak it.

Me:  I speak restaurant Spanish.

Ms. R: What restaurant do you work in?  Have you taught before?

Me:  I was a bartender in Philadephia at this place called that had a beer, wine, and cheese fermentation school.  I helped teach classes there on those products. 

Ms. R: Do you commute then?

Me: Oh no. I do still work in a restaurant with an extensive wine list.  But like you, I felt I had to make a move to change careers.

Ms. R:  And what is your subject?

Me: English.  But I'm thinking of trying to become triple certified in Math, English,and Social Studies.  I sort of feel like Math and English are similar subjects.

Ms. R: That's really interesting.  I've never heard anyone say that before.  How are they similar?

Me: Well, certain books have a lot of math as a part of the plot.  The way that I read is sort of mathematical.  Some the students I'm tutoring see English as this blank page, so I try to sort of plot it out for them and give them a map for their writing.

Ms. R.: Interesting.  I was really into English in high school and then got into Math in college.  I've never thought about them as similar fields. 

Me: Maybe I'm just a huge dork.  Are there any initiatives you'd like to begin here - technology, math, etc?

Ms. R: Math has always been my thing.  So I will concentrate on bolstering that area.  I have some things in mind.

Me:  What makes good teacher?  When you think about the best teachers here, what do they do?

Ms. R:  I'll think about the best teachers at my old school.  As I've said, engaging lesson plans, pedagogy, variety.  For urban education not so much here, rituals and routines are really important.  Kids need to know what to expect.  In our learning focused school here, we begin every day with the essential question, and that should be wrapped up nicely at the end of the lesson.

Me: Do you interview potential teaching candidates?

Ms. R: Some, yes.

Me: What do you look for in a strong candidate?

...we ran out of time