First Day!

The big day is tomorrow.  I can't believe how fast the summer flew by!  The first day is like anything else, I had so many grandiose plans, and many of them came to fruition, but many of the details didn't.  It's time to let these little things go, take a sigh of relief and know that tomorrow is going to be fabulous.  I'm so excited!

This is what I wrote in my journal this morning:

I can feel myself click-clicking up the track, my descent just visible beyond the edge of my cart.  My heart rate is increasing, my mind is a blur.  This ride is surely going to have it's ups and downs, but I have my trusted colleagues at my side...  We round the top of the track and here we go!

Attendance Cards :)

Two Sided Attendance Cards

I've Been a Busy Girl

After putting transmission fluid in my car--oh yes I'm that BA--I've completed my set of classroom labels.  Let me know if you have any requests for others :)


Classroom Labels Part 2

More Labels

Ok, so these labels need a little explaining.  The first is for a file bucket that I have students add work to that they are proud of.  The second is for my puzzle corner.  I am going to post a riddle or problem on a whiteboard every week and give prizes to the kiddos that figure it out first.


More Classroom Labels

Cute Classroom Labels

Part 1: Library, Social Studies, Science, Art

Classroom Labels

Classroom Library Label

Classroom Library Label Library Checkout

Student Planner

Weekly Student Planner

New Classroom Poem

New Classroom

“New” is a relative term, of course.

For it’s walls all but whisper the stories of thousands of children.

Surrounding me, they watch with wise silence as I bustle about,

Sticking them with pins, and staples and covering them with brilliant shades of paper.

They practically sigh as I hang my welcome sign.

But it is my new classroom and I love it so.

It could be that it is simply that it belongs to me that makes it so irresistibly delightful,

But, no.  It is something else…

Some ancient glow that is hidden deep within the heart of this classroom.

A love for children so deep that only a building built for that purpose can know.

And it seems to accept me.

Welcomes me into this new world,

And takes me under it’s wing like a mentor. 

That woody pungent smell is beginning to smell like home.

At first sight I saw the potential in this dusty, forsaken, aged room.

Like a premonition I saw it sparkling clean, bustling with children,

Purposeful and happy once again.

Now, as the day draws nearer I draw comfort from this space,

This home I have built for people I don’t yet know.

I can feel my new classroom glowing with pride and,

like me, waiting with anxious pleasure.

~Ronee Treadwell 

Sleep Bulletin Boarding?

Ok, so weird story...  You know that stray push pin that seems to have fallen into the black abyss of nowhereland?  Well, in the middle of the night last night, after a long day of putting up bulletin boards, the aforementioned push pin turned up in my hand whilst I was sleeping.  Not stabbing my hand, but snuggled up in my hand like some treasured object.  How it got there?  I have no idea... My shirt?  My hair?  Baffles me.  Guess it's one of the mysteries of being a teacher...

14 Days and Counting... :O

There are exactly two weeks until I meet my first (real) class.  I have never felt so excited/exalted/anxious/terrified.  I feel prepared but that pessimistic part of me that is always doubtful is nagging in the back of my mind.  Luckily, I drown it out with all the work there is to be done, large and small.  On that note, I found some great resources and blogs I would like to share:

Student Teaching Notes

I was going through some old things getting myself organized for the upcoming year and found this note from student teaching (an observation of many teachers I had experienced):

It is impossible to be an effective, responsive educator if you love your curriculum more than you love your students.  Curriculum should is meant to get the students from one place to another, but if you don't meet them where they are, you will never pick them up.  Curriculum should never be set in stone.

Application Secrets

I have finally landed that ideal full-time permanent teaching job!  I feel so blessed to have been teaching every year since I graduated.  It really is incredible.  I recently had a friend ask me how I manage to keep getting teaching jobs in this tough market.  So, here are all my secrets!

Honestly, I attribute most of my success to my flexibility in location.  I applied to any and all jobs in Oregon because, luckily, my husband and I were willing and able to move anywhere.  Flexibility didn't carry me through applications and interviews, though, so here is my advice regarding the application process:

Applications

• Be flexible. Maybe you have to commute for a year, or move outside your ideal area, but if you want to teach that may be what you have to do.
• Be professional.  Use nice paper (I use linen resume paper for my whole application packet), print and staple cleanly, have accurate spelling and grammar, write clearly and neatly, etc.
• Make an impact in as few words as possible.  I print the following on a sheet of nice linen paper (white or cream) and scrapbook glue it on the front of my nice linen application folder (blue or black).  I print the word cloud that follows on nice linen paper and scrapbook glue it on the back.  For applications that have an online element I include another piece that says "supplementary materials to online application."  I also include a list of highlights or "summary of qualifications" on my resume before I go into detail (below).

• • Highly proficient in technology integration, instruction, and application including building websites, SMART Board use, instructional websites, blogs, and more. (Example websites)
• • Experience teaching 60 third grade students with a team of two co-teachers.
• • Over 1,200 hours volunteer experience in eleven schools in six cities with students from grades kindergarten through college including a grade-blended classroom, as well as additional experience working with children and adults in bicycle motocross.
• • Trained in instruction for diverse learners including Talented and Gifted students, students with Learning Disabilities, students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and English Language Learners.
• • Trained in the use and/or administration of DIBELS, running records, GLAD, SIOP, and many reading and writing programs such as Lucy Calkins, Phonics for Reading, Read Naturally, etc.
• • Skilled at visual and performing arts, trained in visual and performing arts instruction and integration.
• • Trained in differentiation, project-based learning, the Storyline method, and open-ended questions.
• • Some American Sign Language and French.
• • First Aid/CPR certified.
• Stand out.  I go over and above and try to stand out in every way possible, I begin with the cover and word cloud.  I also include copies of a narrative writing sample and educational philosophy statement that demonstrate my writing ability.  If you write songs include sheet music, if you're an artist include a picture of an original work, etc.  When I really want to go over and above I include an edited DVD of myself teaching.
• Demonstrate your organizational skills.  I'm not sure that this makes a difference but I always put the items in my folder in the order they are requested on the job posting.
• Make everything you've done sound amazing.  Under book store job duties, instead of "cashier:" Assisted people of various ages from all over the world in the finding and purchasing of textbooks and other supplies. 

Interviews

• Prepare, prepare, prepare.  Have your mom, your significant other, co-workers, etc. drill you with interview questions.  After any interview write down the questions they asked and take notes about the good and bad of your answers to prepare for the next interview.  I go over interview questions in my head as I drive to the interview (especially the ones that come up most often: Tell me about yourself, describe your behavior management system, how will you develop your classroom climate, and how can parents and volunteers be utilized in the classroom?)
• Leave early enough to give yourself extra time to drive around the city in which you are applying.  Find good things about the city for that inevitable question about why you want to teach in that area.  This also is helpful in the dreadful case that there is an accident, construction, etc. etc.
• Dress appropriately. Duh.
• Come overly prepared.  See Application Portfolio.  You may not always use the items in your portfolio, but preparing the portfolio helps to organize your thoughts and is proof of your dedication and organizational skills.  Also, I use my portfolio as a last minute cram session before the interview.
• Relax.  These are normal people just looking for the right person to come along.  Laugh, joke, smile, and be yourself.  It sounds hard but I just try to think about the different zany/mellow/creative/kind/caring teachers and principals I've worked with before and imagine these to be the same.  It's more about the connection than all of the pedagogical strategies you can regurgitate.

So, there it is.  This is all the "secrets" I can think of for getting a teaching job as a beginning teacher.  Hope you find something useful :)

Powerful Article

This article, by Ron Berger, is one of those well-needed bits of inspiration.  He postulates that excellence is a culture and a climate, not a quality of children.  He paints a picture of his classroom as we all dream ours to be, one of empowering and impressive student effort with a culture of respect.  He also describes a case-study, detailing one newcomer's change from obstinate and full of school hatred to open and willing to work his hardest (though sometimes still difficult).  I love these examples of teachers doing the true work of a teacher.  Take the time to read it, it's worth it.

Fostering an Ethic of Excellence

The Beginning

"It is how you begin that is the most important."

~ Plato

Attention First Year Teachers!

I have recently finished The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide by Julia G. Thompson and I feel indebted to this book.  From rubrics to delivering effective instruction to mistakes to avoid, this book covers it all.  Sure, some things were a bit redundant from my teacher education program, but out of the 420ish pages I found most of the information relevant and helpful.  Check it out.

Great booklet for first year teachers: The First Days: Survival Skills for the First Year Teacher

Teaching Portfolio

Finally, I got that ever-ellusive permanent teaching job!  I contribute my success largely to the building of my portfolio.  I used this to illustrate important points of my interview, to organize my thoughts, and to demonstrate my organizational skills.

Contents:

• 3-5 Copies of my resume
• 3 Copies of my letter of intent/cover letter
• 2 Copies of each letter of recommendation I've ever gotten in clear protective sleeves
• 2 Copies of my education philosophy statement
• 2 Copies of my teaching license
• Test scores
• Transcripts
• Examples of classroom expectations, ground rules and behavior management steps
• A six-week curriculum overview (fifth grade because that's my ideal)
• Pictures of my budding classroom and professional development library
• Business cards in business card sleeves
• Copies of my tutoring fliers

Additional:

• Example interview questions to practice
• Two work sample curricula (one first grade poetry unit and one fifth grade landform unit)

Funny Reference to Teachers Who Have Been Doing the Same Old Thing for Years

"When you're ripe, you rot; and when you're green, you grow." One-Minute Discipline by Arnie Bianco.

Super Sentences

This chart was from a unit on super powers.  We did an expository piece on the super powers students would choose, then made a creative writing piece (students had a choice between making a comic or standard story).  This was just one step along the way.

Rotational Symmetry

What's better than combining art and math!?  Just cut out a thin shape out of cardstock, punch a brad through the shape and a small piece of paper, turn and trace.  So easy, cheap, and looks fab (not to mention illustrates the concept fabulously).  Thanks to my co-teacher for the idea.

My First Attempt at the Scottish Storyline Method!

Scottish Storyline Method... Love It!!  Check out the book (very informative, few pics):

I've used other's storylines before, and loved it but this year I took my first shot at creating my own storyline.  The premise: (You'll have to excuse the fact that the students are running a pretend candy factory.  My excuse: We found a "healthier alternative to sugar," AND students find it very motivating).  The students run a candy factory and we've discovered a new species of sugar cane called the candy flower which offers a healthier alternative to sugar.

ODE Standards Covered:

Persuasive writing

EL.03.WR.27 Write brief reports:  Include observations and information from two or more sources. Use diagrams, charts, or illustrations that are appropriate to the text.

3.2L.1 Compare and contrast the life cycles of plants and animals.

SS.3.19. Identify and compare different ways of looking at an event, issue, or problem.

SS.3.20. Identify how people or other living things might be affected by an event, issue, or problem.

SS.03.CG.03 Identify ways that people can participate in their communities and the responsibilities of participation.

SS.03.EC.01 Understand that limited resources make economic choice necessary.

SS.03.GE.01 View and draw simple maps and pictures to locate, describe, and show movement among places.

3.16. Describe the relationship between producers and consumers.

3.17. Explain the issue of scarcity to personal, community, regional, and world resources.

3.4D.1 Identify a problem that can be addressed through engineering design, propose a potential solution, and design a prototype.

The Frieze (ever-changing of course):

In this episode the candy flower crop is being plagued by too many bugs.  Students as small groups have to find a solution to the problem.  Our solution: bringing in mongoose, spring-boarding a discussion on invasive species.  Each week one student's product is selected as the best selling product and is given a billboard on the frieze, a certificate for the student, and a class money bonus.

Photos:

 The candy flower crop diagram, life cycle of a candy flower, the employee and product handbook and my ridiculous hat (Dr. Candi B. Goode, lol).

Wanted poster for the Boll Weevil which is destroying the candy flower crop.

More to come....

Yearning

I know you know the feeling...  I have never wanted anything more than having my own class.  As my current temporary position soon ends I've begun the applying process again...  I just hope I can find the right place for me.  My goal: turn my longing into the most persuasive interview ever witnessed.  It's a long road ahead, and previously well trodden.  It's like that stretch of I-5 I know so well.  It's familiar and yet not a place I want to be...  I simply pray for the chance to have my own space to make a difference.

HUMOROUS BIO!? WHAA?

I am in the process of applying for a job that required a "humorous, creative, informative bio."  First I hastily left my computer, instantly overwhelmed with the thought and underwhelmed with the number of ideas I had.  Too cliche...boring...childish.  Turns out, I'm not funny.  But, I still managed to scrape up an ok humorous bio (or so I think).

You know that adult woman you see buried in the children’s section at the bookstore laughing out loud as she reads and keeps sorting and resorting books into the “to buy” and “save for later” piles?  That’s me, nice to meet you.  What you don’t know about me:

I had a thirty-minute conversation with a student about the history of videogame consoles this week.

I once read an entire professional development book in a day, when my husband asked what class it was for I was confused.

I think talking to oneself is a very efficient strategy for many things.

I’m an ounce of clever a pound of quirky (which I find comes in handy when working with children).

My motto: Will sacrifice sleep for success.

I truly know everything (according to my husband) but, of course, modestly disagree.

I watch kid movies and call it research.

Rumor has it on the day of my birth the world did not change, though I like to think otherwise.

I race bicycle motocross.  (No, that one’s serious).

I collect post-its, bins, totes, and any other item that could be confused with an organizer.

I enjoy astonishing those with limited perspectives.

If list making were an Olympic Sport I would for sure be at least a bronze medalist (see, modest again).

I take serious joy from working with over 60 kids every day.

I got the interview for this job, but had already accepted another!

"Did you Know?"

Outdated, but still incredible:

Loved this organizational tidbit.  In my student teaching my cooperating teacher had a writing folder for each student.  On one pocket there was a label that had a stop sign and said "STOP! I'm finished."  On the other pocket it had a green dot and said, "Go!  I'm still working."  I loved this idea but now I have something to add, a little tip I got from the Write Tools e-mail list call it: "The Little Red Writing Folder!" Cute and the kids will remember!

Check out The Write Tools!

Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss was a pretty amazing guy tackled HUGE themes in a way students could relate to and understand.  (You may have seen this on Facebook).

Very memorable eyelashes

As I was walking in Thriftway I saw one of my students bounding along with her mother.  I waved and she gave me a puzzled look for a moment.  "Oh!  Mrs. T!"  She ran over and gave me a big hug.  "I almost didn't recognize you outside of school, but then I recognized your glasses and your eyelashes."  I guess my eyelashes are very memorable.  (Not to mention visible from far away :)  Gotta love working with children.

Recreate

This pseudo-first year has been the most difficult year of my life despite the support of my two co-teachers.  Between screaming parents, unbelievable behavior, and students with baffling academic challenges, this year has been more than enough to make a lot of newbies quit.  And how do you go home, let it all go, and return the next day with a purpose and a smile on your face, knowing it's a new day and your best chance to make a difference?

A professor and brilliant educator once said "the most important thing you can do as an educator is to recreate."  He used this as a sort of double entendre: utilizing both meanings re-create (to create again) and recreate as in recreation (a activity done for enjoyment).  Things are always more eloquently stated by their original founder, but here is my interpretation.  Your passion for teaching is like a fire.  Right now it is fed by youthful enthusiasm, injustice, love of children, creativity, desire to change the world... etc. etc.  Some day along the line there will come a day when you tire, children treat you with disrespect despite your efforts, you work in a school where your creativity is stifled because of a emphasis on closing the gap, or whatever the case may be.  Your fire will dim, and it is your job to know how to rekindle that fire.  Recreate.  Recreate the passion and feed the fire: find others like you and join a discourse community, go camping, read a book in the sunshine, walk on the treadmill, drink a margarita with your girls, whatever it is that makes you happy and rekindles your fire.  The work will always be there, and no matter how proactive you are, it will never be done (if you are a true educator), so take a moment to take care of yourself.

Let me use another metaphor.  On an airplane the stewardess that gives the safety spiel always says this (or some form of this): "Mothers, put your oxygen mask on first.  Your child cannot take care of him or herself in the event that something happens to you, so take care of yourself first and then you can be assured of your child's safety."  The same is true in education.  We can work ourselves to the very bone staying up all night and working weekends, keep ourselves propped up with caffeine, and become estranged from our family and friends but this pace can't keep up forever, and you and your students will suffer.  So take the time to recreate.  Our students need passionate, rested, enthusiastic educators in their classrooms.  This advice has kept me alive and enthusiastic this year.

Thank you Dr. Ronald Beghetto

Keep at it, your time will come!

After submitting well over 150 applications in cities all over from tiny to huge, low income to high, desirable and undesirable, I finally landed my first teaching job.  And while it is not the traditional first year teaching position, I am excited about the possibilities.  (In case you are wondering, I will be team teaching a third grade class that has 56 students).  For next year's application process, as interview questions go for behavior management, it can't get much better than describing a behavior plan for 56 students.

Another Gem

Oh, another one of those days.  One of those days where teaching seems to be the hardest, most thankless thing in the world to do.  On the humorous side, a quote from a student's behavior plan today under 'apology': "I don't do apologies."

"Check Out These Buns!"

Yesterday was one of those days where it was necessary to stop everything and regroup, reteach, and reflect.  But in the moment where I felt like pulling my hair out because everything seemed to be going wrong, I was reminded why I love working with children it the STRANGEST way.  During this classroom meeting one student was sharing a mistake he made that day and this is what he said in the most lamenting voice:
"Today at lunch I took my hamburger buns and put them on my butt and yelled, 'look at these buns!'"
I don't know why but this comment caught me hilarious, but I couldn't stop laughing.  I laughed, my kids laughed, and then we had a serious conversation about what is appropriate at school and what is not.  Ok, so this seems like a weird moment for my career choice to be reaffirmed, but...  In this moment I simultaneously realized that kids are hilarious and I love working with them, and it became clear that the kids appreciated that I'm human.  I may have made a mistake, but it brought me closer to my students.  Always a give and take.

Words of Wisdom

“However, on better days, days when I had designed lessons that channeled rather than suppressed their fitful energy, or when I found some way to coax them to share their real stories—I  glimpsed the classroom life that was meant to be.”

P 22 Bill Bigelow The New Teacher Book

Really Good Stuff

For those who don't already know about it, reallygoodstuff.com really does have just that: really good stuff for teachers.

Organization tips from the pros.

Another idea I plan on stealing from my masterful co-teachers: make-up work folders.  After doing attendance the teachers or the students put "green folders" on the desks of the students who are absent.  Throughout the day missed work is placed in the green folders for the absent students.  It's waiting on their desk when they return!  Tip: pick up folders and other supplies at Staples during the summer for huge discounts!

How is it that we don't know about these things!

Studyjams.com!  Sing-along songs, videos, lessons, and more by scholastic for math and science by subject.  GOLD MINE!

Words of wisdom

Words of wisdom from my co-teachers: "You cannot make a child behave, you can only make him or her want to behave."

AND

"You get what you notice, so point out the positive."  Live by these words.  I've seen the truth in them.  We caught ourselves dwelling on the negatives of our very challenging class last week, made an adjustment to notice the positive and it's been a much better week!  It really does work!

Glogster! So cool!

Glogster is a great resource for so many things: class posters, webquests, student projects, etc.  Check out this Iditarod Webquest on Glogster for inspiration!

Try it, it will change your world!

Cartooning!

Ok, so it sounds silly, doubt it all you want, but please try it.  I had my doubts, too.  As I said before one of the books I am currently reading is called Make it Visual in the Classroom.  This book has really changed the way I think about thinking and learning.  It has also supplied me with the most valuable tool I've found yet--cartooning as an anticipatory set and as a teaching tool.  It's so simple.  It feels awkward at first, but my co-teachers and I were blown away by the attentiveness it supplies.  I had the rapt attention of an entire class of nearly 60 students.  You could've heard a pin drop.  All it takes: a clean sheet of white printer paper divided into eight sections, select a story in your life that illustrates and creates background and meaning for the lesson you are about to teach.  (I.e. I told a story about a time when someone broke into my car and I got angry for a lesson on anger management, and a story about going to the zoo and noticing that things come in groups--legs on animals--for a lesson on multiplication).  It takes just a few minutes and gives meaningful background to the lesson, creating a framework for students to begin thinking about the topic.  The illustrations should be simple and quick, they just need to show the idea.  Even better, the kids can learn this process.  I've also begun to use it with students that have a hard time visualizing themselves behaving appropriately (below).

Must Read Series

For teachers new and experienced, the Strategies for Teaching Series by the Northeast Foundation for Children is the single most valuable piece of professional development literature I've read thus far (and I'm an avid reader).

My New Favorite Tool

I've been Reading Apricot Inc.'s Make it Visual in the Classroom (recommended to me by my principal), and it inspired me to start using a picture dictionary for practically everything.  I made the tool my own and since I've used it for small math groups, my reading groups, social studies, literature circles, and practically everything else.  The most amazing thing--the students use them!  They refer back when they need a wow word or need to remember how to spell something.  Plus they love adding words to their picture dictionary.  Add as many or as few pages, make it a book or just use the word sheet, double sided or single... I'm loving it.  Steal it, love it, make it your own.

A Bone to Pick

Recently my blog and I were referenced thus: "She's a brand new teacher, and reading things from teachers who are fresh and shiny reminds you of the wonderful things you forgot about as the system hardens you."  While I think this was intended as a compliment, and I am thankful for the recognition, it brought up some feelings that have been stirring in me since I stepped into my first classroom as a student teacher.


I worked with many teachers during my undergraduate and graduate degree, a select few of which welcomed my fresh idealism, new ideas, and sweet naiveté with open arms, hoping to glean some new ideas, modern information, and inspiration from my fresh outlook on education.  These teachers, from what I've seen, tend to be the ones who have kept up on the newest research, are using modern best practices in their classrooms, and have not lost the desire to educate the whole child, not just prepare him or her for a test.  As I said, though, these are a select few.  I encountered many more teachers stuck way down in a rut they have trodden into a canyon that they could no longer find their way out of.  These teachers scoffed at my idealism, and brushed it off with an, "oh, you'll learn once your a real teacher."  And I have learned.  I have learned that their are still teachers that are fighting the good fight, still teachers that care about children and not tests, still teachers that use best practices behind closed doors, teachers that still have ideals, values, and a hope for the future.


When I run into these naysayers I simply shake my head and move on, taking my inspiration and motivation from innovators like those at Rethinking Schools, those involved with the Harlem Children's Zone, the Northeast Foundation for Children, and so many more.  New teachers, keep your head held high.  Don't let the patronizing and negativity lead you to believe that there is no room for idealism in education.  Where would we be without visionaries, researchers, and teachers who are willing to take a risk to better education?

Favorite Teacher Pages

As a first year teacher I get a lot of inspiration and ideas from other teachers, and blogs and class websites are a great way to do that!  Here are some of my favorites!

First Grader... At Last! by Sarah Cooley

Teacher of the Fricken Year! by Rosie Kaplan

Mrs. Shannon's First Grade Class

Mrs. Dunning's Fairytale

Mrs. McBride's First Grade Class

Planet Esme

Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits (kudos for the alliteration :)

And my very favorite:

The Learning Pad

Testing or torture?

Every day for the past three weeks I've watched my intensive reading group struggle through the state reading test.  During the painstakingly long process they have been missing out on much needed reading and math instruction to work on a test that would be the equivalent of an adult taking a test in a language unfamiliar to him or her.  They leave the computer lab with a bleak contentment with having completed another story.  Prior to testing I have been instructed to teach them "testing skills" rather than language, reading strategies, an appreciation for reading, or even phonics.  More instruction missed.  And when we do get to reading we work in our mandated curriculum, reading leveled readers that make so little sense that I struggle coming up with meaningful comprehension questions let alone questions that inspire higher order thinking.
But, the testing will determine our school's fate so we keep investing every moment in passing the test.  What has happened to education?  I watch as schools cut recess, P.E., art, our school has limited social studies, science, and health down to one half hour block per week.  At least we still have P.E. every day, that's more than most schools can say.  We are stripping all the joy from education and wondering why we have so many behavior problems...

Check out this article from the Oregonian by Sally Angaran.

Learning from experience... Interviews

Some important advice that I think got me the position I am in today.

Go the extra mile (and a half): One reason I was selected for the position is because I made it extremely clear that I was not lazy.  I had two fully developed units from two different grades with pre- and post-assessment data and analysis organized in binders, a binder portfolio with normal interview materials (resume, letters of recommendation, letter of application, business cards, transcripts, my teaching license, assessment scores, etc.) plus photos of my classroom library, examples of my classroom expectations, behavior plans, a plan for the first six weeks of school, and a lesson plan I had designed.

Pull out all the stops: Part of the interview process was teaching a lesson in the classroom.  Besides the obvious part of being overly prepared, I also planned to include nearly every teaching tactic I had learned in my training to show off my skills.  This included: positive reinforcements, clear expectations, think pair share, hand signals (when I raise my hands it means think, when I lower them say the answer and point to your temple if you are thinking the same thing), cooperative learning, etc.

Have examples prepared: While I had only student taught I still scraped up examples for every possible interview question I could think of to illustrate my opinions and ideals.  I followed the format of: think, answer, example(s), project to future experiences.

What I could have done better:

Thorough answers:  As a first year teacher it was hard to give thorough answers to questions such as: "What kind of assessments are you prepared to use in your classroom?"  Make sure that you have prepared yourself as much as possible to answer questions such as these.  Read up on new assessment techniques, teaching practices, authors, programs, etc.

Transitions:  I taught a math and a writing lesson and it was brought to my attention that I should have done some sort of physical activity to transition between the activities and get the students ready to switch gears.

Know the school you are applying for:  While I had done a lot of research on the school I hadn't realized the extent to which they depended on direct instruction, which was in contrast to the training I had received.  While I don't think you should lie about your theory of pedagogy, what you say can be adjusted to incorporate both your theory and the theory of the school.