Interview
At that moment, she had been standing right behind me because she was in the middle of a few things. She asked me to sit in a waiting area for a few minutes until she was done. She apologized because I had made an appointment, but I understand that things can get very crazy at a learning center, so I waiting patiently until Kathy came to get me. She had a sense of personal leadership and authority about her since the first second I met her.
As we began talking, I introduced myself as a student at the university. I told her I had an assignment, which was to interview her, as she was the director of the facility. It was based on questions about the curriculum, and she agreed to help me. She was very interested in what the questions would be, and was happy to answer them.
Question One: What curriculum does your center use? Why was it chosen? What strengths does this curriculum bring to your program?
Response: We depend on a creative curriculum in the classroom because it covers all the different domains we follow. There are many activities for children to participate in, and several different areas are covered. Everything is explained thoroughly. The curriculum has thirty-nine objectives, and we make sure to cover everything the child needs based on the system-owner objectives. The objectives cover everything from fine motor skills to social skills. They also allot room for art. English as a Second Language is also a part of the curriculum under the Server Owner Objectives because we have a very diverse population. Some students come to the center speaking little to know English, it is important they learn. The curriculum guides the teacher in both planning activities and carrying them out so they are covering everything that can help the child.
Question Two: Do you have volunteer work?
Response: Yes, we have volunteer work here, but we have to make sure the number of volunteers does not overwhelm the number of students in the classroom. Many schools do not have this issue, but it is important not to overstimulate a child. If you would like to participate in the volunteer work we have here, all you have to do is fill out a form, and we will notify you about what you would be best suited for.
In the end, the area in which I interviewed Kathy turned out to be really irritating. It was hard to concentrate because it was right next to an ‘EXIT’ door. Many of the children and visitors were being noisy, and using the door, which made it almost impossible to focus on her or her answers. I was still able to gain an understanding of what the center does, however, and the role the curriculum plays in the children’s education.
