BetterLesson Interviews Christine Ranney on Teaching

Christine Ranney teaches 7th grade reading at MATCH Public Charter School in Boston, MA.  Read our interview with her below and sign up or login to check out her detailed and rigorous curriculum materials.

1. Why teach?
Selfishly, I teach because I dont believe there's a more dynamic field for me. Teaching allows me to use my creativity, problem solving and critical thinking skills every day. There are few places I feel more alive than in a classroom. And, of course, I teach because I believe that there is great disparity in how education is allocated in our country. Having been the first in my family to graduate from college, largely due to the influence of a few key teachers and leaders, I believe that teaching is a responsibility.

2. What would you be if not a teacher?
Travel writer.. or an astronaut.. or both!

3. What do you do to optimize student engagement in class?
I spend a lot of time getting students psyched for the next book we're reading. We do everything from wrapping up books as presents (and unwrapping them layer by layer based on pre-reading questions we ask about the text) to simply telling them that the next book might be too much of a challenge (Theres nothing more motivating, after all, than telling an ambitious middle schooler that they  might not be able to do something!)

4. Coffee, tea, or caffeine-free?
Always coffee

5. Describe your classroom management style in a few sentences.
We have a pretty clear set of rules and consequences as a school. Having a clear point and demerit system that is consistent in all classes helps maximize learning. I also thinking that looping with my students and continuing to build relationships helps quite a bit.

6. Favorite Cartoon/TV/Movie Teacher:
Joe Clark, hands down.

7. Favorite Book to teach:
To Kill a Mockingbird and anything by Ray Bradbury

8. Is teaching a science or art?
In part, I think that teaching is both a science and an art. There are certain moves in the classroom that are proven to work and those can be taught and practiced. Moreover, theres a science to creating objectives that are measurable and assessing whether your students have mastered content. Yet, there is another element that feels like an art. The creativity required to teach a lesson effectively by manipulating the various parts in a way that works and invest students in what they're learning is a craft. A well executed lesson feels much like a performance, both for students and teacher.