15 Popular Interview Questions Answered

Answering about the Reasons to become a teacher:

Why would one want to become a teacher?

► Applicant: “I wanted to become a teacher to be able to make a positive difference

on the future of children. For me, it is great/fulfilling challenge: stimulating the next
generation to become lifelong learners. I have always been grateful to the educational
system for implanting values in me and at this juncture, I feel I should contribute what
I have learnt and experienced over the years. This way I will be paying back and at
the same time can fulfill my desire of enhancing the education system.”

Clearly, the applicant seems to be concerned about the present educational system and
by mentioning the word ‘contribute’ he/she states his/her strong sense of motivation
and thus, distinguishes his/her candidature from the rest.
Further, the applicant can state and validate his/her basic interest in the job profile. By
doing so, he/she will catch the interviewer’s attention and the interviewer will
understand that the applicant is aware and interested in the nature of the job profile.

► Applicant: “I can’t think of any job as important to society as teaching. I have

always loved to give young people the best start in life. Interacting with kids is great.
Be it on educational grounds or recreational activities, it is a lot more fun interacting
and learning with kids. As a hobby, I have been giving tutorials to kids at the
neighborhood community center.”

The applicant has been able to put forward his/her reason for interest in the job
profile. ‘I love to interact’ and ‘I have been giving tutorials’ highlight the fact that the
candidate is aware of the intricacies of the job and has some sound experience in the
same.
The applicant can further state his/her skill sets that are the prerequisites for the job in
question.

► Applicant: “I want to be a teacher for developing a new generation of thinking

individuals. Being a goal oriented person with tons of patience, I am sure I will be
able to gel with kids and train them in the required subjects with utmost care and
concern for achieving the educational goals.”

Since being focused on achieving educational goals and being patient are key abilities
that a good teacher must possess, by mentioning these skills, the interviewee finally
wins the heart of the interviewer. Keep in mind all of these points, and be honest and
assertive while answering the question.
Why do teachers want to teach?

Teaching is not just a job, it is a way of life, where you are continuously learning and
being challenged. Adaptability, passion, dedication, and enthusiasm are key skills I
bring to the classroom. I am a confident individual who encourages individualism,
and integration, and this is why I feel I would be a good candidate for the position.

I love children, seeing them experience and achieve things for themselves. Their
inquisitiveness and, how they ask questions about everything and anything. Their
increasing knowledge and ability is, exciting, refreshing and encouraging.

I find the idea of teaching young people exciting, rewarding and challenging, and I
think the ability to adapt and engage with the people you are teaching is key in
creating an environment conducive to learning.

As a volunteer at a primary school many years ago, listening to children read I knew I
wanted to teach - helping them sound out words to read a book showed me that a
small thing had a huge impact and gave the children a great sense of achievement.
Since then I've directed my attention to achieving this, acquiring knowledge and
experience along the way.

The experience i talk about started in my first year at college undertaking work
experience in the college creche to develop my understanding of areas of development
and abilities. I then looked at entering into a primary school and undertook the BP
Tutorship, whilst at the school I became aware of the aims and objectives set by the
teachers and the methods they used within the classroom.

Teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea was a fantastic experience. It

provided an immense amount of knowledge about classroom conduct, planning and
preparation, assessment, and communication. I taught English to people of various
ages from seven years of age with no knowledge of English, to adults some with a
little knowledge, and some with no knowledge of English. It was very challenging but
extremely rewarding in both knowledge, and sentiment.

The children were responsive, innovative, and energetic about learning English, and
this was encouraging for me and the children, learning and teaching became fun. I
experienced a wide variety of reading, speaking, writing and grammatical abilities,
within children of various ages, and I am particularly interested in the effect of
reading in relation to speaking ability in EAL children. This experience provided
great cultural knowledge, and an awareness of difficulties faced by learners of English
as a second or other language, which has proved to be helpful in identifying needs of
learners working in a school with many EAL children.

My enthusiasm and energy for teaching is continuing to grow in my role as a teaching

assistant. The environment in which I am working is exhilarating, and everyone works
as part of a multidisciplinary team to encourage and learn from each other which is
reflected
in the classrooms, and the pupils. The knowledge and experience I gained whilst in
South Korea has proven to be invaluable in my work as a teaching assistant. I am
dealing with many EAL children in my role in groups and on a one to one basis, and I
feel without this knowledge it may be more difficult to determine specific individual
needs.

I have observed children at play, working in small groups, and as a whole class, which
has provided knowledge on behaviour within different situations, and the variety of
learning opportunities, which present themselves in the different settings.

Teaching at the Summer school has broadened my knowledge of changes in abilities

and expectations when progressing from key stage 1 to key stage 2. I was able to
encourage creativity and the imagination of the children, using role-play, stories, and
models; they enjoyed learning in a diverse way. This showed me how effective
questions, and imagination, help children to utilize items more effectively.

I am passionate about reading, its importance and impact on learning ability and
achievement, and I would like to develop a reading group to help focus on language
development, the experience at Summer school encouraged me to continue to pursue
this.

Joining the drama club to support the aspirations of the children taking part, has so far
been extremely encouraging with so many ideas, and so much energy, it's exciting and
stimulating, seeing the children develop and engage in a subject.

Recently I completed a course on learning to teach, aimed at providing knowledge on

a range of teaching, learning and behaviour management strategies and how to use
and adapt these to work effectively across the curriculum.

The course provided an insight into the importance of ways in which people learn,
and the importance of equality of opportunity, and inclusion within education. I
thought the course dealt with many issues, which may occur in the classroom and
helped to develop techniques to deal with these issues. During the course i had to
undertake a presentation to my peer group based on any subject i wished, i used a
variety of resources including the interactive whiteboard, enabling students to actively
participate in the presentation. The presentation for me confirmed my planning had
been accurate, and there were areas where i could improve, i obtained this information
by doing a summative assessment after the presentation, and receiving feedback from
the course tutor.

I have more recently completed a training day on the new maths interventions to be
introduced in our school over the next few months, which are aimed at improving
numeracy standards within the primary school. I found the programs to be clear and
well aimed at improving the standards. The work is exceptionally child friendly and
although it is extra work, I think the children will be able to relate to the content,
which is extremely important to help them visualise and make the connection between
the numbers on a page and their own lives.
I have learned many new things from my experiences, the most important to me being
to encourage individualism and integration, to be adaptable, innovative and creative,
and above all to have fun.

1)  Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Oh, yes, this is the question that is most likely to be asked first. I call it a two minute
commercial about yourself. This is a great opportunity to sell yourself to the school
district representatives. Keep in mind, if it is the first question asked, it will set the
stage for the interview, so it needs to be extremely strong. Don’t be too modest. This
will provide an overview, an introduction, to you. You might start by stating, “As you
can see from my resume….” and then mention your degrees and certifications and
give a quick run down of your relevant experience. The last 1 ½ minutes should be
used to communicate your strengths and skills and what you can do to enhance
education in their district. In other words, they are asking “Why should we hire you?”
Practice this carefully. You need a few sentences that answer that question at the end
of your response. Also, at the end, you may want to mention why you would enjoy
working for the school district in the position for which they are

2)  Let’s pretend it’s almost the first day of school and you are a first grade
teacher. How would you prepare your classroom?

This question tests how well you will manage the classroom. The philosophy is that
the more organized you are, the more well-run your classroom will be.  Don’t give the
panel just a few words… they may be using a checklist to see how many items you
mention.  Plus, as a teacher, you should be very excited about this question and be
able to speak for a while, but limit the response to two minutes.

Your response must provide them with an idea of how nurturing and inviting your
classroom will be to students. Come up with some creative decorating ideas, making
surethey are student-centered.  You could also mention a huge welcome sign, the
daily schedule, age-appropriate posters, name tags for students, labeled desks (how
will they bearranged?) and lockers, a list of class rules/consequences/rewards, and
other labeled areas (e.g., the classroom library, manipulative storage,  computer area),
etc.  Or, mention that you might invite parents and students to visit the classroom the
day before schoolstarts, with the administrator’s permission.  If you have a portfolio
with have pictures of other first days of school, this is a great chance to share them
with the panel.
Next, make it clear that you will have organized the textbooks, your lesson plan book,
your grade book and other materials well before school begins.  Mention several
activities you might include during the first day of school, including an ice-breaker, a
trip to the restrooms, and a fun art project.

The real key to this question is to show your enthusiasm, passion, excellent
organizational skills, and how you will create a warm and captivating environment in
which students will feel safe, where learning will be maximized, so that children will
look forward to coming to school each day.

3) As a grade one teacher, how would you motivate parents to become involved
in the classroom and in their child’s education?

What is critical to communicate in your response to this question is your

understanding of the importance of parental involvement and how you always
encourage participation to strengthen student-teacher-parent relationships. 
(Grandparents can also be encouraged toparticipate.)  Talk about some of the things
that parents can volunteer to do in the classroom, such as: reading with students,
preparing project materials,  creating bulletinboards, sorting materials, setting up
learning centers, hanging up students’ work, etc.

Parental involvement means much more than just attending parent-teacher

interviews.  You must set goals to keep the parents abreast of what is going on in the
classroom.  Youcan communicate that information and ask for volunteers through
weekly or bi-weekly newsletters.  You might inform parents when you are starting a
new unit or specificprojects and make sure they clearly understand the homework
assignments each week.  Make sure that parents are invited to any momentous or
appropriate events.

You should contact or speak to parents not just when a child is having difficulty, but
also when they are doing well.  Tell the hiring panel that you will call parents and
send notes home complimenting students on good behavior. Also mention that you try
to recruit bilingual parents to help with communication as necessary. 

Let the hiring committee know that you coach parents on how they can help their
child succeed academically.  You may have read some resource book(s) to gain ideas
that youcould implement.  If so, let the panel know.  Holding a parent appreciation
lunch or tea to acknowledge those who have helped in the classroom is a great idea. 
Considerattending some of the PTA meetings.  If your portfolio contains any past
newsletters or parental communication letters, make sure you show these to the panel.

4) Are you a flexible teacher? If so, explain how.

Yes I am a flexible teacher. I can deal very effectively with people and students from
all backgrounds and socio-economic groups.  In teaching, I am completely aware that
students have different learning rates and styles. Some are fast learners and some are
slow learners, some learn best in auditory manner, others through actions or visual
media. Still others have specific learning disabilities. I am flexible in the sense that I
addressthese differences and make it a point to respond to their different needs. In my
teaching, I make use of different learning strategies so that my instruction will be
interesting and motivating to students.  I use lecture, discussion, hands-on activities,
cooperative learning, projects, manipulatives, role playing, debates, reports,
technology, and others. (Choose the ones appropriate to the subject and/or grade for
which you are applying.)

5)  What did you find to be the most difficult aspect of student (intern) teaching?

For me, the most difficult part of student teaching is the limited contact hours with
students within one class period (or day). When I teach, I have so much information
that Iwould like to impart to my students that time flies by too fast.  I always go to my
classes full of energy and armed with lessons which I believe will stimulate curiosity
andspark understanding and new insights in my students. There is so much
information that I need to present for them to have a comprehensive understanding of
a concept. Mychallenge is to make sure that I structure my lessons so effectively that
learning takes place in one class period (or day).  So I plan ahead to maximize every
minute of myclass period (or day).

6) What ways do you assess and evaluate students?

In assessing students, I make use of different methods. I use formal and informal
assessment procedures to promote social, academic, and physical development. The
usualassessment that I use is written quizzes (case studies, discussions) and
examinations. Throughout the semester, I also grade and assess students on their class
participationsuch as recitations, reports, group activities, and seat work. I also assess
and grade students based on their completion of assignments and timeliness in
submission. Ialso use authentic/alternative assessments, in which the student shows
they can perform a task, such as making a speech or writing a story. I like to use
written, oral, and day-to-day assessments.

7) What will you do to modify your teaching to meet the needs of a gifted
student?

A gifted student in the midst of the regular students can be a challenge in terms of
addressing his or her particular needs and capabilities. What I will do is to modify his
work assignments in expectation or length to fit his abilities. His tasks will require a
higher level of understanding compared to the regular students. During class
discussions, I can direct questions to him or her that require higher-level thinking
skills. I also wouldencourage the gifted student to take a leadership role in group work
so that his classmates can emulate and be inspired by him. 

8) What would your master teacher or cooperating teacher say about you?
My master teacher would say that I am incredibly energetic in teaching because I love
what I do! She would say that I am the type of person who also goes the extra mile to
help my students learn and comprehend their lessons regardless of their abilities. She
would say that I also try to teach values that are important in life, including the value
of discipline. 

9) What are some of the trends, issues, and methodologies in education that
relate to your specific curriculum area or grade level?

Here are some trends, issues, and methodologies that relate to most subjects and grade
levels. You might say:It seems that increasingly students have more information and
knowledge than ever before due to access to the internet. A teacher has to be aware of
what the internetis, how it can be used in positive ways, and how to protect students
from negative influences on the internet.

It can be a powerful learning tool for students. In addition,technology in general has

changed education greatly. Using computers, videos, and other kinds of technology
makes lessons more interesting and more fun. It also makes iteasier to teach students
with varying needs. A computer with internet access can open the world up to the
classroom.

An issue that is important is teaching to state standards. School time is limited and we
must make the best use of it that we can, so I try to relate every lesson and activityto a
grade level standard.  That keeps me focused on the overarching goal of improving
education and helping children do better academically.

One of the most important methodologies in my opinion is teaching through multiple

intelligences.  Children learn in so many different ways.  I try to reach everyone by
teaching through the senses, using visual, auditory, and sense of touch to impart
information.  When possible, I try to include the senses of taste and smell, too!

10) Do you know what is going on in education today?Do you have a passion for
the profession? In other words, do you stay current?

Here is a possible answer for this question.I love education. I think that it is
imperative to be a lifelong learner when one is a teacher. I plan to continue my
education by (fill in this blank with your own plans).  Technology continues to evolve
into a strategic part of education. Tablet PCs and hand held devices are the newest
gadgets on the market for students to use; the internet isan incredible resource. 
Technology provides interactive, individualized learning experiences, increasing
student engagement and efficiency – in safer and more secureschools.
Multiculturalism and securing equal opportunities for all are important themes in
education.And, of course, teaching to state standards to upgrade student academic
progress is very important.

11) What is your classroom management plan?

My general classroom management plan is to make my classroom feel like a home to
every student. I want them to feel valued, intelligent, safe, and comfortable. I want
them to respect me, the teacher, and each other and to show that respect by treating
everyone with kindness and caring.The class environment must be conducive to
learning so I welcome everyone’s opinions and encourage and respect student
differences. I try to understand the expectationsof my students and make them aware
of my expectations. I always make it a point to clearly communicate my expectations
at the beginning of the school year. In thisway, I ensure that the students and I are
moving toward the same goal – learning for all. I establish firm, but fair and
consistent discipline. I try to maintain a regular schedule each day.  If the classroom is
well-managed and teaching is effective, the participants in this learning environment
will learn, grow, and become responsiblecitizens. 

12) What do you do to accommodate a student with an IEP?

An Individualized Education Plan will be successful if proper coordination and

collaboration are emphasized by the teacher, parents, psychologist, and other school
staff.  I accommodate a student with an IEP by planning a series of in-depth
discussions with the parents to learn about the student’s diagnosis and needs and later
to inform theparents of his progress. This allows me to design an education program
that addresses his specific needs and puts into place special accommodations. I also
will document my own observations and evaluations of the student’s academic work
and behavior. As I gain knowledge and information about the student with the IEP, it
will be easier for me to decide on the lessons and teaching and learning styles I should
use to accommodate his needs and maximize his learning. There are many types of
accommodations, depending on the student’s diagnosis, for example, instructing a
student through the use of manipulatives, providing a seat near the front of the room,
reinforcing positive behavior every few minutes, providing extra time for
assignments, and giving tests orally insteadof in writing.

13) Do you enjoy teaching children?  If so, how would I know if I observed your
class?

What I most enjoy in teaching is hearing my students explain, in their own words,
what they learned in a particular lesson and watching them enjoy participating in a
lesson. When you observe my class, you will see that I get my students engaged in our
discussions and activities. You will see that my students actively participate in each
lesson. I make sure that all of them have a chance to speak, express their thoughts,
and share them with the class. I enjoy how their faces brighten every time I recognize
their efforts to learn by saying, “Very good,” “That’s a great idea,” “Good job,” and
other encouraging phrases. At the end of the lesson, you will hear the students explain
what they learned.  Most of all, you’ll know that I enjoy teaching because the children
in my class look happy.

14) How do you differentiate your teaching? Please provide a couple of examples.
My teaching is unique in the sense that while teaching approach is holistic, it is also
inclusive and individualized. It is holistic because I not only share knowledge with my
students, but I also elicit knowledge from them. For instance, when I was teaching
mathematics, I didn’t simply teach formulas and methods of solving mathematical
problems. I also explained to my students the value of understanding numbers and the
great things we can use math for, such as the ability to think logically. I include all
students in my lessons.  For those who have difficulty, I use cooperative learning,
peer tutors, and re-teaching techniques. I attend to the individual needs of the students
by modifying assignments. For example, when I had a group of gifted children in my
class, Iregularly gave them special assignments to work on that would stimulate
higher level thinking skills and had them present their work to the class. 

15) What can you contribute to our school community/teaching team?

I am the type of teacher who shares with my peers the classroom experiences that I
have had, whether good or bad. I do this because I believe that this the best way for
meand other teachers to improve our teaching. In this way, I get to share with them
the best of my skills and, in return, they share with me the best of their skills. I also
findthat this is a very good way to learn how to handle situations that are difficult or
unusual. The feeling of not being alone, but being part of a team of teachers, is what I
can bring to the school.  This will help build morale and a great working
environment. 

Discover 101 powerful potential answers to the most popular interview questions
teachers are asked, and maximize your confidence in your next interview.
Wouldn’t it be perfect to answer tough interview questions with ease and get a
dream teaching job?

Good Answers to Teaching Interview Questions

by Freddie Silver, Demand Media

Administrators in elementary and high school want to hire teachers who are student-
centered and who care about young people. To be successful in a teacher interview,
the candidates must also project enthusiasm and a passion for teaching. They must
have excellent communication skills and must convey superior interpersonal skills.
Interview questions are usually structured to help determine which candidates possess
the desired qualities -- preparing good answers in advance can help prospective
teachers do well at interviews.

Personality Questions

Your answers to these questions should reflect your personality. Administrators

expect teachers to have strong inter-personal skills. Give answers that showcase your
track record as a team player who is easy to get along with. For example, if you were
asked to describe how you handled a situation when you had to work with, or for, a
difficult individual, be sure to present your conflict management skills. Be honest, and
don't try to avoid the question by claiming you never encountered someone difficult.
Tell about a situation that had a good outcome because you have the ability to
compromise, know how to be diplomatic and never lose your temper.

Teaching Philosophy

You might be asked outright about your teaching philosophy, or the question might
be, "Why did you decide to become a teacher?" Make a brief statement about what
you believe about how students learn. Project a focus that is optimistic. For example,
you might say something like, "I believe all students can learn when presented with
subject matter appropriate to their level by a teacher who cares, is patient and helps to
boost self-esteem". Don't say you chose teaching as a profession because the hours are
short and the holidays are long, even if you are only joking. It is best to avoid humor
in your answers. A good answer would describe past experiences you had where you
taught successfully, and how rewarding you found the experience.

Student Disclipline

Interview questions that focus on discipline methods are often worded as scenario
questions. Expect to be asked how you would handle a student who is constantly
disruptive or rude in class. Your answer should reflect patience, but also clear
expectations of student behavior. Know what you would or would not tolerate, and
what the consequences would be. Your answer should show that you are firm but
supportive. Explain how you would start with a subtle approach such as moving
closer to the disruptive student or glancing in her direction. Make it clear that if the
student did not correct her behavior immediately, you would ask to speak with her
after class, make a call to her parents, and contact the guidance counselors to
determine whether there are any extenuating circumstances. Indicate that you would
involve the office as a last resort. Most principals don't want teachers who believe
sending a disruptive student to the office is the only effective disciplinary strategy.

Teaching Strategies

Expect questions about your teaching strategies. You might be asked how you would
reach individual students if the class was a heterogeneous group of varying abilities
and backgrounds. A good answer will describe the differences between a Socratic,
question and answer style and small-group cooperative methods. Explain how you
structure student groups carefully to play to the individual student's strengths.
Describe how you provide material that is challenging but manageable. Your answer
should demonstrate an awareness that lessons should be divided into segments with a
variety of listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. Tell the interviewers how
you provide ongoing assessment and prompt feedback to keep students informed
about how well the class is learning and to help students monitor their progress.

?Tell us why you want this English teaching position

Now is the time to relate your personal teaching experience with the principal’s vision
of the ideal candidate. Always ask at the beginning of the interview for the ideal
candidate. This is not just a teaching position; be specific in your answers as to why
you chose English. The principal wants to see that you are absolutely the best person
for the English teaching position. This is also a good opportunity to include
information about your additional certifications in case you are highly knowledgeable
in another topic. I’ve known teachers to go into an interview for a science position
.and come out with a history position

?How do you promote literacy in your classroom

Some schools have awful literacy rates. Many children cannot pass the state
standardized test every year. Principals are doing what they can to increase their
literacy scores and student academic achievement. As an English teacher, you play a
.vital role to the literary development of the entire school

The rest of the schools’ teachers are responsible for assisting in literacy development,
but more often than not, many teachers do not provide such reading activities on a
.daily basis to their students

?How do you encourage students to read in your classroom

Provide key elements and strategies to promote a positive literacy environment. I

create a “mini-library” in my classroom with lots of inexpensive books I have bought
.at yard sales or discount bookstores

Take time out every week or every day if you can to read. Students to choose any
book they want as long as they summarize or draw a picture, depending on their ages,
.of what they read after the allotted time is over

.Give an example of a writing lesson you would do with your students

Principals want to know that you are promoting literacy through writing. Give
examples from your own portfolio or research several fun, engaging activities online
.that principals will respect

One engaging activity is point of view. Students can write from the point of view of a
person, object, or animal. This is a really fun activity because students can use the
objects or animals they like the most. For example, a student could write from the
point of view of their cell phone and how they feel aren’t feeling the love because
.their buttons are being pushed every day

Include a lesson plan in your portfolio related to a writing activity when answering
.this question

?How would you help build your student’s vocabulary skills in your lessons

Students do not love looking in a dictionary. That is not how vocabulary skills are
learned. Yes, dictionaries are extremely helpful, but they are not exactly engaging for
.students

:Quick Excellent strategies include

Drawings of maps where words are defined with pictures

Vocabulary games

Vocabulary and pictures written on the walls

Flashcards

.Describe a literacy project in your classroom

Literary projects could be book reports, speeches, or even website creation. If you
pick a medium that helps students with improving their English with speaking,
.reading, writing, and listening, you’ve struck gold with the principal

?How would you help your special education students with reading

As the regular ed teacher for a special education student, it is your duty to apply the
student’s modifications to your classroom and literacy instruction. If the student’s
accommodation requires additional time to complete assignments, then you should
.give them more time when answering questions, test taking, and projects

Remind the principal that you want to serve as an advocate for the needs of all of your
.students, especially your special education learners

?How would you assist your English learners with reading

Most English learners will be placed in an ESL class with an ESL certified teacher.
However, students who are monitored ESL are those who have placed out of ESL, but
may still need additional English support as they make the transition to a regular
.English class

Explain typical ESL modifications to lessons. Add pictures to assignments, clarify,

speak slower, and ask the student to repeat in their own words. Mention the best
.practices such as these for your ESL students

?How will you increase your students’ reading scores

You will need to access and probably test students every week or every two weeks in
order to see mastery in reading areas. The student expects students to obtain skills
before they take the test and that student’s teachers are responsible for providing this
.practice and mastery

Explain that you will follow the state mandated expectations for students and teachers
which you can find on your state board of education website. The school may also
.have a written plan for how they want to attack the test

?How would you incorporate technology in your reading class

The Internet is simply full of amazing content for learners. Incorporating technology
includes teaching students how to be safe on the Internet, how to research, and how to
.access images and articles related to your stories and daily lessons

There is a plethora of websites with content on education alone. The world is truly at
the teacher’s finger tips. Prepare for these top 10 English teacher interview questions
and impress the principal with your knowledge of your future students, best literacy
.practices, and how your students can increase their academic success

Rachel Duhon is an educator and writer specializing in teaching and helping others
find their dream teaching job. She is the author of The 75 Ultimate Teacher Interview
Questions and Answers Revealed and provides a free mini-course at her website,
http://www.tipsforteacherinterview.com, Teacher eBook, where she provides
.information and motivation for teachers and those looking for teaching jobs

6 Common Teacher Interview Questions and How to

Answer Them
By: Tim Winterview

When you get a call from a school administrator

inviting you to interview for a teaching job, how do
you feel? Happy? Elated? Excited? Nervous?
Scared stiff?

You don't need to worry about the interview if

you're a well-prepared, qualified candidate.
Preparing for a teaching interview is a lot like
studying for a test. You can review commonly
asked questions, think about what you'll say
beforehand, and go in to do your best. If you
prepare beforehand, the interview questions will
seem routine and familiar. You'll have answers on the tip of your tongue, ready-to-go.

Below is a list of six commonly asked teacher interview questions from my eBook,
Guide to Getting the Teaching Job of Your Dreams. How would you answer each
question?

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1. Tell us about yourself.

This will be the first question at almost every interview. Just give a brief background
in about three sentences. Tell them what colleges you graduated from, what you're
certified to teach, what your teaching & working experiences are, and why you'd love
the job.

2. How do you teach to the state standards?

If you interview in the United States, school administrators love to talk about state,
local, or national standards! Reassure your interviewer that everything you do ties into
standards. Be sure the lesson plans in your portfolio have the state standards typed
right on them. When they ask about them, pull out your lesson and show them the
close ties between your teaching and the standards.

3. How will you prepare students for standardized assessments?

There are standardized assessments at almost every grade level. Be sure you know the
names of the tests. Talk about your experiences preparing students. You'll get bonus
points if you know and describe the format of the test because that will prove your
familiarity.

4. Describe your discipline philosophy.

You use lots of positive reinforcement. You are firm, but you don't yell. You have
appropriate consequences for inappropriate behavior. You have your classroom rules
posted clearly on the walls. You set common routines that students follow. You
adhere to the school's discipline guidelines. Also, emphasize that you suspect
discipline problems will be minimal because your lessons are very interesting and
engaging to students. Don't tell the interviewer that you “send kids to the principal's
office” whenever there is a problem. You should be able to handle most discipline
problems on your own. Only students who have committed very serious behavior
problems should be sent to the office.

5. How do you make sure you meet the needs of a student with an IEP?

An IEP is an "individualized education plan." Students with special needs will be

given an IEP, or a list of things that you must do when teaching the child. An IEP
might include anything from "additional time for testing" to "needs all test questions
read aloud" to "needs to use braille textbook." How do you ensure you're meeting the
needs of a student with an IEP? First, read the IEP carefully. If you have questions,
consult a special education teacher, counselor, or other staff member who can help
you. Then, you just make sure you follow the requirements on the IEP word for word.
When necessary, you may be asked to attend a meeting in which you can make
suggestions for updating the IEP. Your goal, and the goal of the IEP, is to make sure
the student has whatever he or she needs to be successful in your class.

6. How do you communicate with parents?

This question will come up at almost every elementary school interview. It’s fairly
common in the middle school and high school as well. You might have a weekly
parent newsletter that you send home each week. For grades 3 and up, you may
require students to have an assignment book that has to be signed each night. This
way, parents know what assignments are given and when projects are due. When
there are discipline problems you call home and talk to parents. It's important to have
an open-door policy and invite parents to share their concerns at any time.
For more teacher interview questions, I invite you to download my eBook Guide to
Getting the Teaching Job of Your Dreams. In it you will find 48 common interview
questions and answers as well as practical advice for getting the teaching job you
want.

Teacher Interview Question and Answer

Mental fear of the unknown is often what produces the physical symptoms of
nervousness. In addition to preparing yourself physically, you also need to prepare
yourself mentally. The best way to prepare mentally is to know what may be coming.
Fear of the unknown can only exist when there is an unknown. Take the time to
understand some of the "standards" when it comes to interviewing questions.

The following are some of the most difficult questions you will face in the course of
your job interviews. Some questions may seem rather simple on the surface--such as
"Tell me about yourself"--but these questions can have a variety of answers. The more
open-ended the question, the wider the variation in the answers. Once you have
become practiced in your interviewing skills, you will find that you can use almost
any question as a launching pad for a particular topic or compelling story.

Others are "classic" interview questions, such as, "What is your greatest weakness?"
Questions which most people answer inappropriately. In this case, the standard
textbook answer for the "greatest weakness" question is to give a veiled positive--"I
work too much. I just work and work and work"--which ends up sending the wrong
message. Either you are lying or, worse yet, you are telling the truth, in which case
you define working too much as a weakness and really don't want to work much at all.
Think about it.

The following answers are provided to give you a new perspective on how to answer
tough interview questions. They are not there for you to lift from the page and insert
into your next interview. They are there for you to use as the basic structure for
formulating your own answers. While the specifics of each reply may not apply to
you, try to follow the basic structure of the answer from the perspective of the
interviewer. Answer the questions behaviorally, with specific examples that show
clear evidence backs up what you are saying about yourself. Always provide
information that shows you want to become the very best _____ for the company and
that you have specifically prepared yourself to become exactly that. They want to be
sold. They are waiting to be sold. Don't disappoint them!

1. Tell me about yourself.

My background to date has been centered around preparing myself to become
the very best _____ I can become. Let me tell you specifically how I've
prepared myself . . .
2. Why should I hire you?
Because I sincerely believe that I'm the best person for the job. I realize that
there are many other college students who have the ability to do this job. I also
have that ability. But I also bring an additional quality that makes me the very
best person for the job--my attitude for excellence. Not just giving lip service
to excellence, but putting every part of myself into achieving it. In _____ and
_____ I have consistently reached for becoming the very best I can become by
doing the following . . .
3. What is your long-range objective? Where do you want to be 10 or 15
years from now?
Although it's certainly difficult to predict things far into the future, I know
what direction I want to develop toward. Within five years, I would like to
become the very best _____ your company has. In fact, my personal career
mission statement is to become a world-class _____ in the _____ industry. I
will work toward becoming the expert that others rely upon. And in doing so, I
feel I will be fully prepared to take on any greater responsibilities that might
be presented in the long term.
4. How has your education prepared you for your career?
As you will note on my resume, I've taken not only the required core classes in
the _____ field, I've also gone above and beyond. I've taken every class the
college has to offer in the field and also completed an independent study
project specifically in this area. But it's not just taking the classes to gain
academic knowledge--I've taken each class, both inside and outside of my
major, with this profession in mind. So when we're studying _____ in _____,
I've viewed it from the perspective of _____. In addition, I've always tried to
keep a practical view of how the information would apply to my job. Not just
theory, but how it would actually apply. My capstone course project in my
final semester involved developing a real-world model of _____, which is very
similar to what might be used within your company. Let me tell you more
about it . . .
5. Are you a team player?
Very much so. In fact, I've had opportunities in both athletics and academics
to develop my skills as a team player. I was involved in _____ at the
intramural level, including leading my team in assists during the past year--I
always try to help others achieve their best. In academics, I've worked on
several team projects, serving as both a member and team leader. I've seen the
value of working together as a team to achieve a greater goal than any one of
us could have achieved individually. As an example . . .
6. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it
resolved?
Yes, I have had conflicts in the past. Never major ones, but certainly there
have been situations where there was a disagreement that needed to be
resolved. I've found that when conflict occurs, it's because of a failure to see
both sides of the situation. Therefore, I ask the other person to give me their
perspective and at the same time ask that they allow me to fully explain my
perspective. At that point, I would work with the person to find out if a
compromise could be reached. If not, I would submit to their decision because
they are my superior. In the end, you have to be willing to submit yourself to
the directives of your superior, whether you're in full agreement or not. An
example of this was when . . .
7. What is your greatest weakness?
I would say my greatest weakness has been my lack of proper planning in the
past. I would overcommit myself with too many variant tasks, then not be able
to fully accomplish each as I would like. However, since I've come to
recognize that weakness, I've taken steps to correct it. For example, I now
carry a planning calendar in my pocket so that I can plan all of my
appointments and "to do" items. Here, let me show you how I have this week
planned out . . .
8. If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they say?
I believe they would say I'm a very energetic person, that I put my mind to the
task at hand and see to it that it's accomplished. They would say that if they
ever had something that needed to be done, I was the person who they could
always depend on to see that it was accomplished. They would say that I
always took a keen interest in the subjects I was studying and always sought
ways to apply the knowledge in real world settings. Am I just guessing that
they would say these things? No, in fact, I'm quite certain they would say
those things because I have with me several letters of recommendation from
my professors, and those are their very words. Let me show you . . .
9. What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?
The key quality should be leadership--the ability to be the visionary for the
people who are working under them. The person who can set the course and
direction for subordinates. A manager should also be a positive role model for
others to follow. The highest calling of a true leader is inspiring others to
reach the highest of their abilities. I'd like to tell you about a person who I
consider to be a true leader . . .
10. If you had to live your life over again, what would you change?
That's a good question. I realize that it can be very easy to continually look
back and wish that things had been different in the past. But I also realize that
things in the past cannot be changed, that only things in the future can be
changed. That's why I continually strive to improve myself each and every day
and that's why I'm working hard to continually increase my knowledge in the
_____ field. That's also the reason why I want to become the very best _____
your company has ever had. To make positive change. And all of that is still in
the future. So in answer to your question, there isn't anything in my past that I
would change. I look only to the future to make changes in my life.

In reviewing the above responses, please remember that these are sample answers.
Please do not rehearse them verbatim or adopt them as your own. They are meant to
stir your creative juices and get you thinking about how to properly answer the
broader range of questions that you will face.

and How to Answer Them

by Tim Wei
...............................................................................................
...............

When you get a call from a school administrator inviting you to

interview for a teaching job, how do you feel?  Happy?  Elated? 
Excited?  Nervous?  Scared stiff?

You don't need to worry about the interview if you're a well-

prepared, qualified candidate. Preparing for a teaching interview is a
lot like studying for a test.  You can review commonly asked
questions, think about what you'll say beforehand, and go in to do
your best.  If you're prepared, the interview questions will seem
routine and familiar.  You'll have answers on the tip of your tongue,
ready-to-go.

Below is a list of six commonly asked teacher interview questions

from my eBook, Guide to Getting the Teaching Job of Your Dreams. 
How would you answer each question?

1.� Tell us about yourself.

This will be the first question at almost every interview.� Just give
a brief background in about five sentences. Tell them what colleges
you graduated from, what you're certified to teach, what your
teaching & working experiences are, and why you'd love the job.

2.� How do you teach to the state standards?

If you interview in the United States, school administrators love to
talk about state, local, or national standards!� Reassure your
interviewer that everything you do ties into standards.� Be sure the
lesson plans in your portfolio have the state standards typed right
on them.� When they ask about them, pull out your lesson and
show them the close ties between your teaching and the standards.

3.� How will you prepare students for standardized

assessments?
There are standardized assessments at almost every grade level.�
Be sure you know the names of the tests.� Talk about your
experiences preparing students.� You'll get bonus points if you
know and describe the format of the test because that will prove
your familiarity.

4.� Describe your discipline philosophy.

You use lots of positive reinforcement.� You are firm, but you don't
yell.� You have appropriate consequences for inappropriate
behavior.� You have your classroom rules posted clearly on the
walls.� You set common routines that students follow.  You adhere
to the school's discipline guidelines.  Also, emphasize that you
suspect discipline problems will be minimal because your lessons
are very interesting and engaging to students.  Don't tell the
interviewer that you �send kids to the principal's office� whenever
there is a problem.  You should be able to handle most discipline
problems on your own.  Only students who have committed very
serious behavior problems should be sent to the office.

5.� How do you make sure you meet the needs of a student
with an IEP?
An IEP is an "individualized education plan."� Students with special
needs will be given an IEP, or a list of things that you must do when
teaching the child.� An IEP might include anything from "additional
time for testing" to "needs all test questions read aloud" to "needs
to use braille textbook."� How do you ensure you're meeting the
needs of a student with an IEP?� First, read the IEP carefully.� If
you have questions, consult a special education teacher, counselor,
or other staff member who can help you.� Then, you just make
sure you follow the requirements on the IEP word for word.� When
necessary, you may be asked to attend a meeting in which you can
make suggestions for updating the IEP.� Your goal, and the goal of
the IEP, is to make sure the student has whatever he or she needs
to be successful in your class.

6.� How do you communicate with parents?

This question will come up at almost every elementary school
interview.  It�s fairly common in the middle school and high school
as well.� You might have a weekly parent newsletter that you send
home each week.� For grades 3 and up, you may require students
to have an assignment book that has to be signed each night.� This
way, parents know what assignments are given and when projects
are due.� When there are discipline problems you call home and
talk to parents.� It's important to have an open-door policy and
invite parents to share their concerns at any time.

For more teacher interview questions, I invite you to download my

eBook Getting the Teaching Job of Your Dreams
(http://www.iwantateachingjob.com ).  In it you will find 50
common interview questions and answers as well as practical advice
for getting the teaching job you want.