How To Interview For Teacher Job

Trick Questions Are Okay

You can come up with your own tricky interview questions that speak to the core values you feel are most important for teachers to possess at your school. But, for fun, you can certainly borrow a few of these to get you started!

I always ask, How do you want to be remembered by students and colleagues at the end of your career? The answers are always very telling. The ones who say I want to be remembered as fun get stroked off my list right away. This question always brings out philosophy and character that the more obvious ones do not.Kathy B.

Stacey U. says her favorite question is, Whats most important? What we teach, how we teach, or who we teach?

Lauren West-Rosenthal is a senior editor at WeAreTeachers. In the fourth grade, she started writing “bonus chapters” to her favorite books. Her teacher was impressed — and encouraging — and a vast writing career was born!

What Strategies Will You Recommend For Students Struggling

Example: Ive researched the school and understand you have issues with class management. At my last school, I pioneered a system of positive reinforcement that rewarded the well-behaved rather than punishing inappropriate behavior. Class management improved by over 30% and boosted student engagement, resulting in over 15% performance improvement. Im also a certified special needs educator and can provide insight into helping students with learning disabilities.

See If The Candidates Did Their Homework

When youre hiring a new teacher, youre really hiring a new member of your family. You need to make sure that its reciprocated. Does this person really want to join your family and support the culture youre building, too?

Ask candidates what they know about your school. The answer will tell you how much time and effort was spent on research. And, ask hard questions about gaps or red flags on their resume, like, What was going on in Spring of 2012 when you had two D grades on your transcript? Also interview in committeesyou get great perspectives.Maureen B.

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Questions About You As Part Of A Teaching Team And Classroom Community

Schools want to foster a sense of community within the school, especially in the classrooms. You will likely be asked questions about your ability to work as part of a team of teachers and administrators, as well as your abilities and experiences bridging the gap between the students in the classroom and their families at home.

What Questions Do You Have For Me

While this is probably the easiest interview question in the book, its also one you should actively prepare for with thoughtful questions targeted at the specific interviewer and role.

Ask some serious questions about that school. Thats your opportunity to interview them as much as theyre interviewing you, and they are going to respect that, Swartz says. Any question that they ask where I can see that theyve done their research about the position is a great question to me.

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Readiness: Students Understanding Of Their Own Needs

Planning for readiness begins with making sure students understand their strengths and their opportunities for improvement. Formative assessment is an important tool for identifying the status of each skill you want students to develop. Some areas might be strong and others weak. Its important for students to know their strengths so that they can replicate practice.

Differentiation for readiness is about providing supports so that a learner can improve all skills. Involve students in reflection about assessments so that they become knowledgeable about the whys and whats of their skills.

Like an athlete working with a coach, a self-aware student can be a partner with teachers to make adaptations or self-identify areas of needs.

Demonstration Of Your Tech Knowledge

Schools have spent a fortune over the last generation upgrading and emphasizing technology to better equip students for the digital age. Bring to your interview tangible examples of how you use technology in your classroom. Make a video of yourself executing the lesson plan that you brought to the interview. Be sure that you used classroom tools like your interactive whiteboard, document camera or tablet in this presentation. See that your video involves engaged student interaction with the technology. Bring a digital copy of your complete educational portfolio to give to your interviewer, if possible.

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Interview Questions & Answers

The main portion of your interview will be answering specific questions about yourself and teaching. Every interviewer is different, and you will never know the exact questions they will be asking you. But, you can prepare by familiarizing yourself with the most commonly asked questions, and practicing how you will respond to them.

What Are Some Methods You Use To Check For Understanding As Youre Teaching

Its one thing to prepare a high-quality lesson plan, but if students are not following along, whats the use? Explain how your instruction will be responsive to students needs. Will you incorporate tech tools for assessments? Or implement exit slips summarizing what theyve learned? Do you have a quick-check method, like thumbs-up/thumbs-down, to quickly scan for understanding?

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Sample Answers To Tell Me About Yourself Interview Question For Teachers

* Special tip: Dont forget that Tell me about yourself is actually one of the easiest questions you will face in your interview for a teaching job. Have a look at the new edition of our eBook, Teacher Interview Guide, for multiple brilliant answers to all 40 teacher interview questions, including tricky situational questions. In a few hours from now you can be ready for every question they may possibly throw at you. Thank you for checking it out!

What Made You Decide To Be A Teacher

Why do you want to be a teacher? This question is one of the most common teacher interview questions, and your answer needs to go beyond the typical response that you love to help others learn. Your answer needs to show that you are really meant to be a teacher, giving specific, genuine, and thoughtful examples.

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What Is A Teacher Assistant

A teacher assistant, or educational assistant , is a professional who works in a classroom and ensures that the lead teacher can teach lessons without distractions. The teacher assistant regularly collaborates with the teacher, helps them as needed on a daily basis, and manages the class when the teacher is absent from the room. A teacher assistant may also have the following responsibilities:

• Helping develop lesson plans based on provincial standards

• Working with a lead teacher to monitor student development

• Promoting the learning and development of students of various ages and abilities

• Communicating with parents about their child’s development and any changes or concerns

• Monitoring students during the lesson to ensure that they’re focusing

• Working one-on-one with students who require additional support during lessons

• Taking students to lunch, recess, electives, and bathroom breaks

• Preparing materials for class projects

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Have Your Own Set Of Questions Prepared

Once the interviewers have finished asking you questions, you should ask them your own questions you’ve prepared for them. If you are unsure of what to ask, you can research common questions to ask your interviewers or you can ask more about their institution and company culture. Having questions ready shows your preparedness and commitment to learning more about the role.

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Important Teacher Interview Questions You May Be Asked In An Interview

Teaching is among the few professions that has the power to influence an entire generation. No wonder, its called a noble profession.

Getting into this profession requires a candidate to answer teacher interview questions. However, answering is not enough. A candidate must have the depth required to be an influencer. He/she should also be able to display the same, so that the interviewer is confident of hiring the right person for a teaching job.

With the changing times and coming of technology in education the responsibility and expertise required for teaching profession has also gone a sea change. Unlike in the past, a teacher today is required to have knowledge or awareness of various audio-visual teaching aids.

Keeping in mind the future of students, most schools in India follow a particular format to hire a good teacher. The process may vary from school to school but the essence remains the same to hire the best teacher.

• How to Dress for a Job Interview

Like any other interview, a teaching interview also requires you to prepare for common teaching interview questions. But there may be one on several written assessments that you may have to complete before you face any teacher interview questions. And quite a few questions asked in a teaching interview are behavioural questions. So, you may have to keep that in mind while preparing for your teacher interview.

HR Interview

Walk Them Through Your School

You can tell a lot about whether a teacher will fit in at your school by simply showing them around. Do they smile at the students and staff? Are they asking questions about the banners on the walls or commenting on the student art thats displayed? These are subtle ways to get a sense of how theyll connect to your culture.

I start interviews by touring candidates through the school. They dont know it, but the interview has already started and typically by the time we sit down in my office, I know whether the candidate is right for our school.Kim S.

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What Methods Do You Use To Handle Classroom Discipline

Sample Answer: I think that the discipline that is handed out must match the childs age and maturity level in order for the child to understand why he or she is being punished and to make the punishment fit the offense. For example, disruptive third graders might receive a timeout or lose recess privileges for the first couple of offenses and then future offenses might require a visit to the principals office. By developing ground rules and making those rules understood from the first day of class, my students will know what is acceptable and what is not. They will also know what disciplinary action will be taken if they dont obey the rules.

Tip: Again, maintaining control while complying with school districts policies regarding discipline is what he interviewer will be looking for when judging your response to this question. You may want to use an example of a real situation in which you have had to discipline a student tin order to show your expertise in this touchy area. Explain in your example why the discipline was appropriate and why it was effective.

Showcase Your Personality And Capabilities

Strong candidates don’t just show up for the interview. They do their homework, learn all they can about the school or district, and prepare for the interview like an athlete prepares for competition. Some of the qualities interviewers are looking for in a candidate are competence, confidence, enthusiasm, coherence, thoughtfulness, and perhaps a sense of humor.

Once you get the call, it’s prep time. Here are some tips to help you showcase your best assets.

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I’ll admit that not everyone I hired who had a strong application and stellar interview turned out to be a great classroom teacherat least at the beginning. And I probably missed some great teachers who didn’t interview well. The hiring process isn’t without its flaws, but teacher candidates who understand it, and are prepared and confident, have a greater chance of getting the job they want.

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Talking Negatively About Previous Positions

There is one question that is ultimately asked in every interview: What was your reason for leaving your previous position? Now, you may think that there is nothing wrong with being honest and letting the hiring manager know about the negative aspects of your last job. However, complaining about a previous employer is a big mistake to make in an interview. Badmouthing your previous employer might suggest that you are difficult to work with, regardless of how justified your complaints may be. Your interviewer is trying to get a sense of your personality, so dont dwell on past experiences and cast yourself in a negative light. Rather, take the time to discuss what you find so exciting about the new opportunity.

It is human to make mistakes, and no single mistake will prevent you from succeeding in an interview. However, doing your best to avoid these errors can increase the possibility of your landing the job. We hope that these pointers are of help as you prepare for your future interviews.

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Do You Agree Or Disagree That You Should Demand Respect

Sample Answer: I do believe that teachers should be respected, and that they must demand respect from their students, but demand it in a respectful way. Now, more than ever, students are not taught respect at home, and school remains their only outlet for receiving instruction and guidance in how to be respectful. If we as teachers do not require that students respect us, some students may never learn to be respectful at all. Respect is also essential to maintaining control in the classroom. If students dont respect you or their fellow students, they certainly wont feel compelled to behave or follow directions, or even hand in their homework. Showing respect to every student and getting respect back from them is definitely important in every classroom.

Tip: Most school districts believe that teachers should be respected, and they realize that a good teacher who is in control of their classroom and their students will demand respect. Districts dont want to hire teachers to be friends with students. They want to hire teachers who can help to mold the student into a successful and productive adult.

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What Are Some Of Your Biggest Weaknesses

Sample Answer: I have found that one of my biggest weaknesses is time management. I have so many creative and educational activities planned that sometimes I try to get too much in during one class session. It sometimes becomes difficult to incorporate each activity into the lesson, although I know that my students will learn from them. Luckily, I have learned to prioritize my lessons so that I can bring only the material into the lesson that is most beneficial for the students, realizing that I simply cannot, within the time limits given, do everything that I would like to do with my students.

Tip: This is a great question to use to sell yourself to your interviewer, but you want to avoid giving the impression that you see yourself as a perfectionist. Interviewers are human, and they know that everyone has weaknesses. Your response to realizing a weakness and how you rectified that weakness is what the interviewer wants to hear. They dont expect anyone to be free from weaknesses. You can also turn the perceived weakness into strengths, as the answer above suggests.

Displaying Negative Body Language

Avoiding eye contact and not smiling can be detrimental during an interview for teaching jobs. Teachers should be very effective communicators, so they must display positive body language. They must seem friendly and interested. During your interview, show your enthusiasm upon first meeting your interviewers say hello, smile, and look them in the eye as though you are really happy to meet them. Your body language should reflect a warm presence that they would expect a teacher to have in the classroom.

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Tell Me About A Time When You Helped Someone Become More Successful

Swartz puts it plainly: If theres one thing that cant be taught, its care for students. The rest of the stuff educators can teach. They can teach you content, they can teach you how to be a more effective teacher delivering your lessons, but they cant teach the belief in students…as a candidate articulating that through an example that you have really sets you apart from other candidates, he says.

Convey Your Passion For Teaching And Students

The teachers and administrators at the school value the well-being and education of their students, so they search for teachers who feel this way as well. This is why you should constantly express your passion for teaching by explaining why you decided to pursue this profession and what makes you so excited to be a teacher. Your passion may increase the likelihood of employers hiring you for the position as this means you will enjoy being there and may stay at the position as a long-term employee.

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