Can You Analyse The Lesson Plans From The Primary Teacher On Short Notice
Can you meet deadlines or blend in on short notice? As a substitute teacher, you should always be ready for same-day notifications. The interviewer is testing your problem-solving skills.
Tip #1: Show that you can adapt to solutions quickly.
Tip #2: Show that you understand the students current knowledge base
Sample Answer
I usually pick up the lesson plans that the teacher has left behind, go through them, and figure out the curriculum and where the students are in terms of learning. I can also read a variety of subjects, and therefore, this can never be a problem.
What Is Your Greatest Strength
Its common for hiring managers to ask you questions regarding your greatest strengths. Your answer to this question can demonstrate how you qualified for the teaching position.
Dont think of it as bragging about yourself. You are objectively explaining how you are a good fit for the school. If you dont have any relevant strengths, why would anyone hire you?
Before your interview, brainstorm what your best selling points are. Consider them in a professional and personal context.
- Has your boss praised you for any achievements in your current job?
- What have been your recent successes at work, and what skills contributed to those successes?
- Have your coworkers ever pointed out any of your strengths to you? If you can, ask them what they are.
You can ask the same question of your friends and family. Even though these are people you know on a personal basis, they can help you identify your primary character qualities.
For example, if people know you as an exceptional communicator, give recent examples of that strength. Then explain how youll use that skill in a teaching context. That skill could be public speaking, setting clear expectations for your class, or contacting parents in a timely manner. Whatever you mention, make sure you give specific examples from the past and apply them to the teaching position youre seeking.
Beyond Teacher Interview Questions: Other Benefits Of Partnering With An Education Management Company
Besides relieving you of the interviewing, hiring, and upfront training processes, an education management company can provide ongoing relief from the multitude of other tasks and soft costs involved in maintaining your own pool of substitute teachers. Through an integrated approach to absence management, human resources operations, and payroll systems, an education staffing company can take over all of the functions that keep your substitute pool operating efficiently.
When building and supporting a professional community for substitute teachers, staffing agencies have the resources to provide standardized training along with ongoing opportunities to add advanced instructional and classroom management skills. From the initial interview questions, to nurturing substitutes with professional recognition and incentives, to providing data reports that meet your needs, a staffing agency can assume full responsibility for managing absences in your district.
With a dedicated local team backed by national resources, an education-exclusive staffing agency like ESS can provide solutions for your substitute staffing issues. Contact ESS for recruitment and training customized to your preferences, as well as ongoing management that provides significant administrative relief.
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Tips To Help You Thrive As A Substitute Teacher
Don’t let your students’ image of you as a substitute define who you are.
As a substitute teacher, you want to do your best. After all, this role is like an extended interviewif you amaze your coworkers and employers, you could get hired as a full-time classroom teacher. So whether you’re there for two days or two months, you should leave feeling confident that you’ve done your job well! To help you be successful, here are some tips I’ve picked up to guide you.
What Questions Can Be Asked While Interviewing To Be A Substitute Teacher
Related
Substitute teaching has its challenges, including having to quickly adjust to new school environments, following lesson plans and adjusting to last-minute assignments and scheduling changes. But working as a substitute teacher can be excellent preparation for landing a full-time teaching job. Many schools hold interviews before hiring substitute teachers to determine suitability. Reviewing potential questions that can be asked during the interview process is an efficient way to prepare for success.
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Save Time By Planning Lessons & Activities For Your Sub Now
The core principle of writing 30-minute sub plans is having a consistent set of substitute teacher activities that allow you to change out 1-2 components quickly and easily.
For example, for younger students , your reading plans might always focus on story elements using a whole-group picture book. Older students might read a non-fiction article and discuss.
Write generic fill-in-the-blank directions.
Once you’ve decided what the key activities are for each subject, write down the basic directions for each subject in the corresponding box of your template. I number the steps to make it easy to for a sub to scan and revisit mid-lesson.
I also create my directions using a fill-in-the-blank format so I can easily see what specifics I need to add later.
For example, the generic directions for reading might look like this:
When you are writing out your step-by-step directions, be sure to write them as if your substitute has never stepped inside a classroom. Hopefully, that won’t be the case, but it is better to be overly detailed. That way you’ll end up with a positive experience for your students. You’ll also be less likely to deal with the behavior issues that result from a clueless, overwhelmed guest teacher.
Gather your printables.
Once your directions are complete, gather any generic printables your students will need for the lesson.
Questions About Experience And Background
To ensure you have the right experience and education to be a substitute teacher, the interviewer could ask some of the following questions:
- Why do you want to teach?
- What grade levels do you prefer teaching?
- Why did you pursue your degree?
- What were your favorite classes?
- What do you think makes a great substitute teacher?
- Describe your teaching experience?
- How do you manage your substitute teaching duties?
- What do you like about being a substitute teacher?
- Walk me through your substitute teaching experience.
- What subjects do you like most?
- How many college hours do you have?
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What Do You Think About The Balanced Literacy Approach And Its Effectiveness
As a substitute teacher, you should always expect to adopt a Balanced Literacy approach in your work. You should have a basic understanding of the method and convince the interviewer that you can deliver.
Tip #1: Explain this approach.
Tip #2: You can explain how it can be incorporated into classes
Sample Answer
This method teaches both phonics and the whole language. It is an effective method that serves both auditory learners and visual or tactile students.
Are You Willing To Perform Schools Administrative Tasks Alongside Substituting
This question tests your seriousness about the organization and how willing you are to be a part of the workforce.
Sample Answer
Absolutely, I am comfortable in doing administrative as well as clerical duties without hampering my primary role of substituting in place of a lead teacher. Further, I would love to contribute to my workplace with all my skills and knowledge no matter what the nature of the task is.
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What Will You Do If There Is A Group Of Disruptive Students In A Classroom
You should do the same thing youd do as a regular teacher. Do not be afraid to take a disciplinary action against a disruptive student, though as a substitute teacher you may not know their background, and the reasons for their behavior, or what their reaction may be.
Say that you will warn them, repeatedly, and if it doesnt work you will report them or send them to the Principals office. Regular teacher or not, you wont let one disruptive student, a group of them, to spoil the morale in the entire classroom. Show some courage in your answer.
Preparing For An Interview
- Know what you are interviewing for.
- Be sure you can articulate why you have chosen to interview for that position.
- If the interview is for a specific school, if possible take the time to drive to the community. If not, try to get information about the school.
- Practice, Practice, Practice
- Be very clear about your philosophy of education the principles upon which you build your pedagogy. Anticipate questions/think about categories, for example, discipline, inclusion or multi-culturalism.
- Read essential documents, for example: curriculum and policy documents.
- Know what the current initiatives are within the Boards.
- Have a brief but informative resume to leave with the interview team.
- Ask if the interview team would like you to bring anything or if you should you prepare in any specific way.
- Know your strengths and areas requiring further growth.
- Be prepared to describe your computer literacy.
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What Is Negative Feedback
The responses generated through this question tests your attitude towards criticism.
Sample Answer
Evaluation, judgment, and assessments are necessary and important for a teacher in order to perform his or her duties in an efficient manner. I am open to negative feedback either from students or my colleagues. This allows me to improvise and ultimately makes me better.
Common Interview Questions For Education Assistants
Are you a compassionate and patient individual who loves working with children? Do you excel working within a team, have great communication skills, and want to make a difference every day? A career as an education assistant could be for you! The first step is to complete your training by taking a comprehensive education assistant program and researching potential positions that might interest you. In a school setting, a home support team, or after-school tutoring are some potential work environments.
Getting that call or email that you have been selected for an interview is exciting and nerve-racking. Preparing yourself for the interview will help make you more confident, which will help you with your nerves. It is also okay to be nervous as it shows your care about the job. Remember, every interview is a great learning experience, whether a positive or negative outcome. Read on to learn some of the most common interview questions for education assistants, also known as teachers’ assistants, and the best way to handle each question.
Why do you think you are qualified for this education assistant role?
What is your goal in the role of education assistant?
Do you think teamwork is vital in the education setting?
Do you have any special abilities or training, such as art or music skills, which could be useful in the classroom?
What will you do if the teacher is absent?
Disclaimer
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Start Accepting Substitute Jobs
Once youre accepted as a substitute teacher, how do you actually start working as one? That depends on how you will be notified. Depending on the school district, you could receive a phone call, email, text message, or notification on an online management system alerting you to the assignment. Remember is that this notification could arrive at almost any time, such as the night before or the morning of your intended substitution date. But in most cases youd receive notification further in advance, sometimes several weeks before youre needed.
Depending on the system, when you get your assignment, you will be provided with certain information, such as the school, teacher youll be substituting for, grade level, and class subject. You may also be provided with an assignment or confirmation number, which you will take with you when you report to your school assignment. Its also possible the teacher you are substituting for will contact you directly, or you will need to get in touch with that teacher to go over any details about the class.
What Is Your Biggest Weakness
Be prepared to answer a question about your shortcomings.
- What is your primary weakness as a teacher?
- What do you dislike most about teaching?
- What do you find to be the most challenging part of teaching?
Everyone has weaknesses. This question is an opportunity to demonstrate your honesty and how you learn from your mistakes.
Its understandable if you fear that answering this question truthfully will make you seem unqualified for the position. But you can give an accurate response while still presenting yourself as a strong candidate. All people face difficulties in their jobs, and all jobs have aspects to them that are not enjoyable. These are just facts of working life.
One way to use this question to your advantage is by describing how you deal with challenges. Or maybe you had a major weakness in the past that you have since overcome. Describe how you did so and what you do differently now.
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Why Should We Hire You
This question tests your personality and ability to respond tricky questions.
Sample Answer
Being a quick learner, adaptive, and hard-working person, I believe I am a perfect match for this vacancy due to my relevant work exposure and educational background. On selection, I assure you to be an asset to the organization and work with all my zeal and labor.
What Are Some Of The Best Qualities That A Substitute Teacher Must Possess
This question tests your own personality and basic aptitude towards the profession.
Sample Answer
In my humble opinion, a substitute teacher must be adaptive to quickly adopt the new classroom, surroundings, and most importantly students. In addition to this, he or she must be skillful enough, to handle the assignments and homework of the students, assigned by the regular teacher.
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What Every Teacher Should Know
1.Students Learn Differently
It may seem repulsively obvious, but how many classrooms are now designed with one learning style in mind and this is bad because student has a different way they learn
For instance, Worksheets and flashcards work well for students who learn well with visually, but for a child who needs to hear the information in order to grasp it, the normal methods of teaching force him or her to use a physical sense that is not as well-developed.
The visual learner doesnt have the same opportunity to stretch his or her other senses. If a teacher comes to the classroom with the basic knowledge that students learn differently, they will be better equipped to arrange the lessons in such a way that all senses are activated.
2. Use It Or Lose It
Using information is how it becomes knowledge.
Revising knowledge over a lifetime is how it becomes wisdom.
Learning cant be about coverage, and is not set it and forget it.
3. Consider Kinesthetic Learning
Of the diverse learning styles available, kinesthetic learning is the hardest bundle to educate in a conventional setting. This learning is about movement, feeling, and traveling through information, which needs space and opportunity that many conventional study halls dont take into account.
4. Use Several Different Angles
For instance, if a science teacher is teaching on photosynthesis, the students will gain from hitting the same concept at different angles.
What Is Your Work Schedule
This question has several motives. However, most employers main aim is to deduce whether you are flexible and available for the tasks that may come along the way.
Tip #1: Show the employer that you are flexible.
Tip #2: Being a substitute teacher, the employer wants to know the periods that you are available.
Sample Answer
I am mostly done with my work by midday. Most of the time, I remain in the office to read and catch up with other staff members. Therefore, I am available during the afternoon and the evening after leaving my workplace.
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Does A Substitute Teacher Have To Have A Job Interview
Given the rigorous education and licensing requirements for teachers, it might come as a surprise to find that many states only require a high school diploma for substitute teachers. For example, Texas school districts establish their own requirements since there is no statewide mandate. Even with more lenient requirements, some school districts have difficulty finding people who want to work as substitutes. These positions are generally temporary and consist of day-to-day work, so schools often don’t invest much in filing these positions. As a result, not all substitute teachers are interviewed before being called on the job.
What Are Some Of The Methods That You Use To Communicate Effectively
Effective communication is a crucial foundation for substitute teacher delivery. They have to keep in touch with the primary teachers, parents, and authority.
Tip #1: Tell the interviewer that you can communicate effectively
Tip #2: how that you can adapt when necessary and review older material
Sample Answer
I first memorize the main teachers contacts so that it is easier to reach him/her. I will also clarify everything in the lesson plan with students and administrators, ask questions to test the students learning, and review lessons.
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What The Interviewer Wants To Know
School principals and any other members of a hiring committee craft the questions they ask in order to determine whether you will be a good fit for their school as well as a champion for the policies established by their school district.
Learn as much as you can about the schools you are applying to so that youll be better able to anticipate the sort of questions youll be asked about your teaching philosophy and classroom management style.
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