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<\/p>\nLike many people, you might find you want to leave your mundane (although steady) job mid-career in order to do something more meaningful. It\u2019s not unusual for that something to be teaching. So you get certified, update your resume, and land a few interviews.<\/p>\n
But the interview process can be daunting. You try to present your best self, hoping that you say the right thing.<\/p>\n
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No matter how much job interviews intimidate you, there is no reason why you can\u2019t go into your teacher interview with complete confidence.<\/p>\n
You simply need to prepare well ahead of time. What follows are teacher job<\/a> interview questions you need to contemplate and research before you actually go into an interview.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that this list is not verbatim all that you could be asked. It simply includes\u00a0the essential steps you should take when preparing to secure the teaching position you want. Carefully thinking through these questions will not only help you during the teaching interview but will also help you be a better teacher.<\/p>\n Other questions in this vein could include:<\/p>\n Any hiring manager wants to know that the person applying for the job is both qualified and cares about being there. A job such as teaching magnifies the importance of caring because a teacher is there to serve young people. You will present yourself poorly in your teaching interview if you come across as though you\u2019re not interested in getting the position.<\/p>\n Before the interview, think through what you love about teaching<\/a> and why you want to pursue a career in that profession. Writing out your thoughts can be a helpful way of processing them. You want to answer your interview questions with solid reasons, concrete examples, and personal stories, where appropriate.<\/p>\n A few common reasons people want to teach are:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Questions pertaining to your love of teaching are an excellent opportunity for you to show that you are genuine and personable. If you can, share a story about one of your own teachers or someone else who particularly inspired you to pursue teaching. Stories have a special way of resonating with people. Whatever you say, let your enthusiasm and passion for teaching be clear in your answer.<\/p>\n Questions about your teaching philosophy are targeting what you believe is the purpose of your discipline and what you think are the best ways to fulfill that purpose. Your teaching philosophy is something you should write out ahead of time for your own sake, as well as for the interview. As you explore your teaching philosophy, consider:<\/p>\n For example, if you are an English teacher, you might believe in raising people who are good thinkers. After all, ideas determine how people live.<\/p>\n You also recognize that thinking and language are connected to each other. The better people can articulate themselves, the more clearly they are thinking. You therefore believe that a significant part of your role as an English teacher is to help people become better thinkers by mastering the English language.<\/p>\n This is one side of your teaching philosophy, your beliefs. But you also need to explain how you are going to apply your philosophy practically in the classroom. How do you implement both formative assessment and summative assessment? How you do so will naturally depend on the ages of your students.<\/p>\n Say that you\u2019re teaching high school students not to use vague language. You could charge both yourself and your students a quarter each time anyone says words like \u201cstuff\u201d during class. Then at the end of the year, you could buy the class pizza with the earnings. Or you could require them to orally present their papers at the end of each project. That way, they articulate their ideas in multiple ways.<\/p>\n Make sure you clearly understand the \u201chow\u201d as well as the \u201cwhy\u201d of your philosophy. Knowing the \u201chow\u201d will help you prepare for questions about your teaching style and classroom management.<\/p>\n Being able to explain your teaching methods demonstrates that you are competent and prepared to be a teacher.<\/p>\n There is always, of course, room to grow within any profession. You will learn a lot once you actually start teaching. But there is a basic level of understanding you should have about your discipline before you start teaching it.<\/p>\n Again, your teaching methods are the practical side of your teaching philosophy. What assignments will be most effective in helping you to achieve the purpose of your discipline? How can you capture your students\u2019 imaginations and bring your subject to life?<\/p>\n People learn in different ways, such as visually, aurally, and kinesthetically. How can you engage all five senses with your assignments? Perhaps you could do a formative assessment by having students visualize a concept through drawing or painting. Incorporating crafts into lessons is an especially helpful strategy for elementary teachers.<\/p>\n Students who are musical will appreciate you incorporating music into the lesson. Some students, while very intelligent, don\u2019t enjoy discussing ideas so much as they like being outside or being active. Middle school students, for example, are at stage where they often don\u2019t have recess anymore, but they still have excess energy. What activities or projects can you assign that will engage those students?<\/p>\n When you finally land a teaching job, the teachers you work with will be invaluable for giving you ideas. In the meantime, there are many online resources you can browse<\/a> to get advice about teaching your subject.<\/p>\n Knowing how you will manage your classroom demonstrates that, in addition to being competent in your area of discipline, you can also lead and relate to people well.<\/p>\n Note that classroom management overlaps with teaching style. The more organized you are, the more you will minimize misunderstandings between you and your students.<\/p>\n The interviewer might ask you:<\/p>\n Teachers face captive audiences on a daily basis. Many of the members are not going to be naturally excited about being there. Classroom management is therefore an essential topic with which you need to be familiar.<\/p>\n This is particularly true for candidates interviewing for a teaching position in the field of special education. Special ed teachers need to be familiar with a variety of strategies for keeping students\u2019 attention and dealing with disruptive students. They also need to be able to explain how they\u2019ll help students persevere with a difficult task.<\/p>\n Use your past experience or online research to come up with tactics appropriate for the age level and type of student you\u2019ll be teaching. Do some research ahead of time to learn about the disciplinary procedures at the school where you\u2019re applying. Then you can tailor your answer accordingly. Know what you would do, and show how your methods fit the school\u2019s philosophy.<\/p>\n For example, if you\u2019re an elementary teacher, you could try a strategy<\/a> where when someone breaks a rule, you write one letter of the word \u201csorry\u201d on the board. Your students understand that if you ever spell the entire word, the class loses a fun activity.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also a good idea to mention how you would prevent conflict from arising ahead of time. You can make it a habit to make eye contact with each student throughout the day. You could greet each one at the beginning of the day, showing you\u2019re happy to see all of them. The more your students know that you care about them, the less likely they are to act out.<\/p>\n A question about your greatest strength is one that interviewers commonly ask when hiring for any profession. As with questions on other areas, your answer to this one can demonstrate how you specifically are qualified for the teaching position.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t think of it as bragging about yourself. You are objectively explaining how you are a good fit for the school. If you don\u2019t have any relevant strengths, why would anyone hire you?<\/p>\n Before your interview, brainstorm what your best selling points are. Consider them in a professional and personal context.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n For example, if people know you as an exceptional communicator, give recent examples of that strength. Then explain how you\u2019ll use that skill in a teaching context. That could look like being a good public speaker, setting clear expectations for your class, or contacting parents in a timely manner. Whatever you mention, you want to give specific examples from the past and apply them to the teaching position you\u2019re seeking.<\/p>\n Never go into an interview not knowing anything about the organization interviewing you. Answering this question well shows that you care about getting the job and also helps you determine if the job is a good fit for you.<\/p>\n1. What Do You Love About Teaching?<\/h2>\n
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2. What Is Your Teaching Philosophy?<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n3. What Are Your Teaching Style and Methods?<\/h2>\n
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4. How You Will Manage Your Classroom?<\/h2>\n
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5. What Is Your Greatest Strength?<\/h2>\n
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6. Why Do You Want to Work in This Job\/School\/District?<\/h2>\n
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