1

MSED ELEMENTARY
Section 6: Teacher Candidate Teacher Interview Video
Teacher Candidate Interview Video
Education is the key to all we want to be, (Tim Kaine, DNC, 2016). This quote sums up
both my personal and professional goals. There is no end to what we can learn, and what we can
do with that knowledge. I have maintained throughout this elementary portfolio the importance
of education, and the importance of cultivating a growth mindset. When we put effort and caring
into delivering proper education, and likewise the time and effort into understanding lessons that
others are trying to instil in us, we are using the tools given to us to become the best we can be.
For me, education is all I want to be. I never want to stop learning, I want to share this joy with
others and I want to teach the importance of removing the excuse of ignorance from our society.
Interview skills and proper preparation are invaluable, especially in such a competitive
job market. Students coming out of university and college still have the fire in their hearts and
the ambition to change the world. This passion is the main ingredient to becoming a caring and
dedicated teacher, but saying I care and I want to make a difference alone wont instil
confidence in an employer than you can actually do it. The proof for them is in knowing how you
meet the needs of diverse learners, how your classroom management relates to discipline and
more importantly the relationships you are building. The proof for them is in the lessons that you
have learned along the way, and how you use research, data and assessment to guide your
teaching practice, and how you plan and assess all students. The proof is in what you will bring
to the school community, and how you will continue to develop professionally.
Last spring, I was given the opportunity to interview for several teaching positions. I
learned, first-hand what you could get by preparing for common interview questions, researching
the district you are applying to, and ensuring that you understand the questions being asked of

2
MSED ELEMENTARY
you by interviewers. Creating the screencast interview video is no different from preparing for
those real life interview situations. However, unlike in my face-to-face interviews I am now able
to utilise my elementary portfolio to provide evidence which supports the claims I am making in
each of my answers. I loved being able to navigate through my portfolio, my artefacts, my
summary PowerPoint presentation and my Weebly website in order to add visual appeal, show
off my character and demonstrate how technology integration can be incorporated in the
classroom for endless purposes. I invite you to visit my Weebly website (designed for a
hypothetical class) so see how I have chosen to represent myself, and to watch my interview
screencast.
Interview Questions
In this section I am including important points I have chosen to include within my
answers to some of the most commonly posed teacher interview questions. Given the short
amount of time, it is crucial to address only what is most important and to ensure that it leaves a
lasting impression on the interviewer. My goal in answering these questions is not only to receive
a job offer at the end of the interview, but to present myself in the best way possible. To me,
when you finish anything knowing you did your best, then the rest is out of your hands. You may
not be the most qualified or the most experienced person for a particular position, but you always
have the power to leave a good and lasting impression and you may end up with something
different and unexpected in the end.
Briefly share a little about your background experiences that have led you to choose a career
in education?

My maternal grandmother has been my biggest inspiration and the greatest teacher

Growth mindset

Playing school with neighbourhood children

Volunteer experiences and student teaching placements

3
MSED ELEMENTARY
What have you learned in your teacher training program that will make you an excellent
classroom teacher and colleague?

Classroom management/ engagement

Development of lesson plans, variety of assessment

CRT, EAS, DASA

Integration of technology

Provide us with an example of a lesson you taught. How did you integrate it with other
curriculum areas, address the CCLS, technology, student engagement and motivation? What
were the results of the lesson?

Grade 5 student teaching placement cross-curricular social studies and ELA lesson
o

Issues in citizenship and responsible government

Topic, Purpose, Audience, Media

How will your knowledge of the current trends in education inform you as an educator in our
district/board/school?

Theorists
o Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura)
o Stage Theory of Cognitive Development (Jean Piaget)
o Social Development Theory (Lev Vygotsky)
o Mindset Theory (Dweck)

Knowing the philosophy of the board or district you are applying to and curating your
approach to meet those philosophies

Integration of technology for teaching and learning

Why should we hire you instead of the other applicants we have interviewed?

Life-long learner

Commitment to teaching and learning

Importance of relationships

Adapt to changes in the field of education and overcome the challenges

Heart, vocation

4
MSED ELEMENTARY
Conclusion
In this section, you were able to see how I can integrate technology as a communication
tool via my Weebly website, and you heard me speak first-hand about my inspirations and
experiences, my knowledge of trends in education and what I think will set me apart from other
candidates. Creating the portfolio was a reflective process but creating the interview video was
empowering. I am more confident now than ever before that not only do I have what it takes to
be a teacher, but that I have the knowledge and ambition to inspire others to continually strive to
achieve more as I have inspired myself to continue doing.