10 Most Common Teacher

Interview Questions
They cover popular high school interview questions, special education
teacher interview questions, substitute or assistant teacher interview
questions, and more.

1. Why do you want to be a teacher?

“Why did you become a teacher?” is the most common of all interview
questions for teachers.

Administrators want to know you’re motivated to work through inevitable

frustrations. And believe me, they’ve heard every generic answer in the
books.

“Because I want to help people” won’t work. Find something specific that
shows you’re motivated like no other.

Example Answer

“I had trouble reading as a child My 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Paulette,

introduced us to an amazing list of short stories and books. She read to us
and worked with us on reading comprehension. Her care switched on an
unquenchable thirst that led me to read thousands of books on topics as
diverse as history, biology, sociology, and nature. Mrs. Paulette’s attention
forever changed my outlook on life. Since then, I’ve known I wanted to do
exactly what she did—to give children tools to last for their entire lives.”

2. What is your teaching philosophy?

Teacher interview questions like this ask, “Are you a good fit for our
school?” It’s the teaching equivalent of “tell me about yourself.”
Don’t answer elementary teacher interview questions for an unstructured
school with, “I believe in structured learning.”

Take the time to learn the school’s philosophy before the interview.

Example Answer

“I believe in teaching to each student’s passion. For instance, in one

kindergarten class, my students had trouble with punctuation. I observed
that one student, Mary, suddenly got excited about apostrophes. I fueled
her passion with a big book on punctuation. Her enthusiasm was
contagious, and soon the entire class was asking bright and animated
questions. Whenever possible, I try to deliver structured lessons in an
unstructured way like this.”

That answer uses the S.T.A.R. approach to teaching interview questions. It

shows a Situation, a Task, an Action, and a Result.

3. How much do you want to know about your students

in order to be most helpful to them?
This is another of those interview questions for teachers that depends on
the school’s philosophy.

One administrator might think it’s crucial to know every detail. Another
might say, “A doctor doesn’t need to know her patient’s favorite ice cream
flavor.”

Be honest, but find common ground, as in this teaching interview questions

answer:
Example Answer

“I need to know a student’s learning styles, passions, and challenges. One

difficult student, Tim, was disruptive in class. I joined him on the playground
on and off. It turned out he was being bullied after school by his brother’s
friends. I spoke with Tim’s parents, and they had no idea. Tim became my
star student, and as a result, my whole class got quieter and easier to
teach.”

How to Prepare for a Teaching Interview:

 Research the school online and talk to teachers. Learn their

challenges.
 Brainstorm times you’ve solved problems like theirs.
 Practice sample teacher interview questions. Write up your answers
and drill with 3x5 cards. When possible, describe a problem you once
faced, an action you took, and a positive result for your school or
student(s).
 Gather materials like a lesson plan, Praxis scores, and transcripts.
Include images as proof of your accomplishments.

4. Why do you want to work for our school district?

Administrators want to know if you really want this job.

So—find things you love about the school.

Talk to teachers who work there. Check out the school’s website, mission
statement, and “About Us” page.

Finally, take some time to think of how you fit.

Example Answer

“I respect Snowy Peaks High’s belief in teaching to the whole child. Your
focus on academics, character, community, and nature fit perfectly with my
own philosophy. It’s easier to teach well-rounded students. The best lesson
plan in the world can’t help a child who’s struggling in all other areas of life.”

5. How can you help our school/students?

Teacher interview questions like this don’t have to make you blink.

Remember:

Take the time to learn the school’s needs first.

The example below is for a school with a high percentage of disruptive

students.

Example Answer

“I’ve talked to several of your teachers and heard about their challenges
with classroom management. My own classroom management skills are
highly developed. I’ve taken 18 continuing education credits in class
management from the University of Phoenix’s online program. I was
commended at my last school after fully engaging a class with over 25%
disruptive students. I used a mix of nonverbal cues, transition cues,
timeouts, and several other kernel-based strategies. I believe I can be just
as effective here.”

6. What do you find most frustrating about teaching?

Teaching interview questions like this attempt to see if you are easily
discouraged.

So—your answer has to show your inner strength.

Example Answer

“I get very frustrated with bright kids who become overconfident and don’t
apply themselves. There’s nothing sadder or more common than wasted
potential. At my last position, I worked with several children who weren’t
trying. I implemented a research-based program to incorporate student
ideas into the lesson plan. The addition of their thoughts created more
complete engagement. Test scores went up 15% in just two months.”

Pro Tip: Teaching is frustrating. Many common interview questions for

teachers focus on that pain. Don’t minimize it. Instead, explain your skills at
working through it.

7. Why should we hire you to teach here?

This is the teacher interview questions equivalent of the old standby, “Why
should we hire you?”

The example answer below is for a school that wants technology in the
curriculum.

Example Answer

“I’m well aware of your new technology initiative. We were tasked with the
same challenge at my last school. Thanks to my strong tech background, I
was able to add online quizzes easily. The students loved them, and they
cut administrative processing by 25%.”

8. How would you get your classroom ready for the first
day of school?
This and similar teacher interview questions look at your preparedness.

First steps create a first impression. Your plan for first steps says a lot
about your teaching skills.
Example Answer

“I want my classroom to be welcoming and nurturing. I also make the

ground rules obvious. A welcome sign and labeled desks help students feel
at home from day one. Engaging posters and other visual aids help create
a sense of excitement. Beyond fun, a large list of rules and consequences
at the front of the room helps the class start on the right foot.”

9. Why do we teach (science, math, French, etc.) in

school?
Why does your subject matter to you?

If you say, “So they can get good jobs,” you’ll flunk common interview
questions for teachers like this.

Think why you care about the subject at a gut level.

Example Answer

“I’ve always believed our future depends on regular people using science in
day-to-day decisions. Science is at the core of a sense of wonder for our
natural world. That wonder can drive students to improve their learning
skills. It can take them places they never thought they’d go.”

10. How do you evaluate your students?

Common teacher interview questions like this examine how you measure
your performance.

As usual, avoid generic answers. Cite an accomplishment and how it

helped your students.
Example Answer

“I evaluate students with formal and informal methods, including quizzes

and tests. I also grade in-class activities like reports, recitations, desk work,
and group activities. One student, Terry, showed a strong grasp of
concepts during in-class activities, but performed poorly during testing.
Through working closely with him, I uncovered an undiagnosed vision
problem. Terry got corrective lenses and his test scores rose to match his
in-class comprehension.”

Beware. Teaching interview questions like the above may look for whether
you use assessments vs tests.

Know what differentiation and universal design are. Be ready to discuss

working with students with both identified and unidentified disabilities. Be
able to explain how to flip a classroom.

Explain that you’ll be very willing to communicate with and work with
parents. Explain scope and sequence. Know who Ross Greene, Ruby
Payne and Donna Beagle are. Be able to talk about how you’d apply their
work in your classroom.

Source: Download 14 Best Job Interview Questions and Answers PDF

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