FAQ - TEACHER INTERVIEW

• What is your educational background? (Or I see you went to [insert school name
here]. What was the most rewarding part of attending that university?)
• What are you currently reading for enjoyment?
• What do you want to be doing in five years?
• List five adjectives that describe yourself.
• What is one of your weaknesses, and how are you working to improve it?
• What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom?
• To what teams and/or clubs did you belong as a student?
• What activities might you coach or advise as a member of the teaching staff?
• When did you decide to become a teacher, and why did you choose this field?
• Why do you want to teach at the ____ level?
• What personal strengths do you find especially helpful in your teaching?
• What is your favorite subject to teach? Why?
• What is your least favorite subject, and how do you overcome your indifference
toward it to teach it well?
• What do you like most about teaching as a career?
• What is your least favorite aspect of teaching?
• What is your philosophy of education?
• What role do standards play in your classroom?
• Describe your teaching style.
• How do you organize your classroom?
• How do you structure your time to manage all of the duties associated with
teaching?
• What is the greatest success you have had in teaching?
• What do you think is the greatest challenge facing students today?
• What is the most difficult aspect of teaching today?
• What are the qualities of an excellent teacher?
• Describe the "worst" lesson you have taught. What did you learn from it?
• What is your approach to classroom management?
• What role have parents played in your classroom?
• How do you motivate your students to become active learners in your
classroom? (Or: How do you encourage class participation?)
• Tell us about a troubling student you have taught and how you helped him or
her.
• Describe your best professional development experience.
• Describe your ideal lesson.
• Describe your planning process for a major project or unit.
• Explain your experience with [insert teaching strategy here].
• What plans do you have for the integration of technology in your own
classroom?
• What experience have you had with team-teaching? What is your opinion of it?
• How have and will you address your students' different learning styles?
• How do the assignments you give offer students the opportunity to express
their creativity and individuality?
• How do you modify your teaching to reach students who are struggling to
perform at grade level?
• How do you provide support for students with exceptional ability?
• What would you tell your incoming class in a "back-to-school" letter at the start
of a new school year?
• How would you deal with a student who regularly missed school or your class?
• If most of the students in your class failed an assignment, test, or project, how
would you respond?
• What would your students say they had learned after spending a year in your
class? (Or: What do you want students to remember about your class?)
• How would you establish and maintain good communication with the parents of
your students?
• What steps would you follow to deal with a student who displays consistent
behavioral problems in your classroom?
• Under what circumstances would you refer a child to the administrator's
office?
• What could a visitor to your class expect to see?
• What do you hope to learn from your mentor?
• How would you take advantage of resources within the community to enhance
your teaching?
• Why should you be hired for this position?

Job interviewing never seems to get any easier ­ even when you have gone on more 
interviews than you can count. You are always meeting new people, having to sell 
yourself and your skills, and often getting the third degree about what you know or don't 
know. And, you have to stay upbeat and enthusiastic throughout each interview.

That said, there are ways to make a job interview much less stressful.

Invest a little time prior to the interview getting ready, and it will be much easier to 
handle. The key to effective interviewing is to project confidence, stay positive, and be 
able to share examples of your workplace skills and your qualifications for the job.

Brush up your communication skills, so you can speak clearly and concisely about the 
assets you have to offer the employer. Take the time to work on your interview skills ­ 
effective interviewing will help you get hired.

With some advance preparation, you'll be able to nail the interview and showcase the 
experience that makes you the ideal candidate for the company's next new employee.

7 Interview Tips That Will Help You Get the Job

Here are job interview tips to help prepare you to interview effectively. Proper 
preparation will help alleviate some of the stress involved in job interviews, and the more
you prepare, the more comfortable and successful you will be at interviewing.

1. Practice and Prepare
Practice your responses to the typical job interview questions and answers most 
employers ask. Think of concrete examples you can use to highlight your skills. The 
easiest way to do this is to make a list of the job requirements, and match them to your 
experience. Providing evidence of your successes is a great way to promote your 
candidacy.

Also, have a list of your own questions to ask the employer ready.

2. Research the Company 
Do your homework about the employer and the industry, so you are ready for the 
interview question "What do you know about this company?" Try to relate what you have
learned about the company when answering questions. Know the interviewer's name, and
use it during the job interview. If you're not sure of the name, call and ask prior to the 
interview. Building rapport and making a personal connection with your interviewer can 
up your chances of getting hired. People tend to hire candidates they like, and who seem 
to be a good fit for the company culture.

3. Get Ready Ahead of Time
Don't wait until the last minute to pick out an interview outfit, print extra copies of your 
resume, or find a notepad and pen. Have one good interview outfit ready, so you can 
interview on short notice without having to worry about what to wear. When you have an
interview lined up, get everything ready the night before. Make sure your interview 
attire is neat, tidy and appropriate for the type of firm you are interviewing with. Bring a 
nice portfolio with extra copies of your resume. Include a pen and paper for note­taking.

4. Be On Time (That Means Early)
Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, take 
some time to drive to the interview location ahead of time so you know exactly where 
you are going and how long it will take to get there. Give yourself a few extra minutes to 
visit the rest room, check your outfit, and calm your nerves. Here's more on preparing for 
an interview.
5. Try to Stay Calm
During the job interview, try to relax and stay as calm as possible. Remember that 
your body language says as much about you as your answers to the questions. Proper 
preparation will allow you to exude confidence. Take a moment to regroup if you need it.
Maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Listen to the entire question (active listening) 
before you answer, and pay attention ­ you will be embarrassed if you forget the question.

Check out these tips for avoiding job interview stress to help keep your nerves calm. Also
review our interview tips for introverts if the thought of a job interview puts you in panic 
mode.

6. Show What You Know
Try to relate what you know about the company when answering questions.  When 
discussing your career accomplishments, match them to what the company is looking for.
Use examples from your research when answering questions, “I noticed that when you 
implemented a new software system last year, your customer satisfaction ratings 
improved dramatically. I am well versed in the latest technologies from my experience 
with developing software at ABC, and appreciate a company who strives to be a leader in
its industry.” Take the time to make a match between your expertise and the company's 
requirements, and to sell yourself to the interviewer.

7. Follow Up
Always follow­up with a thank you note reiterating your interest in the position. You can 
also include any details you may have forgotten to mention during your interview. If you 
interview with multiple people send each one a personal note. Send your thank you note 
(email is fine) within 24 hours of your interview.

This is the culmination of several years of hard work. You’ve finished college. You’re done with your
student teaching and you’ve passed all of your teacher certification examinations. The applications,
resumes, and cover letters have been sent out to every local school district.

All you can do now is sit around the house and wait for the phone to ring, right? Wrong! You should be
preparing for your interview!

I’ve been to the interview table several times as a candidate and many more times as an interviewer. If
there were any tricks, secrets, or shortcuts to success in the interviewing process, I haven’t discovered
them. My only sound advice for candidates is to come to the interview prepared.
You should have your teaching portfolio in-hand and you should be ready to talk about anything and
everything that relates to you, your background, and your philosophies on education. The best candidates
know how to teach, they know how to articulate their teaching beliefs, and most of the time, they already
know what types of questions will be asked before the interview even begins.

It’s easy for an interviewer to spot an unprepared candidate. Candidates who have not practiced basic
interview questions beforehand are unnaturally nervous. They shift in their seats more. They begin most
answers with the word, “uhhhhh.” There are long pauses while interviewers wait for the candidate to
process the question and think up an answer. They get confused by basic educational jargon that they
learned in college.

Almost every teaching interview includes similar, common questions. In order to be a prepared candidate,
all you have to do is practice answering the most common questions before you go to the interview. (See
the practice interview questions chapter in my book to review the 45 most commonly asked questions.) If
you prepare beforehand, the interview questions will seem routine and familiar. There are no tricks or
shortcuts; if you do your homework you will perform well.

Body language can show whether you’re a confident, qualified teacher or an unsure one. At the interview,
be confident, but not cocky. Smile when you walk in. Greet the people interviewing you with a smile and a
nod. Firmly shake the hand of the principal and other interviewers that are within easy reach. When you
take your seat, sit up straight with your feet on the floor and your hands in a relaxed position on the desk.

Have a mild sense of humor. Prepare to make some humorous small talk when you are greeted. For
example, if a principal shakes your hand and asks how you are, it’s okay to say, “A nervous wreck!” A
whimsical introduction can break the ice. Be sure your sense of humor is clean and appropriate for an
interview.

Have a teaching portfolio ready. Your portfolio should contain extra copies of your resume, a copy of your
teaching certificate, sample lesson plans, samples of student work, and any other evidence that shows
you are a qualified candidate for a teaching position. It should be bound in a neat, professional-looking
leather binder. (See the teaching portfolio chapter in my book for more information.) Place the portfolio in
front of you when you sit down at the interview table.

Usually, the people interviewing you will not ask to see your portfolio. They do, however, expect you to
have it on-hand. Don’t wait for anyone to mention the portfolio. Instead, you should use it as a tool to
describe your teaching experiences. For example, if you are asked to describe a lesson that involves
teaching writing, you might say, “Yes, I can show you! I have a sample of student work that shows how I
teach the writing process.”

The first question at almost every interview will be: “Tell us about yourself.” You should already know what
you’re going to say. Keep your answer reasonably brief. You can talk about the college you attended and
provide an overview of your teaching experience.

Always be positive. Try not to say, “I don’t know.” Avoid saying, “I’m not really good at…” Don’t say,
“That’s one of my weak points.” Always tell the truth, but you don’t want to suggest that you’re not a
confident, successful, qualified teacher. If you honestly don’t know the answer to a question, you might
ask the interviewer to restate it in a different way, or you might want to give the best answer you can
based on your knowledge and experiences.

Use lots of examples when you answer questions. When they ask how you would do something, tell them
how you have already done it. This will make you seem more experienced. For example, if an interviewer
asks, “How would you you use creative problem-solving in your lessons?” You might answer with, “When I
was student teaching, I did a great creative problem-solving lesson when…” When you use specific
examples, you’re convincing the interviewers that you’re more than just hypothetical talk.

The final question of your interview will most likely be, “Do you have any questions for us?” Be prepared
with a thoughtful question ahead of time. While this is probably not the most important question of the
interview, it is your last chance to leave a positive impression. Rather than answering with, “Not really,”
you should ask something philosophical or complimentary. You might ask the interviewer why they are
proud of their school or what the people you’ll be working with are like. Since your interviewers will
probably be meeting with lots of candidates, you should use the opportunity to ask a question and make
yourself stand out. And, think about it: You’ve been on the hot seat answering their questions for 45
minutes. You’ve earned the right to turn the table, even if it is just for a moment.

When you leave, the interviewers will, of course, be talking about you. They’ll be filling out little forms
rating your experience, qualifications, communication skills, and personality. At the end of the day, they
will have about a dozen of these forms sitting on the desk. They’ll look through them all and the chosen
candidates will be the ones who were the most memorable, most qualified, and most prepared for the
meeting. With some time and effort, that candidate can be you.

Are you nervous about your next interview for a teaching job? Don’t be! Just remember these 10 secrets
to a perfect interview!

1. Have a teaching portfolio that is filled with lesson plans and

student work samples.
I know it takes a great deal of time to assemble a teaching portfolio, but your hard work will pay off.
Instead of just telling them you’re a great teacher, you can use your portfolio to show interviewers the
exciting lessons you’ve used to teach children in the past.

2. Practice sample interview questions before you go to the

interview.
Interview questions aren’t usually unique. In fact, the same questions will be asked at almost every
interview. Do a google search to find common teacher interview questions and practice your responses
beforehand. (50 common interview questions and answers are also available in my eBook, which can be
downloaded from: http://www.iwantateachingjob.com )
3. Be sure you dress professionally.
You’d be surprised at how much your clothing matters. If you dress to casually, the interviewers may not
believe that you’re taking the interview seriously enough.

4. Make eye contact with all of the interviewers at the table, not just
the principal.
I’ve sat in on many interview committees and have noticed that many candidates look directly at the
principal and seem to ignore the rest of the panel. Be sure you make eye contact with everyone at the
table.

5. Project a friendly, bubbly, positive, and outgoing personality.

Interview committees are looking for friendly people to be on their staff. While your teaching credentials
are important, you need to remember that the interview committee is also looking for someone with a
positive person that is easy to get along with. If they can see your glowing personality shine through, they
are more likely to want you at their school.

6. Research the school district beforehand.

Visit the district’s website to find out their philosophy of education. Also, research information about the
types of students that you will be teaching, the community, and the subjects being taught there.

7. Be sure your educator vocabulary is up-to-date.

Be sure you’re familiar with educational jargon and teaching acronyms. All of those big vocabulary words
you learned in college may come back to haunt you at the interview. If you’re asked about differentiated
instruction, IEPs, Everyday Math, NCLB, or ELL students, you don’t want to be the candidate that
responds with, “Huh?”
8. Use lots of specific examples when you discuss your teaching
experiences.
Want to seem like an experienced professional? Whenever an interviewer asks you how you would do
something, tell them how you have already been doing it. If you use words like, “I would like to…” or “I
might try to…” or “I could…”, then you will seem inexperienced. Instead, say things like, “When I was
student teaching, I…” or “When I taught __, I would…” or “One thing I always do is…” This will help to
emphasize and highlight your expereince.

9. Prepare a good question to ask at the end of the interview.

Your questions should be complimentary to the school and open-ended. Try to prepare a question that will
require the interviewer to think, rather than just provide you with a one-word answer. Thoughtful questions
will leave a lasting impression.
10. Don’t forget to mail your thank you letter right away!
Whether you send a greeting card or a formal business letter, be sure you thank the interviewers for
meeting with you. You letter should express your appreciation, compliment the school environment, and
invite the interviewers to contact you again.