Welcome to part three of this little series looking at some potential interview questions you may run into when interviewing for a teacher position.. As discussed in the previous articles, these questions can be fairly common, as well as not so common. The idea is to be prepared for anything that might come your way, so as not to be thrown off balance by an unexpected angle. The better prepared you are for any angle they come at the better - and the more professional of an answer you can be prepared with all the better.
If you have missed the previous two parts to this series, feel free to jump back first and take a look. Click these links for PART 1 and PART 2. Now let us take a look at some additional questions, such as:
"What do you feel are the required qualities of an excellent teacher?" - This one can in some ways overlap a little of one of the previous questions we asked, about the philosophy of education, in that one's philosophy will drive their approach to teaching. However, the strongest influence on answers for this question will come from your philosophy of teaching styles. Be sure you have at least a basic knowledge of the teaching styles and philosophy of the school you are interviewing for. You may go into the interview with your style all laid out and explained, only to find that it clashes with what the school practices.
"Tell us of the "worst" lesson you have ever taught, and what did you learned from it?" - Anytime you are asked to provide a bad or "worst" scenario answer, it is always best to show it to be a learning experience. The same can be said for those questions asking about your weaknesses. Tell of those weaknesses or worst experiences, but always twist it at the end to show a good result - what was learned, how things were changed because of it. Never leave a bad scenario floating out there.
"What role have parents played in the classroom/education experience?" - How much interaction do you have with your students parents? How involved do you request them to be, and what types of interactions do you promote with the parents? Just draw on past experiences, as well as personal preferences - again, know a little about the school's policy on this. If they have very strong parental involvement and you prefer no parental interaction, then that could be a bad clashing point.
"How have you integrated technology in your classroom - and what types of technology?" - This is important now more than ever. Hopefully in recent years you have already incorporated computer use and other technology in your classroom plans. Look into how much and what types of technology the school has been using, and be sure you are familiar enough with that to make a smooth transition into a position there.
"What are some of the different learning styles you have encountered, and how have you addressed them?" - Different students have different styles of learning. What are some of the styles you have had experience with the most, and how do you approach these different styles when it comes to how you teach?
Hopefully these additional question have been helpful in stimulating additional questions and answers you could have ready when entering into your job interview. There are some more I would like to look at in upcoming segments, so please come back and watch for next week's post. If you have any to share, please comment below.
Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, mail order book store manager, and musician. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Education Jobsite blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog sites.
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!