10 Toughest Interview Topics for Teachers1. Talking about yourself
2. Describing your teaching style 3. Summarizing your teaching philosophy 4. Relating multicultural, gender-fair classroom practices 5. Identifying classroom management strategies 6. Communicating effectively with parents and colleagues 7. Expressing short and long-range goals 8. Addressing assessment and evaluation 9. Discussing lesson design, planning and execution 10. Articulating weakness, strengths, and/or special skills |
Top Interview Topics for Teachers
1. Classroom management
2. Learning theories and instructional strategies 3. Teaching philosophy 4. Collaboration/team-building 5. Subject matter/grade-level expertise 6. Strengths and weaknesses 7. Assessment and evaluation Suggestion: Don’t interview until you feel comfortable with these topics. |
Role Models/ Who are YOU?
Compare and contrast your teaching style with that of your cooperating teacher. What ways are you alike? Different?
How many days of work have you missed in the last three years? Describe effective learning techniques that result in intended learning. Describe independent study projects your students have completed. What are your strengths? Weaknesses? If I were to call your previous employers, what would they say about you? Describe an ideal curriculum in your area of study. What are your grading criteria? What does it take to get an A in your class? An F? Describe your work ethic. What would you like your students to say about you? If you could choose to teach any concept in your area, which would you select? Why? How do you teach the writing process? Reading? Thinking skills? What was your biggest surprise (positive or negative) as a student teacher? What is the most important thing about you that I don’t know? How have you challenged your students in the classroom? Do you believe in retention in the elementary grades and who should make that decision? Which of your teachers do you remember best? Why? What specific strengths did you bring to your last job that makes you effective? Describe a lesson plan that you have developed. What were the objectives, the format of the lesson, and how did you evaluate whether or not the objectives were achieved? Tell me about a lesson presentation you made that was particularly effective with your students. One that was ineffective and what you would do differently next time. Do you have any total communication training (sign language skills)? How do you deal with ambiguity? What should your students have gained from having taken your course? What is cooperative learning and how does it affect student attitudes toward learning? What did you not enjoy about student teaching? Why? Are you an approachable teacher? If so, what skills and characteristics do you possess to make this happen? Can a school be too student-oriented? Explain. How do you evaluate student projects and work in your class? What would students most likely remember from having you as a teacher? How do you handle conflict and controversy? What strategies work for you? How much time do you devote to the lecture approach? Could a student of low academic ability receive a high grade in your classes? What is one thing you have done for a student that you think best demonstrates that you care about the kids you teach? Please tell me how the following people would describe you: a) a family member, b) a neighbor, c) a life-long friend, d) your best friend in high school, e) your favorite teacher or professor? |
Assessment/ Curriculum
If I told you no one would ever check or read your lesson plans but you, what would you put in them and why?
Briefly describe a typical week of activities in one of your classes. What information can you use from standardized achievement tests? How would you use it? Rank the following in order of importance: organization, knowledge, rapport with students. Tell why you placed them in that order. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), how would you rate your attendance? Your punctuality? Your sense of humor? Your acceptance of people different than you? What is your philosophy on: whole language approach, literature based approach, basal and/or phonics approach, grouping of students, testing of students? What do you feel is an effective grading scale? If you needed help, who would you go to get it? What are you currently a “6” on, that you in few years would like to be a “10” on? What would you do in your classroom if half the class understands the lesson – half does not? Describe the “ideal” curriculum for your teaching area. What five words would you use to describe yourself? What were you a “6” on a few years ago that you are now a “10” on? Describe your perception of what teaching in the classroom is. Define current curriculum trends in your area. Are you well organized? Are there any comments that you would like to make about your transcript? How have you implemented inquiry? How have you emphasized the development of basic skills? What are your recreational activities, hobbies, interests? What questions do you have? How have your classes made use of the library? Why is your field important for a student to study? What are your strong points? On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you feel this interview portrays the real you as a teacher? What is the role of homework? Cite your criteria for evaluating a textbook for possible adoption. How do you cope with stress? In summary, what is it that makes you the best candidate for a teaching position in our district? Describe the format you use to develop a lesson. In the adoption process, what should be adopted first --- the textbook or the course of study? What motivates you? Gets you upset? What questions didn’t I ask you for which you had an excellent answer prepared? For primary teachers --- define “developmentally appropriate” and give examples of what is meant by the term? Are there any other areas you would like to bring up that I have not asked about? That you feel are important for your candidacy for this position? What are the components of a good lesson presentation? Who are some of your favorite children’s authors? |
Teaching/ Classroom
What is the role of the teacher in the classroom? How do you individualize learning in your classes? What is your position on: teacher-advisement programs? Behavior modification? Tracking? Special education? Values clarification? Multi-test approach? How have you stressed the development of cognitive skills within your classes? Define a superior teacher. What is the role of the student within your classroom? Visualize an ideal classroom. What does it look like? Who’s in it? What resources are you using? What are your goals? Accomplishments? What are your strong points? What is your position on competency-based instruction? What do you like most about being a teacher? Describe your past teaching experiences? What made them successful? Define collaboration and give examples from personal experiences. If I told you prior to the start of the school year that we received a grant allowing us unlimited funds to supply your classroom, what would you want to order? What two or three books have influenced you the most in your professional development? Describe the physical appearance of your classroom in the fall. Later in the year? Name the titles of the last three books you have read. What different disabilities have you worked with? Do you want your students to like you? Explain. Do you want to be a friend to your students? How would you deal with an angry colleague? Education has been described as a partnership. Who are the partners and why are they each important? Should a teacher use humor, criticism, or be neutral in the classroom? What are your practices in dealing with controversial subjects? What is your opinion of holding students after school for detention? What would you do if a student cut your class? Do you like laughter in your classroom? Student Motivation
What principles do you use to motivate students? Describe teaching strategies you have used for students including gifted students, second-language students, reluctant learners, and special needs students. How do you structure your class to achieve maximum benefit from teacher/student contact? What have you found to be the toughest aspect of discipline? How would you diagnose a child’s learning problems? How would you excite students to learn? Of what use are behavioral learning objectives in the teaching process? |
Reason for Teaching/ Personal Motivation
What do you stand for? What and who is important to you? What is the toughest part of teaching today? What has been your most positive experience in teaching so far? Worst? Describe your ideal teaching situation. What do you enjoy most about teaching? Least? What would be an ideal teaching assignment for you? Why? What singular achievement in the last year gave you the greatest satisfaction? What problem that you solved as a teacher gave you the greatest satisfaction? What student do you remember best? Why? Administration/
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Special Education
What do you believe are the unique challenges facing Special Education today? A special education teacher must be both organized and flexible. Give examples of ways you have demonstrated these characteristics Do you consider yourself a risk taker? Give an example Our school is very inclusive and we encourage co-teaching. Describe any experiences you have had co-teaching. If you haven't had any, tell me how you would develop a co-teaching model with a gen ed teacher Tell me any positive behavior supports you have developed. Describe the RTI process. What responsibilities might the intervention specialist have in implementing RTI? How will you collect data on IEP progress and how will you share results with parents? Give me an example of performance assessment Explain differentiated instruction in your classroom How do you keep students engaged? If you could create the ideal school, what would it be like? How do you encourage students to learn? Can a student be forced to learn? How do you develop an IEP? How do you integrate technology into your teaching? Describe a challenge you have overcome in your life |
Parents
How have you communicated student progress to parents? What is the role of the parent in the child’s education? How actively involved should they be? Should they assist in their child’s homework When is it necessary to communicate with parents? A parent appears at your classroom door and begins to complain about the test you gave the class two days ago. What do you do? What are your expectations for parents? What happens if they don’t live up to your expectations? A student tells you that he is being abused by his/her parent, what would you do? Several parents of students in your class complain to the principal about the length and complexity of your homework assignments. After reviewing the matter, you conclude that the difficulty and time required are well within school guidelines for the students involved. What do you say to the principal and do about the assignments – if anything? |