Interview Questions - Teaching

 

The following questions will help you analyze your background and identify your qualifications. Each interview will start with some general questions. Relate your answers to the position you are seeking.

General Questions

 

  1. Tell me about yourself.
  2. What are the most important or worthwhile qualifications of a good teacher?
  3. Describe yourself, your background and why you are interested in being a teacher?
  4. With all the qualified teachers, why should I hire you?
  5. Tell me what you think the role of a principal is?
  6. If it were within your power, what is one thing you would change regarding education today. How would you change it?
  7. What are the most important or worthwhile qualities of a good teacher?
  8. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher?
  9. Describe your student teaching successes and failures?
  10. Describe a good lesson, explain why it was good.
  11. How would you go about planning a lesson?
  12. How organized are you? How do you stay organized?
  13. How would you individualize a curriculum for students at various levels?
  14. How would you identify special needs of students?
  15. Many parents are reluctant to get involved with their childrens' schools. Why do you think this is and what can be done about it?
  16. What methods do you use for classroom management? Describe one difficult incident with a student, and how you handled it.
  17. Give me an example of a rule or procedure in your classroom?
  18. Have you ever broken a rule? If so, what determines whether you break a rule or not?
  19. How much knowledge and experience have you had with inclusion or collaborative teaching? How would you evaluate this practice?
  20. As you enter a new job in the fall (or spring) you will most likely be meeting a new staff for the first time. What kinds of things will you do to acclimate yourself and what would you want from others to help you settle in?
  21. What methods have you used or would you use to assess student learning?
  22. What do you see as the relative strengths/weakness norm-referenced tests?
  23. What does being "at-risk" for school failure mean? What are some of the factors/conditions that might put a child at-risk?
  24. What experience have you had incorporating computers in a classroom?
  25. Describe your most significant contribution in your last job or student teaching?
  26. What grade level would you be most comfortable teaching?
  27. Are you a team player? If so, please give me an example.
  28. What extracurricular activities do you participate in?
  29. Are you involved in any other interviews at this time?
  30. What was the last educational article you read, name the title, author, details of the article and what prompted you to read the article in the first place?

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Elementary School Specific

 

  1. What type of reading program did you use in student teaching? (basal, novel, whole language, etc)
  2. How would you describe the ways that children learn from birth to age 9?
  3. If you could design the ideal classroom for the elementary grades what would it look like?
  4. We know that children learn by making connections. What implications does this have for curriculum at the elementary level?
  5. Which subject area do you believe is your strength, which is your weakest? What steps will you take to improve in this area?

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Middle School Specific

 

  1. A lot has been discussed regarding motivation of students at this age. What do you think contributes to the lack of motivation students feel?
  2. What do you think is an appropriate amount of homework for this age student? How much weight would homework hold in your consideration for grading on report cards?
  3. What do you think are the top three qualities needed to be a successful middle school teacher?
  4. What is meant by "teaming" at the middle school level? How does it support instruction?
  5. What are some characteristics of middle school aged students that need to be considered when planning middle school programs?

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Secondary School Specific

 

  1. What do you believe is an acceptable failure rate in courses at the high school? What do you believe causes school failure?
  2. How would you get a student to do their work when theyabsolutely refuse to do anything? (i.e. A senior who says, "I don't care if I flunk, I have enough credits to pass anyway.")
  3. Describe your grading practices. What ingredients go into grades and what percent would you give to each?
  4. What are some alternative scheduling configurations being used at the high school level? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
  5. Which should be the primary concern of high school teachers: the content or the kids? Provide a rationale for your choice.

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