Recently, we asked some of the really good teachers on Facebook, what their best advice was for teaching interviews. While some of the answers were great reminders, others were things that you might not think about. Check out 20 things to be prepared for during a teaching interview from veteran teachers who have been through it all.
Teaching Interview Prep Tips
- Be yourself. ~Christina D.
- Know what the district emphasizes. ~Laura L.
- Know the school, expectations, and their goals. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! ~Amy B.
- Find out information about the school and what the principal(s) likes and doesn’t like with teaching, and focus on what he does like. Highlight things you did in your internships, highlight your skills. ~Kelly B.
- Decide if you really want to work there. Substitute first, if possible. ~Carolene B.
- Be prepared to plan our a lesson and practically teach it! ~Amy W.
- Know your classroom management style. When I was on the hiring committee, that was the thing we were looking for – people who could manage effectively. ~ Stephanie
- Have a list of questions prepared ahead of time. Be ready to talk about differentiating instruction and assessments. Show examples in your portfolio. ~ Carolene B.
- Get to know the school and district that you are interviewing with. Remember you are interviewing them too! Be prepared to ask questions about the district’s reading and math programs or their technology resources. ~ Monica S.
- Have a solid explanation of your classroom management plan. ~ Amanda I.
- Write down every question you think you might be asked. Write out the answers completely, making sure you add the points you want to highlight about your experience. Then, practice, practice, practice answering the questions. If provides you confidence during the interview, and you don’t go away thinking, “I wish I would have said that” because you left an important point out. ~ Susan K.
- Be prepared to answer unusual questions too. “If you could be any animal, what would you be?” is one of the questions in interviews this year. ~ Donna W.
- Find out what reading/math curriculum the district has adopted and familiarize yourself with it. Above all, relax and sell your best qualities. Confidence is huge in an interview. ~ Tina D.
- Make every answer centered around students. It’s all about them! If they ask about instruction, mention that you’ll use data to help you drive your instruction. Don’t mention how you’re going to “decorate” your room – unless they ask. Principals could care less about room decor. ~ Coriluigs C.
- Avoid taking a seat at the table so that the clock is directly in YOUR line of sight. You will become painfully critical of yourself for how long it may take to answer a question. ~ Andrea C.
- Be prepared to tell how you will differentiate instruction, as well as, what your knowledge is of various technologies being used in the classroom. ~ Laura K.
- I think if you don’t know something/aren’t familiar with a program, etc. it is okay to admit that. Of course, add that you’d be willing to attend professional development ro educate yourself. I asked what a couple acronyms meant during my interview and found out that I knew what they were, but was unfamiliar with the slang. ~ Amy K.
- Check out the school’s website. Be prepared to talk about your favorite lesson and what your classroom management style is. Also, a big one that my principal likes to ask is, “How do you make your lessons relevant to real life?” ~ Andria P.
- Answer the question and stop talking. It’s okay if there is silence. ~ Corrie G.
- Smile and make sure you show your true personality. ~ Jennifer H.
What are some of your best tips for interviewing? Share them with us below!
Cheryl says
Such great information! Thank you so much for sharing this! 🙂
Maricela C. says
This are some great tips! Thanks for sharing!