Education Interview
Questions
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education interview questions.
Sample Interview Questions for Teachers
- Tell me about yourself.
- What/who influenced you the most to become a teacher? Why did you
choose education as your career?
- How have your past experiences prepared you for teaching?
- Why do you want to teach?
- What do you enjoy most about working with young people?
- What do you enjoy least about working with young people?
- Tell me about your student teaching/internship experience(s). What
kind of problems did you have and how did you resolve them?
- What classroom management techniques did you use? How effective
have they been for you?
- How do you handle discipline problems? What is the most difficult
aspect of discipline for you?
- How would you handle a student who is a consistent behavioral
problem?
- How do you keep students on task?
- How would you handle a student who refuses to work in your
class or do what you ask?
- A student is consistently late for class. How would you handle
this situation?
- Some students always finish their assignments early. How would you deal with
the free time that they have?
- What do you feel are the most important things students learn in
your classroom?
- Describe an ideal classroom.
- Describe a teaching strategy you used to maximize the learning
potential of all students.
- Describe how you conduct a lesson. Describe the components of an
effective lesson plan.
- Do you believe in detailed lesson plans? How do you use lesson
plans?
- Define cooperative learning and give an example of how you have
used it.
- What curriculum materials have you developed?
- How do you individualize your teaching?
- Would you rather teach the slow learner or the advanced learner?
Why?
- How do you teach to low achievers?
- How would you work with a mainstreamed learning disabled student?
- How do you handle the different ability levels of students? How do
you help a student who is having difficulty?
- How do you work with students who perform below grade level?
- How do you personally feel students learn?
- How do you motivate students? What are several effective ways to
motivate students toward active participation in the learning process?
- How do you reinforce major ideas or concepts that you want
students to learn?
- How do you provide feedback to students about how they are doing?
- How will you determine if students are learning? What evaluation
techniques do you use?
- How have/would you use paid/volunteer aides in your classroom?
- How do you involve parents in the learning process?
- What is your philosophy of teaching?
- What attributes are common to good teaching?
- What are the three most important strengths you possess that will
make you a successful teacher?
- Give me one or two examples of things that you discovered about
yourself while student teaching that you would like to improve.
- What kind of relationship do you have with your students?
- How do you think your students would describe you?
- What kind of learning environment do you try to create?
- How do you reinforce self-esteem in students?
- Describe your ability to listen and be responsive. Can you give
me an example?
- Are you the kind of person children and adults confide in?
- How do you make students feel at ease around you, while still
respecting you?
- How do you show your students that you understand them and their
frustrations?
- Through your teaching, do you think students can be changed?
- Is it appropriate to tell your class that you are angry with
them?
- What do you expect from your supervisor? What qualities would you
like to have in your principal?
- What issues in education are of greatest concern to you? Why?
- What is the toughest aspect of teaching today? What are some of
the greatest challenges of being an educator?
- What is the most exciting initiative happening in your area of
education today?
- What books/journal articles have you read in the last six
months/year?
- Do you plan to continue your education/seek an advanced degree?
- What do you want to accomplish in your profession?
- Why should this district hire you?
- What things about yourself would you lie to bring out that have
not been brought out in the interview?
- What questions do you have that I may be able to answer?
Questions for the Interviewer:
You should always have questions for the interviewer. Don’t ask
questions that have been answered in the interview or that you should know
from your research. These can be asked in the middle of the interview if
they connect to a question asked of you.
- What is the teacher/student ratio in your district?
- Do you encourage teachers to earn advanced degrees?
- How many classes a day will I be expected to teach?
- Tell me about the students who attend this school.
- What textbooks does the district use in this subject area?
- Do teachers participate in curriculum review and change?
- What support staff members are available to help students and
teachers?
- What discipline procedures does the district use?
- What kind of parental/community support does the school have?
- Do your schools use teacher aides or parent volunteers?
- Does the administration encourage field trips for students?
- How are teachers assigned to extra-curricular activities? Is
compensation provided?
- Does the district have a statement of educational philosophy or
mission?
- What are the prospects for future growth in this community and
its schools?
- What is the ethnic
composition of your student
body?
- What is the average tenure
of teachers at this school?
- What would you describe as the ________ department’s strongest
classroom program or activity?
- When will this position be filled?
- May I tour the facilities, including_______________
- Why is this position vacant?
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this list for later reference.
Preparing
for Your Teaching Interview
Preparing for a teaching interview is similar to preparing for any
employment interview. Your research and preparation for interview
questions will be more specialized, however, and should focus on the
particular school to which you are applying, your past
education-related experiences and teaching methodology.
Research the School/Board
- What will be the interview format (length, number of
interviewers, presentation)?
- Who will be interviewing you and what are their positions?
- What is the school like (programs, size, special
recognition)?
- What do you know about the surrounding community (ethnic
groups, housing, services, socio-economic make-up)?
- What local agreements and board policies exist (noon hour
supervision, evaluation of teachers, professional development)?
Possible Interview Questions
- What is the role of the teacher in the classroom?
- How would you describe your last principal?
- What principles do you use to motivate students?
- Describe effective teaching techniques that result in
intended learning.
- How has your education and life experiences prepared you
for this position?
- What is the most exciting thing happening in the area of
education?
- Describe an ideal curriculum in your area of study.
- Describe the physical appearance of your classroom.
- How did you make use of your spare time during
university?
- How much time do you devote to the lecture approach?
- If you could choose to teach any concept in your area,
which would you select and why?
- What rules have you established for your classroom?
- Describe the format you use to develop a lesson.
- What should schools do for students?
- How do you handle the different ability levels of
students in classes?
- How would your students describe you?
- What is the toughest aspect of teaching today?
- What is the role of homework?
- What has been your most positive/negative teaching
experience?
- What activities will you sponsor if you are hired for
this position?
- What is your system for evaluating student work?
- How would you handle a student who is a consistent
behavioral problem in your class?
- How would you handle a student sleeping in your class?
- What would you do if a student has been absent from your
class for several days?
- What are your practices in dealing with controversial
subjects?
- What curricular materials have you developed?
- What do you like most about teaching?
- What aspects of teaching do you like least?
- How do you involve parents in the learning process?
- In your opinion, can a school be too student-oriented?
- Why do you want to be a teacher?
- What can you do for this school board?
- What did you get out of your internship?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- How would you respond if a parent said that you marked
too hard?
- How do you implement career education concepts in your
class?
- Define current curriculum trends in your area.
- Describe independent study projects your students have
completed.
- In what professional associations do you hold a
membership?
- Could a student of low academic ability receive a high
grade in your class?
- What five words would you use to describe yourself?
- What provisions have you made for the gifted?
- In what areas do you feel you need improvement?
- What is your opinion of holding students after school
for detention?
- Do you like laughter in your classroom?
- Describe an assignment that you recently gave to
students.
- How do you assist in preventing the destruction of
school property.
- What is the role of the student in your classroom?
- What units would you include in teaching?
- Have you supervised student teachers, interns or
practicum students?
- Cite the criteria you would use to evaluate a textbook
for possible adoption.
- What field trips have you arranged for your class in the
past year?
- Describe a lesson plan that you have developed? What
were the objectives?
- A student tells you they have been experimenting with
marijuana. What would you do?
- How have your classes made use of the library?
- What should your students gain from taking your class?
- How would you change the school-system if you could make
any changes?
- How do you cope with stress?
- What two books, concepts or experiences have influenced
you most in your professional development?
- What question have I not asked that you wish I would
have raised?
- If you are selected for this position, what can we do to
help you become successful?
- In what kind of environment are you most comfortable?
- How do you individualize learning in your class?
- How would you motivate the hard to reach child?
- Describe how you made a contribution in the last job or
activity you were involved in.
- Why did you choose to attend the U of S, and
specifically this particular college?
- Do you consider your education as a valuable experience?
Why?
- How did you spend your summers? Why?
- Are your grades indicative of your ability?
- What changes, if any, would you make to your education?
- What type of person do you not get along with?
- How do you handle jobs/tasks that you do not enjoy?
- In less than two minutes, describe yourself.
- What values are most important to you?
- How would you define teaching as a job? As a profession?
- How do you receive feedback? Criticism?
- How will you appraise your teaching performance?
- What do you base student evaluation on?
- Describe a situation in which you had difficulty in
getting along with someone and how you overcame it.
- What are your prominent work habits?
- What limitations do you have that would impact your
performance in this position?
- Why should I hire you?
- If you were hiring a graduate for this position, what
qualities would you be looking for?
- What failures have you experienced and what did you
learn from them?
- What extracurricular activities have you participated in
and what did you gain from them?
- Tell me about a recent problem you have experienced and
how you went about solving it.
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