Teacher Interview Questions & Answers

Teachers are responsible for a classroom full of students who are there to learn and grow. Because this job is focused heavily on education, interviewers will look through your teaching resume and ask questions designed to find out whether candidates love working with children as well as to learn more about their teaching styles and how those will mesh with the school's overall objective.

Common Mistakes for Teacher Interviews

Regardless of what question the hiring manager asks, you should always make sure that your answer focuses on your goal to benefit the students. The first question might be to talk a little bit about yourself. In answering this question, it is a mistake to divulge too much personal information about your likes and dislikes. Most interviewers are trying to get a sense of what is important to you and what might be motivating for you to succeed at your job. However, talking about how your children are your top priority could make it seem like the students you teach will come in second. Stick to information that pertains to the job when you are asked about yourself.

Teacher Interview Example Answers

If you are applying for a job teaching younger students, you might be asked what you would do to prepare your classroom for the first day of school. Here are some sample answers:

• I love to create a classroom in which students and their parents feel a sense of warmth and a nurturing atmosphere as soon as they walk into the room. For me, this includes a welcome sign, posters that are appropriate for the age I will be teaching, and labeled desks so that students will immediately know where to go on their first day.
• When teaching first graders, I believe that rewards and consequences are vital to encouraging good behaviour. When my students can clearly understand the rules of the classroom, they are more likely to succeed. So I post a list of the rules along with the consequences for failing to follow them and the reward system for following them at the front of the room for everyone to see.

Some teachers are rigid, which makes it hard for students to learn. Flexibility is an important trait that principals might look for in their candidates, so you might be asked whether you are flexible when teaching. You might answer with something like this:

• Yes, I am a flexible teacher because I understand that all students learn in different ways and at different paces. When teaching, I make sure that every student has a grasp of the subject before moving on. I also work with parents to show them whether their children are positive when discussing the subjects and what they are learning each day in the classroom, and I adapt my lesson plans based on this feedback.

Teachers are vital to the education process, so teacher interview questions are typically designed to gain a better understanding of how you will educate the students in your classroom. Before heading into the interview, take some time to think about teacher interview questions and answers so you will feel prepared and comfortable answering anything the interviewers might ask.