1. Why do you want to be a teacher?

“Why did you become a teacher?” is the most common of all interview questions for teachers.

Administrators want to know you’re motivated to work through inevitable frustrations. And believe me, they’ve heard
every generic answer in the books.

“Because I want to help people” won’t work. Find something specific that shows you’re motivated like no other.

Example Answer

I had trouble reading as a child My 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Paulette, introduced us to an amazing list of short stories
and books. She read to us and worked with us on reading comprehension. Her care switched on an unquenchable
thirst that led me to read thousands of books on topics as diverse as history, biology, sociology, and nature. Mrs.
Paulette’s attention forever changed my outlook on life. Since then, I’ve known I wanted to do exactly what she did—
to give children tools to last for their entire lives.

2. What is your teaching philosophy?

Teacher interview questions like this ask, “Are you a good fit for our school?” It’s the teaching equivalent of “tell me
about yourself.”

But—

Don’t answer elementary teacher interview questions for an unstructured school with, “I believe in structured
learning.”

Take the time to learn the school’s philosophy before the interview.

Example Answer

I believe in teaching to each student’s passion. For instance, in one kindergarten class, my students had trouble with
punctuation. I observed that one student, Mary, suddenly got excited about apostrophes. I fueled her passion with a
big book on punctuation. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and soon the entire class was asking bright and animated
questions. Whenever possible, I try to deliver structured lessons in an unstructured way like this.

That answer uses the S.T.A.R. approach to teaching interview questions. It shows a Situation, a Task, an Action, and
a Result.

3. How much do you want to know about your students in order to be most helpful to them?

This is another of those interview questions for teachers that depends on the school’s philosophy.

One administrator might think it’s crucial to know every detail. Another might say, “A doctor doesn’t need to know her
patient’s favorite ice cream flavor.”

Be honest, but find common ground, as in this teaching interview questions answer:

Example Answer

I need to know a student’s learning styles, passions, and challenges. One difficult student, Tim, was disruptive in
class. I joined him on the playground on and off. It turned out he was being bullied after school by his brother’s
friends. I spoke with Tim’s parents, and they had no idea. Tim became my star student, and as a result, my whole
class got quieter and easier to teach.

How to Prepare for a Teaching Interview:

 Research the school online and talk to teachers. Learn their challenges.
 Brainstorm times you’ve solved problems like theirs.
 Practice sample teacher interview questions. Write up your answers and drill with 3x5 cards. When
possible, describe a problem you once faced, an action you took, and a positive result for your school or
student(s).
  Gather materials like a lesson plan, Praxis scores, and transcripts. Include images as proof of your
accomplishments.

4. Why do you want to work for our school district?

Administrators want to know if you really want this job.

So—find things you love about the school.

Talk to teachers who work there. Check out the school’s website, mission statement, and “About Us” page.

Finally, take some time to think of how you fit.

Example Answer

I respect Snowy Peaks High’s belief in teaching to the whole child. Your focus on academics, character, community,
and nature fit perfectly with my own philosophy. It’s easier to teach well-rounded students. The best lesson plan in the
world can’t help a child who’s struggling in all other areas of life.

5. How can you help our school/students?

Teacher interview questions like this don’t have to make you blink.

Remember:

Take the time to learn the school’s needs first.

The example below is for a school with a high percentage of disruptive students.

Example Answer

I’ve talked to several of your teachers and heard about their challenges with classroom management. My own
classroom management skills are highly developed. I’ve taken 18 continuing education credits in class management
from the University of Phoenix’s online program. I was commended at my last school after fully engaging a class with
over 25% disruptive students. I used a mix of nonverbal cues, transition cues, timeouts, and several other kernel-
based strategies. I believe I can be just as effective here.

6. What do you find most frustrating about teaching?

Teaching interview questions like this attempt to see if you are easily discouraged.

So—your answer has to show your inner strength.

Example Answer

I get very frustrated with bright kids who become overconfident and don’t apply themselves. There’s nothing sadder
or more common than wasted potential. At my last position, I worked with several children who weren’t trying. I
implemented a research-based program to incorporate student ideas into the lesson plan. The addition of their
thoughts created more complete engagement. Test scores went up 15% in just two months.

Pro Tip: Teaching is frustrating. Many common interview questions for teachers focus on that pain. Don’t minimize it.
Instead, explain your skills at working through it.

7. Why should we hire you to teach here?

This is the teacher interview questions equivalent of the old standby, “Why should we hire you?”

The example answer below is for a school that wants technology in the curriculum.

Example Answer
 I’m well aware of your new technology initiative. We were tasked with the same challenge at my last school. Thanks
to my strong tech background, I was able to add online quizzes easily. The students loved them, and they cut
administrative processing by 25%.

8. How would you get your classroom ready for the first day of school?

This and similar teacher interview questions look at your preparedness.

First steps create a first impression. Your plan for first steps says a lot about your teaching skills.

Example Answer

I want my classroom to be welcoming and nurturing. I also make the ground rules obvious. A welcome sign and
labeled desks help students feel at home from day one. Engaging posters and other visual aids help create a sense
of excitement. Beyond fun, a large list of rules and consequences at the front of the room helps the class start on the
right foot.

9. Why do we teach (science, math, French, etc.) in school?

Why does your subject matter to you?

If you say, “So they can get good jobs,” you’ll flunk common interview questions for teachers like this.

Think why you care about the subject at a gut level.

Example Answer

I’ve always believed our future depends on regular people using science in day-to-day decisions. Science is at the
core of a sense of wonder for our natural world. That wonder can drive students to improve their learning skills. It can
take them places they never thought they’d go.

10. How do you evaluate your students?

Common teacher interview questions like this examine how you measure your performance.

As usual, avoid generic answers. Cite an accomplishment and how it helped your students.

Example Answer

I evaluate students with formal and informal methods, including quizzes and tests. I also grade in-class activities like
reports, recitations, desk work, and group activities. One student, Terry, showed a strong grasp of concepts during in-
class activities, but performed poorly during testing. Through working closely with him, I uncovered an undiagnosed
vision problem. Terry got corrective lenses and his test scores rose to match his in-class comprehension.

Beware. Teaching interview questions like the above may look for whether you use assessments vs tests.

Know what differentiation and universal design are. Be ready to discuss working with students with both identified and
unidentified disabilities. Be able to explain how to flip a classroom. Explain that you’ll be very willing to communicate
with and work with parents. Explain scope and sequence. Know who Ross Greene, Ruby Payne and Donna Beagle
are. Be able to talk about how you’d apply their work in your classroom.
Brian Welsh
High School Teacher