Top 40 Teacher Interview Questions & Answers [2025 Edition]

Teaching belongs to most popular career choices all around the world, and it should not surprise us. Working with children, teaching them vital skills such as reading, writing, or arithmetic; or with adults, helping them to reach their career goals, or get to the university of their choice, is an incredibly rewarding role.

Many people are attracted to teaching, and luckily there are also many job openings for teachers. But it doesn’t mean that you will automatically succeed in your interview. On the contrary. Interview processes have become more sophisticated over the recent years. You will often face many situational questions, such as how would you address this or that situation in a classroom. These are not easy to answer, especially if you lack previous experience with teaching.

What’s more, you may interview in front of a small panel, consisting of school principal, one of their assistants, couple of veteran teachers, and sometimes even a parents of one of the children (for example a parent of a child with special needs, who’s representing this particular group of students).

But do not worry. We put this website together years ago, to help teachers face the challenges in their job interviews. In late 2024 we redesigned it completely (this process is still going on), added new interview questions and more sample answers to each question, to make sure that the content reflects the reality of the interviews in 2025, and beyond. You should find here everything you need to get ready for the interviews, and pass it with flying colors. Below the picture you will find the list of questions. Enjoy!

Table of contents - choose your question

Top 40 teacher interview questions and answers

Interviewers will try to understand your skills, attitude to teaching, your knowledge of teaching methods, your motivation to do the job, and a few other things while talking to you in an interview. A mix of personal, situational (behavioral) and technical questions will help them to get a good grasp of your abilities and personality. Let’s have a look of questions you may typically face, one by one.

Q1: Please tell us something about yourself.

Though often the first question in an interview, you should not consider it a mere ice-breaker. In some cases, it can be the only question the principal will ask you. You introduce yourself, say the right things, and they offer you a job. That’s a dream scenario though…

More often than not, you will have to deal with many other questions down the road. But everything starts here, with a question you expect, and can prepare for in advance. What should you focus on while introducing yourself to the hiring committee?

In my opinion, you should not spend fifteen minutes answering the question, narrating in great detail your education and teaching experience. On the contrary, you should focus on a few crucial points—your strengths (more on it later on), and add a detail or two from your personal life (whether you have a family, what you enjoy to do in your spare time, etc). Just to show them that you are in for an open an honest discussion, and have some life outside of work as well.

Sample answers:

I would characterize myself as an ambitious and enthusiastic young teacher who hopes to bring positivity to each classroom, as well as to the staff-room. I love being around children, and generally children enjoy being around me, and I cannot wait to start teaching here, or at another elementary school with a great leadership in place. In my free time I enjoy dancing and socializing, as well as reading books on human psychology and ecology.
My name is Martin, and I’ve been teaching for seven years now, PE. I am a firm believer that for a healthy mind you need a healthy body, and see it as my mission to make sure that we limit child obesity to minimum, and teach kids to enjoy the most natural activity for human species again–movement. Since my wife needed to move to this city for work, we decided it would be the best option for me to follow. I found your school, liked what I read online, decided to apply, and I am glad that you decided to give me a chance in to interview for a PE teacher job.
I would characterize myself with the following three words: responsible, passionate, and humble. Understanding the responsibility we carry on our shoulders as teachers, especially at elementary and secondary level, I have approached my education responsibly, trying to get ready for all challenges I may face as a teacher. At the same time, however, I try to teach with passion–for the subject, and for the children. I believe students can feel it in the classes, and it helps me to win them over. And at the same time I try to stay humble, always learning from more experienced teachers, but also from my students, and the feedback I get on my lessons.
As you can see on my resume, I’ve been teaching for over twenty years now. That’s a lot to talk about really. Instead of going through the jobs one after another, I will just say that I still enjoy my teaching mission, look forward to a new challenge at your university, hope to publish some great research papers while working here, and overall I am definitely not yet bored with the profession. I’ve had my share of successes, as well as difficulties, and believe that both made me stronger as a person… If you would like to elaborate me on any of my former jobs, please ask. When it comes to my free time, I enjoy spending time with my children and going for walks with a dog, to make up for long hours we spend sitting as teachers.
My name is Marie, 22 years old, single, applying for my very first teaching job with you, and super-excited about this interview. As you can see on my resume, I’ve earned my degree with DEF University. I have a dream to become a role model for children I teach, and make a positive difference in their lives. Yet to be tested in a real classroom environment, I know that I will face many challenges. But I embrace it all, and am sure that I will manage to handle them, with the help of my new colleagues. Outside of teaching, I am a passionate cyclist and a vegetarian cook. Healthy lifestyle helps me to maintain high energy levels throughout the day, which should allow me to deliver my best in each lesson. And that’s exactly the goal. Anyway, I am sure you will understand me better as a person during this interview, and I also hope to learn more about you as a leader of this school…
My name is James, I am 52 years old, and have just moved here from Canada, after working mostly manual jobs back home for thirty years. Trying to benefit from my native language, I want to get a job of an English teacher at a private language school, starting a new life here, rediscovering passion for living and working–a passion I’ve struggled to find back in Canada. Other than that I am just a normal guy who enjoys meeting new people, reading, and learning new stuff. Since I read a lot I find myself comfortable conversing about all sorts of topics, which I believe will be extremely helpful in conversational lessons with your students. Would you like me to elaborate on my education, or any of the jobs I had in Canada?
First of all, thank you for inviting me for this interview. I’ve done my research, your school is my first choice, and it really means a lot to me to have an opportunity to interview here today. If I should characterize myself, I would say the following: Experienced Math and Physics teacher, with a proven track of achievements when it comes to results my students achieved, whether we talk about grades, getting to universities of their choice, or participating and winning in regional and national competitions. In my private life I am a father of two and a loving husband, and enjoy hiking with my family during the weekends. Looking at my resume, is there anything in particular you would like to know about my education or previous jobs?

Special tip no. 1: Non-verbal communication is equally important, especially at the start of your interview

The last thing any school principal wants is getting onboard a teacher who doesn’t enjoy their profession anymore, someone full of negativity. I sincerely hope it is not your case. Even if it is, however, or you happen to stand somewhere in the middle, try to sound more optimistic while introducing yourself.

Speak with enthusiasm about your education, experience, and expectations. They should get an impression that you still see teaching as a meaningful profession, and want to make a positive difference in the lives of your students. In a way you should sound pumped-up in this interview. This is a school where you want to work, and you cannot wait to get the most out of your opportunity to interview with the principal (or with anyone else leading the meeting). First impression is made only once. Remember it while introducing yourself.

Special tip no. 2: Show your creativeness with a format of your answer

Most people will start their introduction in the following one: “My name is XYZ, I am XY years old, I’ve studied at ABC University, etc.” And while it isn’t a bad opening, and you can certainly win many points with such–if you elaborate on it with something meaningful, you can also try to approach the question in a more creative way.

Why not introducing yourself with three adjectives only? Or with one short but powerful sentence that conveys the most important message you have to tell? Alternatively you can start with words of praise–something that every leader loves to hear–saying how much it means to you to interview for a job at such a great school. Be creative and stand out from the crowd. In many cases that’s the most important thing to do in the interviews…

Q 2: Why do you want to be a teacher? (Why did you decide for teaching?)

How you do the work matters more than why you do it. But unless you know why you want to be a teacher (or anything else you want to be in life), you may struggle to overcome the challenges and difficult moments teaching presents. And you will quit. Or you will burnout and hate your job. None of that is good either for you, or for your employer.

At the end of the day, interviewers always want to know your motivation. Are you in for money? Prestige? Power? Or do you want to make a positive difference in your life, and believe that teaching children will allow you to do so?

People have all sorts of reasons when they decide to study teaching, and later apply for a job of a teacher. But not all of them represent a good choice for your interview answer. You should think twice about the message you convey while explaining your decision to teach. The goal is to convince the principal (and other people in the interviewing panel) that you know what you are doing, and see teaching as your personal mission going forward.

Sample answers

I want to have an impact on the young generation. Seeing what’s going on in the world, and the uncertain future we face, teachers who help their students develop the right values and creative thinking are as important as ever. I believe to have the capacity to make this happen, and I enjoy teaching. That’s why I am here with you today.
I want to be a teacher because I find the job an excellent match to my strengths and personality. I am a great listener, can explain difficult things in a simple way, and my patience has no boundaries. In my opinion, these are important abilities for every good teacher. Of course, I could have pursued another career with my skills. But I see meaningful purpose in teaching, and hope to become a great teacher one day.
My teacher at elementary school made a real difference in my life. I come from a difficult family background, and I was just a shy kid, barely speaking to anyone in the classroom when I was seven. But they helped me to gain confidence, to open up, and to develop my abilities and skills. The impact they had on my life was just tremendous. And I would like to pay back the favor, in my own way. It would be amazing to play a similar role in lives of children, to help them conquer their own demons and fears.
My ultimate goal is to follow in the steps of my parents, and lead our family language school one day. We have seven teachers onboard and several hundreds of students. In order to be able to recruit the right teachers in the future, to lead them and evaluate their performance, I firstly have to understand teaching myself, and teach people. That’s why I am here today, trying to get to your college, so I can earn my teaching degree and gain the teaching experience, before eventually taking over the family business.
To be completely honest with you, I am not 100% sure about my reasons yet. I enjoy teaching, I feel great around children, and I believe I have something to give them in the classroom–not only in terms of the lesson we cover. But I am still young, trying to understand my place in the world, and the direction I’d like to take in life. At the moment I definitely want to study teaching, but whether I end up a teacher at a school, or do something else after graduating, I haven’t decided yet.
I want to teach PE because I understand the importance of physical education and love for sports and movement in the lives of children. I also see that the majority of them lacks movement, and the impact it has on their lives, and the impact it will have on our society. Healthy mind and healthy body go hand in hand. We cannot expect a generation of obese and sick take this country through the challenges of 21st century… Of course, I realize that I won’t change the world as a teacher. But I can certainly have an impact on my students, on the local community, and at the same time do the work I enjoy doing. This is my motivation.
I have a child with genetic disorder, and my career choice is a personal matter. Originally I started as an elementary teacher but after my child was born, I realized that special education is the career I want to pursue. I believe that my experience makes from me a good candidate for this job, and that together with other staff members at school we can do something great for students with special needs.
My path wasn’t a typical one. As you can see on my resume, I’ve worked in IT for eight years, before deciding to change my career. IT can give you a lot, and I certainly had the skills and work ethics to make it big in the field. But you also spend all of your days in front of a computer screen, and working 70+ hours per week is not an unusual practice in the field. I am a woman, and hope to become a mother one day. I just realized that considering all my dreams and plans, IT isn’t the field for me, and I should change my career. Considering what I already knew, and that I could actually become an IT teacher, I decided for this career path. And I do not regret my decision.
The decision came when I was 19 years old, finishing high school. I realized that I excel in Math and Physics, and the same time enjoy tremendously showing my classmates how to solve the riddles, and helping them to pass the exams. Thinking about my future, I came to a conclusion that it would be nice to do such things for a living one day. And here I am, five years down the road, applying for a job of a Math Teacher with you.

Special Tip no. 1: Talking about the past is good, but you shouldn’t neglect future either

At the end of the day, we make our decisions in a certain time. In one such moment in time you decided to submit your job application (or apply for a place in a study program). And you have your reasons, and hopefully you can explain them in your interview (finding some inspiration in my sample answers).

However, in a truly great answer you should refer also to the future. You want to be a teacher because you want to achieve this and that with your students. You want to have a positive impact, change something in the local community, play a vital role in someone’s life. Such a vision will help you navigate the difficulties, and enjoy your teaching routine. Make sure to have it ready for your interviews.

Special tip no. 2: The more specific you are the better

Physical Education, Math, Piano, English, Special Education. Have you already picked your teaching specialization? Do you know whether you want to teach at elementary school, secondary school, high school, or perhaps in some private institute? Try to think about it for a moment.

The more specific vision you present in an interview, the more it will resonate with the hiring committee, and the easier they will find to imagine you in such a position. Keep it on your mind. Give them some details, talk about a specific teaching job, and improve your chances of actually succeeding in the interviews.

Q 3: Who or what inspired you to become a teacher?

Making important decisions in life, we are almost always inspired by someone or something, though we may not always realize it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a person, or an event in our life. We can find inspiration in a powerful vision, something we hope to do with our life, for ourselves, our family, country, for the world. But why do the hiring managers inquire about this in an interview?

First of all, they wonder about your inspiration because they know the job of a teacher in challenging. And the same is true about college, if you happen to face this question in a school admission interview… You’ll face many obstacles on your way and it is ten times easier to continue trying your best when you have some driving force inside, some inspiration, or someone you look up to. If you are in only for money, or because you parents wanted you to teach, you will quit, sooner or later.

Sample answers

If I should pick one thing only, I’d go with my own studies. I wasn’t the best student when I started at the elementary. Had some issues, we didn’t have it easy back home either. But I met excellent teachers who did not give up on me, who helped me to see my potential and develop it further. Without exaggerating, these two teachers were perhaps the most important people in my life, besides my parents of course. The experience with them inspired me to pursue career in teaching, and I hope to play a similar role in the lives of my students.
I was inspired by my early successes when tutoring my classmates. I’ve always excelled in Math, Physics, and Chemistry, subject many students struggle with. My classmates also struggled to pass the exams, and so I was giving them some extra classes in the afternoon. And I was surprised by two things: first one, how much I enjoyed teaching others. And the second one–it actually worked. They improved their grades, passed the exams. I quickly realized that I had natural talent for teaching, and it inspired me to pursue the career in the field.
I have a vision that inspires me. Playing an important role in life of my students, being not only their teacher, but also their role model, at least when it comes to values and attitude to life. Let’s face the reality–the world we live in isn’t a simple place. We face many problems in society, and the future does not look bright. In my opinion, good teachers and role models are as needed as ever, at least if we want to hope for better tomorrows. My vision of becoming such a teacher, and in this way contributing to a better future for all, inspired me to enroll in this study program.
Honestly, speaking, I struggle to define it. I know that I want to teach. It just feels natural to me to pursue this career, instead of some other. And I also believe I have good predispositions for becoming a great teacher. But I cannot point out one thing that inspired me in particular. Maybe you can say that my entire life inspired me. All I’ve been through, all people I’ve met, experiences I’ve accumulated over the years. As a result I feel a desire to become a teacher, and I hope to get a chance to prove that my desire is honest, and not superficial.
There was an event in my life, something I will never forget. I was down and out. Struggling at school, having issues in my personal life, and also experiencing some health problems. I felt completely lonely in the world, as if I was living in the middle of the desert. It was very hard to talk to me, and everyone gave up on me, except of our class teacher. One day when everyone left she asked me to stay. She talked to me for about 20 minutes. But it weren’t just some empty phrases. She shared with me her own story–the struggles she faced when she was at my age. And she also told me it makes sense to fight, because life is a sine wave, and when one is down things can only get better from there… Last but not least, she gave me her personal number and said I could call her at anytime. Maybe it was just a gesture, but it meant everything for me back then. Years later, when I was deciding about my future career, this event played the prime. My class teacher and the talk we had on that rainy afternoon inspired me to also teach.
My desire to spend as much time with young people as possible. Because I really feel great in this environment, I thrive in it, and I believe that students can feel it, and that they can spot the difference in the classroom. Of course, one is super idealistic about students, maybe even forgetting experiences from their youth. I know that some people won’t like me, some may even betray my trust, and with some students I actually won’t enjoy working. But I also see this as a part of the process, and it definitely doesn’t discourage me from teaching.
It may sound strange, but my trip to Latin America inspired me. Let me explain. I visited many poor places, including some slums in Brazil and Argentina. Seeing all these children without education, and realizing the impact it will have on their future, or to say it more precisely, realizing that they have no future, inspired me to pursue career in education. Because I really believe each child deserves a chance to study, at least at the elementary school. One day, if things go well, I will be teaching these poor children in South America. That would be a dream come true.

Special tip no. 1: Do not forget on enthusiasm in your voice

People in the hiring committee do not focus only on your words. They notice so much more! Your body language, your tone of voice, whether you really mean what you are saying, or say something just because you know it is a good answer to their question.

Keep this on your mind. If something inspires you, speak about it with some energy, some enthusiasm in your voice. They should get an impression that your inspiration is really important to you, and it is one of the pillars you can cling to in difficult times, for example when you struggle with some students, or suddenly do not enjoy your teaching anymore…

Q 4: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher? (What strengths do you bring to the classroom?)

You cannot have a good school without having good teachers onboard. Regardless of how well the administrators handle their job, and what students attend the place, great teachers form the core of each excellent educational institution. Principals and other people sitting in the hiring committee are aware of that, and they will always try to understand your strengths, the value you can bring to the classroom.

They will try to understand it from the way you talk and conduct yourself in the interview, from your answers to all their questions. But they may also inquire directly about your strengths, and, of course, also about your weaknesses. All of the answers I will show you now have one thing in common: You should strive for improvement, regardless of where you stay at the moment with your teaching skills and other abilities. That’s the attitude the interviewers are looking for.

Maybe you excel in this, and struggle with that. And maybe such things have an impact on your results in the classroom. All of it is fine, as long as you are aware of your weaknesses, and have an honest desire to better yourself down the road, to become the best teacher you can be. This is what they want to hear from you before anything else. And a bit of humility is always welcome in the interviews…

Sample answers

Communication skills are without a doubt my greatest strength. I am an excellent listener, can explain things in a simple way, and do not struggle to get my message over to a variety of audiences. In my short experience in teaching I really felt that I benefited greatly from my abilities. On the other hand, I am not that friendly with technology, and often find it hard to apply it successfully in my classes. But I understand that we cannot turn back the clock, the technology is hear to stay, it helps with the interaction in the classroom, and I definitely hope to improve on my skills while using it.
I would probably pick patience, responsibility, and attention to detail as my strengths when it comes to teaching. And since I hope to dedicate myself to the education of special needs students, I find these strengths particularly useful, especially patience. It takes time to explain things to children with mental disorders, or with learning disabilities. One would get crazy without having patience. And attention to detail also helps, because individual approach is the key with such students. When it comes to weaknesses, the thing that strikes me the most is that I often take things too personally. This isn’t good, especially with special needs students. The progress we can achieve with them is always limited, and I should not blame myself for not making them pass with B grades, for example. But I still do it, and I have to overcome this weakness in my new job. It is effort that counts here, not the results.
Lack of experience is definitely my greatest weakness. I mean, you can be the best student in your class, read literature outside of curriculum, take parts in seminars, and simply do all you can to get ready for your teaching career. And I’ve done all these things, and more. Still, unless you are in the classroom and face the challenges, you do not know how well will you handle them. So I lack the experience, and this is definitely my weakness, for example when you compare me to other job candidates. On the other hand, I am as motivated as anybody to make something big happen here, to make a positive difference in the life of your students, and simply to be the best teacher I can be.
I would say that my knowledge of a variety of teaching methods and classroom management strategies is my strength. I’ve been teaching for a while now, and except of one class, I’ve always found a way to make the students engaged in the lessons, and to keep the discipline at a reasonable level at least. As you know for sure from your teaching experience, this isn’t an easy goal to achieve at a secondary school. When it comes to weaknesses, I definitely need to improve on my cooperation with school counselors and other professionals. Running high on confidence, I often try to solve problems myself, including problems that are meant for a psychologist or a counselor to handle. And I know this isn’t good, and hope to improve on this weakness while working at your school, cooperating more with these guys.
Being completely honest with you, I cannot tell. This is my first job application, and I have barely any experience with teaching in a real classroom environment. And though I know what I want to do, and what I want to achieve with my students, I cannot tell in which areas I will struggle. That’s impossible without doing the job. One thing I am sure about though–perfect teachers do not exist, and I will find certain things difficult in the job. I will struggle, but I can assure you that I won’t give up, and will try my best to improve on my weaknesses–once I finally identify them.
I want to bring enthusiasm, communication skills, and individual approach to each lesson and class. Judging by experience, I can adjust my teaching to the situation in the classroom, as well as to the lesson I teach, which helps me to make the lessons more engaging and interesting for the students, which eventually leads to better results across the board. I believe to bring these strengths to the classroom, and hope I will get a chance to prove my words in the job.
Empathy, patience, and ability to explain Math in a simple way. These are the core strengths I hope to bring to the classroom, and believe they will help me to progress with students with special needs. I know the challenges one faces while teaching Math in this environment. The progress can be incredibly slow, and at times you have to explain the same thing a dozen of times. But I am patient, aware of both my limitations and the limitations of the students, and ready to try my best with everyone. Slowly but steadily we will progress.

Special tip no. 1: Not sure what to say? Experience, or lack of it, is always a good answer.

If you struggle to formulate your answer, or are afraid that you will forget what you prepared, in the heat of the moment and stress of the interviews, you can always fall back on your teaching experience. Because each of us either lacks it, or have it in abundance. First one is a weakness, second one a strength, and you can always refer to it when struggling to come up with anything better.

Just do not forget that ten years teaching somewhere do not necessarily make from you a better teacher. You should add something tangible to such an answer. Perhaps you helped your students to achieve above-average results (comparing to previous years under other teacher, or to national averages), or you even led someone to a victory in some big competition (Math, Literacy, Sports, anything). Or at least you can narrate some challenges you’ve faced over the years, and how dealing with them helped you to become who you are now, and will make it easier for you while facing those challenges again.

Q 5: Can you tell us more about your experience with teaching? (What have you learned from your teaching experience?)

We have read your resume, and we know what you have done up to this point of your professional career–if you’ve done anything. But we may still inquire about your past experience, to understand the way you talk about your former jobs and colleague. Does positivity or negativity prevail in your narrative? Do you focus on the tasks and names of jobs, or rather on your achievements with the students? And if you lack previous experience, do you have confidence in your ability to teach?

In truth, school can never prepare us for the real challenges we will face in the classroom. Once you have taught for a while already, you have certainly experienced all sorts of situations with your students–both positive, and negative. Interviewing for a job of a teacher, or for a position of a vice principal, members of the interviewing panel will often inquire about your teaching experiences. They may ask you to elaborate on particular incidents, or they may simply wonder what you have learned from various experiences with the students, and how these experiences have impacted you as a teacher (and future administrator or even leader of the school).

As a rule of a thumb, you should remain positive in your answer. What I try to say here is that negative experiences typically leave the biggest mark on both our memory and soul. For example when some student unexpectedly betrayed your trust, or when you gave your very best, tried really hard, and got no positive response from the students. Such things do happen, and we have to count with them. But lessons you learn in such situations should not form the core of your answer to this question, unless you turn things up side down and say that they actually taught you to accept your own limitations as a teacher.

Sample answers

I spent one year at Boston Teacher Residency, teaching alongside older and more experienced professionals. I honestly enjoyed this experience and learned a lot from the veteran teachers. Every day was different, and I felt like understanding each student better and better as we progressed in the program. This experience helped me to understand that teaching was a right choice for my career, and now I am motivated to teach, and to put into practice everything I learned at BTR. Of course, I know I still have a lot to learn, and hope to continue my studies while teaching.
I taught at elementary school for three months, during the last year of my studies. It was difficult at first, because I found it hard to cope with the discipline issues in the classroom. However, after few weeks I got into the groove, and learned what worked with the students, and how to keep the discipline at a reasonable level at least. It was an extraordinary time, and to be honest, I still miss the children. However, now it is time to move on and start teaching full time. And that’s exactly why I am here.
As you can see on my resume, I’ve been teaching Math and Physics for eleven years already. I managed to achieved above-average passing rates with my students at both schools. What’s more, the students I prepared for regional and national competitions in Math managed to place top three at numerous occasions. What I try to say here is that I still enjoy my work after the years, and my attitude isn’t just to give a lesson and go home… I enjoy working with talented students after school, helping them to develop their skills and prepare for competitions, so they can represent the school and achieve their dreams along the way. I would love to bring the same attitude to your place.
I’ve never taught before–at least officially. I’ve been an artist and painter for a decade, and I always found it fascinating to help other young painters from my circles to perfect their work, and become the best artists they can be. So while I’ve never taught officially, I’ve been actually tutoring people for a decade, and I am confident that I will be able to transit to a more traditional teaching role at your institution in no time.
I’ve taught exactly 628 hours during the last twelve months, mostly reading and writing. Sure enough, I found it challenging many times, but that’s because I understand the responsibility we carry on our shoulders while working with young children, and I really care to deliver my very best, and help every single child to master these subjects critical for their further education. Learned many important lessons along the way. One of them is the importance of paraprofessionals in the classroom, another patience, and another an individual approach to each student, bearing in mind their abilities and needs. At the end I came to a firm conclusion that this is what I want to do for a living, and am excited to apply for a job with such an amazing school.
More than anything else I learned that we should expect the unpredictable. So many factors come into play when it comes to the way your students react in the lesson… How they feel, what they experienced in previous lessons on the day, what happened to them back at home, even the weather outside has an impact on their ability to concentrate. It happened to me several times that I had an excellent materials ready for my students, and was sure that they’d react positively to it, and the engagement would be high. But the exact opposite happened. On other occasions, the lesson did not seem particularly interesting to me, yet students paid attention, asked questions, and it was a success. What I try to convey here is that we definitely do not have everything under our control as teachers, and we should accept that.
I have learned nothing so far, because this is my first job application in the field. But I also believe that wise people do not learn only from their own experiences and mistakes, but also from experiences of others. And that’s exactly what I try to do. I’ve interviewed many teachers, asking about challenges they face in the classroom. I wondered how they dealt with this or that, how they reacted to all sorts of tricky situation. I believe it will help me to make right decisions while teaching, at least until I gain my own experiences.
It may surprise you, but learned that I do not want to teach anymore. Not that I did not enjoy my teaching. But I really feel that I will find a much better application for my strengths and talents in the role of a school principal than in daily teaching of students. That’s actually one of the reasons why I decided to submit my application, and I am glad you gave me a chance in this interview. In my opinion, I can do more for this school and the students from a leadership position. Setting direction and leading teachers and other staff members, I believe I can make this place a great school for everyone involved in the process of education. And it is important that I learned this lesson, and found courage to apply, because if I did not I might spend the rest of my professional career teaching, which I believe would be a waste of talent…
I have learned few crucial lessons from my teaching experiences. First one–children can be wonderful, but also incredibly cruel towards both their classmates and teachers. One has to accept it and live with it unless they want to experience a burnout or mental issues. Second–law of action and reaction works also in education. If you prepare well for the lessons, if you really are in the classroom for the children, and do what you can to deliver the lesson in an engaging way, you’ll get positive reactions. Exception just prove the rule. Third, that you can never become complacent as a teacher. Students need new impulses, and you have to come up with some innovation when it comes to your teaching, at least if you want to stay on the top of the game. And forth, that despite the challenges and hardships, I really love teaching, and hope to teach for the foreseeable future.

Special tip no. 1: Talk about achievements, show them that you are focused on the students instead of yourself

At the end of the day, personal stories and numbers resonate the most with any interviewer. We all love stories, and it is just easier to remember them than some general blabber. Do you have such a feel-good story to share with the principal and other interviewers?

Maybe a particular student was failing a subject repeatedly, and you were the one who finally helped them pass the exam. Or you prepared some student for a national competition, they won or placed high on the list, and made themselves, their parents, and the school proud. Or you came to a classroom that lacked discipline completely, and students did not respect the previous teacher. However, you applied new teaching methods, gained their trust & interest, and the discipline improved immensely.

Any story is better than none. And, of course, you can spice it a bit while narrating what exactly happened. Play it smart. Tell them something they can connect with, on an emotional level. This can win you many points in your interview, and it is thousand times better than just saying that you’ve worked as a teacher for X number of months or years…

Recommended reading: Do you like the answers? Check my eBook Teacher Interview Guide for brilliant answers to all 40 most common teacher interview questions + winning interview strategies. Thank you!

Q 6: Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? (How do you see yourself as a future teacher?)

Schools, whether public or private, always prefer to hire teachers who plan to stay with them for a long time, or at least for a reasonable time. That’s no secret.

Every new employee is an investment–and it takes some time until this investment “pays off”, speaking in a business language. In a teaching language, it takes time until you get to know the ins and outs of a particular school, classes, until you connect with both teachers and students, and basically until you start feeling comfortable in your new role and really deliver. Needless to say, this argument is even more valid if you are fresh from college, and applying for your first teaching job.

Hence you should try to convince us that you do not plan to leave the school soon, and a good way of doing that is connecting your future with the educational institution in question. Of course, you can have your own plans and expectations from life. Perhaps you want to start your own school, or you dream of going to Far East and teach English there. I cannot tell…

Keep this plans secret while interviewing for a job and dealing with tricky teacher interview questions. Tell us that you would prefer to have the same job in five years time, becoming a better teacher, a better person over the years. Whether it really happens or not, is not that important for us. Alternatively you can focus on your goals from personal life, such as perhaps starting a family down the road. Let’s have a look at sample answers for different situations and teachers.

Sample answers

I love this job and I would be happy to work as a teacher in five years time, and also in ten years time. Hopefully I will become a great teacher over the years, someone the students will remember in good means, like someone who had a positive impact on their life and career. I have such teachers in my mind, teachers who helped me become who I am today, and who were my inspiration when I was deciding about my professional career, and enrolled for teaching. Hopefully I can become such a teacher myself in five years time.
I see myself as a good role model for many children, ideally working at this school, since it is my first choice, and a place that faces many challenges. Challenges I’d love to help you address. Of course, I would also get older, perhaps my hair will turn gray, and who knows what else will happen in my life, and in the world in general. But I prefer to focus on things I can control, at least to some extend. That means working on my teaching skills, trying my very best in every lesson and with each student, and hopefully becoming a role model for some students at this school down the road.
I do not have any career plans in such a short time horizon. However, I am thinking about starting a family in four, or in five years time. I would be glad to work as an elementary teacher until then and come back after my maternity leave. However, we never know what tomorrow will bring. Maybe I will start a family, and maybe it won’t happen. Regarding my job, however, I have no doubts. I want to work as an elementary teacher for many years to come.
I see myself on a private island, lying on a sandy beach, listening to the waves, and sipping a fresh orange juice from a crystal clear glass. Well, that’s just a joke of course. I love to work, teach, and I dream of having an impact on the people I come to contact with in the job. Students, teachers, administrators, let’s hope I can bring some value to the school in five years time, and become a valuable team member.
Five years? That’s quite a long time horizon to be honest, considering what we are witnessing in the world. You have the pandemic, the climate change, you have refugees leaving poor countries in millions. Can we really predict what will happen in five years? Especially if we bear in mind that schools were closed for a long time, teaching moved online, and many people lost their jobs. I prefer to live in a present moment, and focus at the task at hand. I will try to be the best teacher I can be, and give my 100% every day at work. If I manage to do it, I am sure I won’t end up disappointed in five years time.
Being completely honest with you, I hope to have one of the leadership roles at this school. I’ve been teaching for a decade already, and though I still enjoy it, I am also looking forward to step up the career ladder, and perhaps get a job of a department lead, or of an assistant principal, in few years from now. That’s where I see myself in five years. Having said that, I understand that I have to prove my skills first, and deliver value day in day out in the classes. And that’s exactly the plan.
My only wish is to become a much better teacher than I currently am, in five years time horizon. I know a lot about the continuous education you support at this institution, that you treat teachers as your most important assets. It is one of the reasons why I decided to apply with you, instead of some other school in the district. I believe I can realize all my ambitions at your school, and hope to be teaching here in five years time–doing a better job with the students than I’d ever done.
I see myself as an excellent Math teacher. Not only that Math is my strongest subject. I also enjoy teaching it, already giving classes to my schoolmates. And I am good at it, because most of them eventually get it and pass the exams. In my opinion, it isn’t enough being a good Mathematician. One also needs to be a good teacher, to be able to explain the lessons in a simple way, and make sure that even students who do not excel in Math achieve some progress. I honestly believe I have such strengths, and that’s why I dream of becoming a Math Teacher.
Reaching for the stars, I hope to be the bar raiser at the school where I will teach. Let me explain. I always love to think outside of the box, coming with new ideas, trying new concepts. And I believe each school needs at least one such teacher or administrator, because things evolve, each generation of children has their own expectations, and we can hardly succeed with teaching methods we used twenty years ago. In my opinion, we need to constantly innovate our teaching, and I hope to be the teacher who brings this innovation to schools.

Special tip no. 1: It is completely fine aspiring for leadership roles down the road

Generally speaking, school principals, superintendents, and other people who may lead your interview, like ambitious teachers who are not afraid to dream big, and express their ambitions in the interviews. At the end of the day, they also dream of promotion, or they will retire one day, and need someone like you to replace them in their role!

Therefore it isn’t a bad idea to express your wishes of becoming a head of department, assistant principal, athletic director, or any other leadership role you may realistically have in five years from now, bearing where you are standing right now with your education and experience. If you decide for such an answer, however, you should always add that you do not expect it to happen tomorrow, and know that you will have to prove your skills as a teacher, before you can become anything else at their school…

Q 7: How would you describe your teaching style? (What is your teaching philosophy?)

Level of education, number of students in a classroom, and subject you teach are just some of the factors that limit your choice of a teaching style. School principal and other interviewers are aware of it.

In spite of that, they want to hear what teaching style you prefer to apply in your lessons, while trying to achieve great results with your students. What’s more, some schools prefer one teaching style only–their entire marketing and philosophy is based around it. And it is also the reason why students (or their parents) choose their school, instead of another one. Think Montessori, Waldorf, and similar concepts of education, which certainly have some pluses and attract parents with certain values and beliefs.

Similarly to many other interview questions, you should start with a short research. Check the website of the school and their marketing materials. Make sure that they do not promote a particular teaching style. If they do promote one, learn something about it and refer to it once they inquire about your favorite teaching style. Ensure them that you love it and see the benefits for the students. You can even point it out as one of the reasons why you apply for a job with them, instead of some other educational institution in the area.

If they don’t promote a particular teaching style, you can say whatever you want. As long as it makes sense of course, considering the subject you teach, target audience, and number of students in the classroom. You should be able to justify your choice.

* You may also like from around the web: A guide to effective teaching style: 5 main teaching styles described.

Sample answers

In my experience, when we teach subjects like history and geography, the lecture style works the best. However, instead of just sitting and talking, and waiting for the students to make their notes, I try to make the lessons more interactive. If we talk about Latin America for example, their population and problems they face, I will pick a fitting documentary which depicts local reality and show it to the students. It makes the lesson more interesting for them, and often leads to an interesting discussion, which helps them develop their communication skills, and also helps with deeper understanding of the subject.
My favorite teaching style is the activity method. I encourage students to ask questions, to think creatively, and to find the answers. In my opinion, it is much more effective than to simply give them the answers. Because once they learn in this way, they tend to remember the lesson better, and it also helps them to develop a questioning mind, and a curiosity about the world around us. Of course, it isn’t always possible to apply my favorite teaching style, and I am definitely ready to adapt it to the conditions in the classroom, as well as to the subject we cover.
I’m 100% in for Montessori education. I started my own education in a Montessori kindergarten more than twenty years ago, and I am grateful to my parents who had made the decision. It really gave me an edge and helped me become the person I am today–still eager for knowledge, and still finding playfulness in life. I would love to work in a place that follows the method, and that’s the reason why I applied for a job with your elementary school.
To be honest, I do not have a favorite teaching style at the moment. This is my first job application, and I am yet to learn what works best with the students. Of course, I know the theory. The lecturer, demonstrator, facilitator, and the delegator. I believe to understand all major teaching styles, though I still lack experience with their practical application in a real classroom. However, I am eager to talk about this with more experienced teachers, as well as experiment in the lessons, and hopefully find the teaching style that works the best with my students. It will become my favorite one, because the results of my students matter more than my personal preferences.
In my opinion, individual approach is the key. I prefer to use a variety of teaching styles in my classes. Whether I lecture or coach really depends on the children and their learning abilities, as well as the subject we cover, and other circumstances, such as the number of students in the classroom. The goal is always to keep the engagement and motivation high, and to make sure that we progress with all students. In my last teaching job I achieved great results with action based and game based learning, but it doesn’t mean that I will stubbornly stick to it here. I can assure you that I am ready to apply different teaching styles in my lessons, in order to achieve the best possible results with the students.
As a special education teacher, I can vouch for one teaching style only: personalized education. In my short experience I’ve already understood that each child with special needs is different and can progress at a different pace, and we teachers have to accept it, and adjust our teaching style accordingly. I find it fascinating that once we customize our teaching for each student’s strengths, needs, skills, and interests, we can achieve much better results. And that’s exactly what I hope to achieve at your school.
Teaching in front of hundred people, I am often left with one option only–lecturing. In my opinion though, lecturing doesn’t have to be boring. On the contrary. Once we include examples from real life, interesting stories, or even a fitting joke in our narrative, we can maintain high attention and engagement. And even in a lecture we can ask a question here and there, just to make sure that the students feel involved in the lesson. I believe to have an ability to captivate my audience, and make sure that they stay present in the lesson.
My teaching philosophy is strongly goals oriented. With each and every student I try to set an ultimate goal, as well as milestones we will reach along the way. Once we have the milestones, I can map the way and plan the lessons. And once the student know what they want to achieve, and why, it is so much easier to progress with them. I plan to stick to the same philosophy at your school.
This is my very first job application, and I am just trying to formulate my teaching philosophy. I definitely hope to help each child develop their full potential, but I need some time to understand what works great and what does not, and how I need to approach each lesson in order to achieve my goals. I can assure you about one thing though: I am motivated and eager to learn, and cannot wait to start teaching.
My teaching philosophy is expecting the unexpected, and adapting to changes. Of course, it is great to have everything prepared upfront, knowing exactly what you want to say and do in a lesson. But I’ve learned by experience that more often than not it doesn’t work. We have some delays, children lose discipline, or didn’t find the lesson interesting enough to pay attention. In such a case I always try to adapt, make the lesson more interactive, or do something else to win their attention back. Adaptation is the key, and I do my best to be ready for all challenges we may face in the classroom.

Special tip no. 1: Focus on the children

Teachers are in school for the children, and not contrariwise. You should relate to it while explaining your teaching philosophy. Ensure the members of the interviewing panel that you do your best for the children, and your primary goal is to help them achieve their educational goals. It should be clearly reflected on your teaching philosophy, or your teaching style.

Recommended reading: Follow up email after a teacher interview – Make sure to get the most out of every opportunity.

Q 8: What teaching methods do you prefer and why? (What is your teaching methodology?)

Teaching is not an easy profession. Students expect a lot, administrators too, and what works for you perfectly in one classroom may fail in another one–without an obvious reason. Knowledge of different teaching methods and classroom management strategies will help you stay more flexible during your teaching practice, and allow you to achieve better results.

Hence it is always good to mention at least a few teaching methods, and ensure the interviewers that you do not stick stubbornly with one method only, just because it is the most convenient one, or one that yielded best results for you, up to this point of your career.

The key is to demonstrate your knowledge of teaching methods, and emphasize that you’d adjust your selection to the actual situation in a classroom, the topic of the lesson, and the general guidance at school.

Sample answers

I believe that demonstrating and collaboration are the most effective teaching methods at the secondary school. The side benefit is the development of communication skills and teamwork. However, I have experience with all main teaching methods, including explanation, demonstration, learning by teaching, as well as some unorthodox methods, for example learning by playing. When I prepare my lesson plans, I always think carefully about each lesson and what would be the best and most engaging teaching methods to apply in it. I always try to mix it up, so the students experience the unknown, and the lessons are not routine, or boring.
I can’t say that I prefer one method to another. Each method has certain benefits and should be applied in some situations. In one class I may prefer lecturing, especially if pupils struggle with discipline. Then in some other classes, students are more creative, so I may prefer collaborating. I typically try to apply various methods and observe the reaction of the students, measuring both their progress and interest they show during the classes. After a few lessons I typically know which method works with them, and which does not.
To be honest, I still consider myself inexperienced to tell. In theory I’ve studied all methods–project based learning, flipped classroom, Montessori, and of course also the more conventional approaches to leading the lessons. But I haven’t had yet a chance to try them out in a real classroom environment. Anyway, students’ engagement is extremely important for me, and you can be sure that I won’t stick with one method only. Veteran teachers working here will hopefully also give me some advice, based on their experience with local students.
As a special education teacher, I definitely vouch for personalized education. In my opinion, individual approach to each students is the key, and it yields the best results, as long as we can afford to apply it in the classroom, bearing the number of students and the number of teaching staff present. I know that you have many assistants and paraprofessionals in the classes. It was actually one of the reasons why I decided to apply for a job with you. I simply knew that in such a setup it will be possible to apply personalized education.
Working at this level, with students this smart, I think that we have to apply constructive approach to teaching. Let the students talk, engage them in everything. In an ideal case scenario, I would speak just ten percent of the time and the rest of the time students will talk. Of course, one has to prepare for this in advance and know what they are doing. But I can assure you that I take my preparation for the classes extremely seriously, and have confidence that I will be able to apply the student-centered approach in my classes.
I prefer to involve students heavily in my lessons. That’s the foundation stone of my teaching. In my opinion, they should not just sit and write down my words–that’s not real teaching. On the contrary, we have to challenge them with questions, interesting exercises, and also give them some room to express their creativity and imagination. To my favorite teaching methods belong flipped classroom and learning by playing. Of course, one has to work with these concepts carefully, in order to maintain the discipline in the classroom. When you manage to do that, however, the results are often exceptional.
My teaching methodology consists mostly in conversing with my students in French, plus reading and listening exercises. In my opinion, when it comes to learning a foreign language, the most important skill is talking. We should also try to learn the language as a child does–absorbing the words, “living with the language”. Though we face some limitations in an environment of the classroom, we can always try our best to emulate this type of learning. And that’s exactly how I will define my teaching methodology.
My teaching methodology consists in applying different teaching methods in the classroom. Students need new impulses, they hate routine. That’s why I try to alternate between various teaching methods, making sure they stay engaged and motivated throughout the entire year. Having said that, I am still quite inexperienced, and no doubt I make some mistakes. But I try my best, and will continue to do so in the future.

Special tip no. 1: Learn some terminology before heading to your interview

In the reality of the classroom, names and monikers do not matter. Students do not need to know whether you are applying inquiry-based learning or a flipped classroom. What matters is that they enjoy the lesson, are engaged, and eventually learn what they are supposed to learn (at least each to their level of ability).

In an interview, however, it helps if you throw in some names and technicalities from time to time. If you do remember these things from college, head to Google and type in “teaching methods”, and go through two or three first results. Just to get a better grasp of the subject, pick your favorites, and make sure that you won’t remain silent if they inquire about a particular teaching method.

Keep in mind though there this isn’t a scientific subject, and you will find various classifications of teaching methods, as well as different names for almost each method. It should not bother you much though. As long as you understand what the methods are about, you will be fine giving them any meaningful name in your interviews…

Q 9: Why do you want to teach at this school, and not somewhere else?

The majority of job seekers will send their applications to several educational institutions, trying to eventually secure at least some interview invitations. Job search is a game of numbers, and it would be naive to think that people submit their application to one school only (unless their uncle works as a school principal at the place, or they have a similar connection within the leadership circles).

On the other hand, school principals and other interviewers do not like candidates who wander from one interview to another, knowing nothing about the schools they want to join, and hopefully bring value to. Summarized and underlined, we ask you this question (or one of the alternatives, such as “Why do you want to join this school as a teacher?”) to see how serious you are about your application with us. Serious people do prepare for their interviews.

But it doesn’t mean that you have to come up with some groundbreaking reason for your choice. Maybe the locality fits you, you like the management philosophy, or you’ve studied at the same school before, and long to return to the place as a teacher, paying back for an amazing education you got.

Sample answers

I have spent a lot of time researching about schools in this district. Everything considered, I found your institution to be the most modern, high quality secondary school, with great reputation. I talked to some parents, people I know personally, and they told me mostly good things about your school, and about the teachers you have onboard. I would be proud to become a member of your team, and help you to continue grow and progress as an educational institution.
To be honest, I want to work at your school mainly because of a good location. It’s just ten minutes walk away from my apartment. Living nearby, you can count on me when it comes to helping with after-school activities, for example when someone has to leave unexpectedly, or anything else happens and you need another staff member. What is more, I am local, so I know the people and children from the neighborhood, which really helps me to understand the challenges you face here. I believe it gives me an edge to most other job applicants.
I’ve studied here before. Had some role models, especially Mrs. ABC and Mr. DEF, who had a big impact on me as a child, and helped me overcome the problems I faced during my teenage years. I would love to close to full circle by returning here, giving back to the community, and hopefully do for my students the same my teachers managed to do for me. It would be a dream come true.
The exact role you offer was the deciding factor for me. I want to work as a Science teacher, and at a high school level, because I feel that such a role is a really good match for both my strengths and preferences. You are the only school in the city advertising this position at the moment. Sure enough, each place of work has some pluses and minuses. Teaching anywhere we face challenges, and you won’t find a perfect collective at any school. Some conflicts and problems will always exist. We are people after all, not robots. For this reason, I have decided mostly based on the exact role I wanted to get.
Your leadership philosophy played the key role in my decision making. I know that this school places a lot of value on empowering teachers, on continuous education, and on letting both students and teachers have their word when it comes to strategic decisions that impact everyone at school. Talking to people who already work or study here, I simply got an impression that you do things right at this place. It would be amazing to get a chance to teach at this school.
Frankly speaking, I just took my chances. Lacking previous experience, and applying for a job in a time when many people lost their jobs, I simply sent many job applications, and hoped for the best. You invited me for an interview, and I am glad that you gave me a chance to present my views and the value I want to bring onboard. In my opinion, one should be realistic about their chances. I could have spent weeks studying websites and social profiles of all schools in the district, handpicking one or two at the end of the process. But if I did so, I would likely still be sitting home, waiting for a phone call that would never come..
I got a recommendation from Maddie, my friend and someone I respect a lot. She’s been teaching at your place for two years already, knows the people and the management philosophy, as well as opportunities to grow professionally here. When she told me you have a position open for an English teacher and that I should apply, I did not hesitate for a second. Of course, I did also my own research afterwards. But the more I was reading about your educational institution, the more I felt it was the right place for me. Let’s hope you will give me a chance to prove this in the classes.

Special tip no. 1: Do your research about the school and find the reason to work there

Try to learn something about the school, the students, staff, their achievements, vision and goals, study programs, problems and challenges they face. Check their website, social media profiles, and also what local news and gossips have to so say :).

Note down things that resonate with you, or at least things you find interesting. Your research will help you come up with a meaningful answer to this question, and it can also help you to deal with other challenges you may face in your meeting with the principal and their colleagues. At the end of the day, it is always easier to connect with people if you know something about them, and about their school…

Q 10: Why do you want to work for our school district?

In a typical panel job interview at school, and it doesn’t matter if you interview for a job of a teacher, school psychologist, assistant principal, or for a role of a substitute teacher, one chair will belong to someone representing the entire school district. It can be the superintendent, or one of their assistants, or someone else from the administration.

They have the goals of the entire district on their mind. They know the leadership figures, the values and goals the district tries to attain. And they try to figure out whether you are a good match for the job. What’s more, as a substitute teacher or psychologist, or as a mental health counselor, you may actually work for the district instead of one particular school, traveling from one place to another, always being where they need you the most. That’s why this question makes sense, in many teaching interviews.

Sample answers

I was born here and spent my youth studying here. I know the local community, teachers, students, parents. In my opinion, it is an advantage when you know the people and they know you, since it is easier to get their feedback, to communicate your thoughts, and also to understand the challenges the school district faces. What’s more, I am grateful for the education I got here, and would like to pay back the favor with my excellent teaching.
You are the best. It is as simple as that. I’ve done my research, checking different school districts in the region. Comparing numbers and results students achieve, as well as the modernization of schools in various districts and the situation with specialized counselors and other professionals, I came to a conclusion that the leaders of your district do an amazing job, and that I would love to work under their leadership. That’s why I want to work for you instead of one of the other districts in the region.
Speaking honestly, the job offer was the deciding factor for me. I wanted to teach Math and Chemistry at a secondary school, and your district was the only one advertising such a vacancy. In my opinion, every school district has some advantages, and faces some challenges. And you will always find some amazing people at each school. That’s why for me it doesn’t matter that much for which school district I work. Having said that, I definitely want to learn more about your values and goals when it comes to education, and hope to help you achieve them, from my position of a Math and Chemistry teacher.
Applying for a job of a substitute teacher, I was looking for a smaller school district. Because I’ve worked for a big one before, and I found it hard to travel between twelve different schools. We had more substitute teachers onboard, and we all traveled from one school to another. It was hard to really get to know the students, the distances between the schools were large, and I found the entire experience extremely taxing. That’s why I decided to apply for a job with a smaller district, and I am glad to have a chance to interview with you.
I would love to work for your school district because your values, and especially your attitude to special education, resonate with me strongly. In my opinion, children with special needs deserve individual approach. And that’s impossible to achieve if you have no paraprofessionals in the classes, or if the school does not employ enough special ed teachers. But that’s not the case with your district. I like your approach, and it was the no. 1 reason why I chose you instead of some other school district.
I know four teachers working for your district, at different schools. All of them praise the communication with the district leaders, the working conditions, as well as the opportunity for continuous education and career growth in the district. I trust these people, and after our talks I am extremely motivated to work for your district. What’s more, I’ve been living here for ten years, know many people from both ranks of students and parents, and believe that I can benefit from it in my job.
Speaking honestly, I simply needed a change. I’ve been working as a teacher in one district for twelve years. And though I have enjoyed it, and believe that I’ve helped them achieve their goals, I wasn’t really on the same page with the district leaders and school leaders anymore. And I also felt that I was stagnating in my job. Moving to another district, and also hopefully from secondary school to high school education, I hope to restart my career and enjoy my days at school again. I did a good research, I like what you are doing here, and find it a great match for what I want to do and achieve at this stage of my teaching career.

Special tip no. 1: You do not necessarily need a reason

It is easy to say something when you apply for a job in a school district with excellent reputation and results. Or when you’ve been living in the same city for your entire life. But what if you apply for a job in a district with a bad reputation, or haven’t actually found anything amazing about your future place of work?

In such a case, you can simply focus on the job, or the particular school where you will work. Sample answer no. 3 on my list is a great example. You wanted a particular job, teaching particular subjects at a particular level of education. Their district advertised the vacancy and you decided to apply. Or you always wanted to work at a particular school. Perhaps your children study there, or you have a strong affiliation to it, or you love the philosophy of the principal.

As soon as you saw a fitting job opening you decided to apply, but you do not care that much to which school district it belongs. Of course, you hope to have a good cooperation with the leaders of the district and help them achieve their goals. But the name of the district isn’t a deciding factor for you…

Q 11: Describe your classroom management style.

Good old days when a title of a teacher gave you a natural authority in a classroom. Children paid attention to your words and behaved, understanding the crucial role education played in their life, having little distractions, and looking forward to learn something new every day. Fast forward to 21st century. The average attention span of a child has dropped drastically. Distractions such as smart phones and other gadgets are ever-present. Many children come from broken families, carrying deep wounds within, which reflects on their misbehavior in the classroom.

Taking all of this into consideration, scientists and scholars came with the term “Classroom Management“, which basically means the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly without disruptive behavior. And since almost every school faces issues with students’ discipline, you will often face this question in your teacher interview.

* You may also like from around the web: 4 main classroom management styles.

Sample answers

In my opinion, the most important thing is to set clear rules of discipline with the students right from the start. Students, as well as their parents, should know what they are allowed to do in the classroom. They should also understand different levels of interventions and punishments, should they not oblige to the rules. As always, communication is the key. I try to explain the rules in a clear way to make sure that students understand them, and then I stick to them invariably. Of course, in some cases individual intervention is necessary, and we need to include school psychologist in the solution of the problem. I won’t hesitate to do so, because I know my limits, and I also believe that we cannot let one student to spoil the morale in the entire classroom. In such cases early intervention is extremely important.
I would describe my classroom management style as oriented on encouragement of positive behavior. Instead of threatening students with various forms of punishment, I prefer to motivate them to behave with small rewards, such as less homework, or an ability to participate in an interesting extracurricular activity, should they behave well. In my opinion, it is also important to recognize positive behavior, and praise the students for it. At the end of the day, many students misbehave because they seek attention, so it is better to give them attention when they behave well. Having said that, I do not wear pink glasses, and know that at times my approach won’t yield the desired result. Some students will misbehave, and I am ready to proceed with intervention, following the rules you have in place at this school.
In my opinion, students misbehave mostly because they do not enjoy the lessons. And we have to admit that teachers bear a part of guilt. My classroom management strategy is to make the lessons as motivating and interactive as possible, to engage the students, and to make sure that they enjoy the learning process. This is easier to do with some and tougher with others, but I have achieved great results with my strategy in my last job. To sum it up, instead of trying to find fault with the students, I try to improve my teaching, and in this way I indirectly improve the discipline in the classroom. When students feel engaged in the lesson, they won’t make problems. At least most of them won’t.
This is my first job application, and logically I do not have any practical experience with classroom management. However, I understand that we will face issues with discipline, and that I will have to address them in the classroom, to make sure that the lesson runs smoothly, and at least children who want to progress with their learning can progress. In the beginning I hope to learn from the experience of older teachers, and benefit from my cooperation with school counselors, psychologists, and other professionals. I have no doubt that together we will achieve the desired level of discipline in each classroom.
Before anything else, I focus on having a good connection with my students. I try to understand them, learn something about their family situation, and issues they face both at school and outside of it. Once you know your students, and care, you can apply individual approach to each issue of discipline. But it doesn’t mean to have various rules in place for various students. Not at all. But with some students positive encouragement may work better, with others a simple disciplinary measure, and some students will need an individual intervention of a psychologist, or a visit to the principal’s office. Hence I would characterize my classroom management style as having an individual approach to each problem, benefiting from knowing my students well.
Anytime possible, I prefer proactive behavioral management. Everyone can criticize the children when they do something wrong. If we really want to win their hearts, however, and consequently also their obedience, the key is to recognize their good actions, their appropriate behavior. For some children it can be simply sitting quietly and working on the task for two minutes, without getting distracted. For others it can be trying hard to solve some Math exercise, without getting irritated. Whether they eventually solved it or not is secondary. We should praise them for their attitude. This sums up my approach to behavioral management in a classroom with special needs children. Please let me know if you’d like me to elaborate on something else here.
It may surprise you but I haven’t yet faced any major issues with discipline in my classes. Applying innovative teaching methods such as learning by playing, and using a lot of interactive content in my teaching, I find it easy to make the students engaged. And once they are engaged in what’s going on in the classroom, they won’t make problems. Of course, I know that my approach won’t work in 100% of cases, and some students may act disruptively regardless of the quality of your teaching, and the effort you give. In such cases I am ready to follow the standard classroom management system, with universal instructions, small group intervention, and individual intervention.

Special tip no. 1: Take responsibility for what’s going on in the classroom

Probably the most common mistakes job applicants make is blaming the children, and their families, for the lack of discipline during the lessons. And while it is certainly true that a children from a good family, an unspoiled child, will typically behave better, and respect you more as a teacher, whereas a child from a broken family whose parents do not care at all will make problems, I suggest you to focus on something else in your answer.

Focus on things you can impact. That is setting clear rules of discipline, making a good connection with your students and understanding each one well, and, first and foremost, making sure that they don’t misbehave simply because you teach poorly, and they are bored to death in your lessons. Accept the responsibility. Ensure the hiring committee that you will do your best to motivate your students with engaging lessons, and in this way indirectly improve the discipline in the classroom.

Special tip no. 2: Know your limits and don’t hesitate to ask for help

Teacher is nether a counselor nor a psychologist. And though you may have your strengths, and try your best with students, you should know your limits. School districts employ psychologists for a reason, and you shouldn’t hesitate referring a child to their care, should he or she act disruptively on an ongoing basis, ignoring your efforts to remedy their behavior.

Ensure the members of the interviewing panel that you hope for a fruitful cooperation with other professionals at school. You know your limits, and try to stay humble regardless of your level of experience. Hence you won’t hesitate contacting the psychologist, special ed staff member, or even the principal, when struggling to address any situation in your classroom. That’s the attitude they are looking for in an excellent job applicant…

Q 12: How do you keep students engaged and motivated? (How do you motivate your students?)

You can have the best lesson plans in the world, and a superb attitude to your teaching mission. Yet if the students lack motivation, if they aren’t engaged in the lessons, you will hardly achieve any real progress with them.

Principals and other leading figures at school have experienced this phenomenon first hand–during their own teaching practice. And since they care about the results of the students, and the reputation of their school (which depends on the results), you can bet that they will ask you at least one question about your ability to motivate your students.

And while there isn’t a one-fit-all approach here, and what works in one classroom may fail completely in another one, they at least want to hear that you have some ideas, and give the engagement and motivation high priority while teaching.

Sample answers

First of all, I try to understand my students. Who they are, what they want to achieve in life, what interests them. Communication and asking questions, as well as collecting feedback in the classes, is absolutely pivotal. Once I understand them better, I can adjust my classroom management and teaching methods to make sure that they are engaged in the lessons, and pay attention. Of course, this isn’t easy, and it is almost impossible to make every single student motivated and engaged in what’s going in the classroom. But we should try our best to succeed at least with the majority of them.
In my opinion, everything starts with my attitude. Enthusiasm is like a flu. If they see that I prepared really hard for the lesson, get some extra materials for them, and am there not merely to give them a lecture, but to really teach them something, the engagement on their side will improve automatically. At least this is my experience. On the contrary, if students feel that you are in the classroom just to get through the lessons and go home, it will be much harder to ignite any engagement on their side.
Using modern technology is the key nowadays. It would be wonderful to continue working with pen and paper and the blackboard, but we have to realize that with a short attention span and other problems young people face nowadays, this isn’t going to take us anywhere. On the contrary, we should use interactive presentations, videos, guest from real life, and alternative teaching methods, to make sure that students find the educational process interesting enough. Of course, we also have to stick to the lesson plans and it is impossible to, for example, show the children a documentary in each lesson. But we should include such things in our classes anytime the schedule allows it.
This is my first job application, so I cannot really speak from experience. I just know that I want to try my best in each lesson, interact with the students, and try my best to make them engaged. I hope to learn how to do that from more experienced teachers, but also with practice. My eventual goal is to become the best teacher I can be–and make the students engaged, but I realize it will take some time until I learn this skill.
Variety is the answer. If each and every lesson is the same, students’ engagement will fade, regardless of whether they find the discussed topic interesting or not. Hence it is important to mix it up, to apply different teaching methods, and, most importantly, to make the students involved in the process. In an ideal case scenario, they should talk 80% of time. We should create opportunities for them to express themselves, to be part of the lesson. Having said that, I also understand that some students experience mental & behavioral issues, and it is close to impossible to motivate them. We should not let that to discourage us, however. Hopefully with the help of assistants and paraprofessionals, they can still achieve some progress in their education.
In my experience, the most important thing is to show them why it matters. They should see the application of the lessons in practical life–be it for their further studies, or for the job they will have one day. Unless we manage to convince them that what we do here isn’t a pure theory, it will be hard to make them engaged, at least in a long run. Other thing is my personal engagement. If students see that I am engaged in the lesson–that it means a lot to me to teach them something useful, at least some of them will follow with their own engagement. At the end of the day, law of action and reaction cannot be broken.
Just like with everything else in teaching, I prefer individual approach. What works with one student may not work with another one. And as a special education teacher, I really have to take into account individual predispositions, limitations, and diagnoses of each student. In some cases, it is enough to be next to them–so they see we care, to make them engaged. In other instances we have to pick a specific teaching method, or even opt for punishment if they do not oblige and refuse to do the work. Individual approach can make all the difference here.

Special tip no 1: Plain lecturing won’t take you far in terms of engagement

Any answer you decide to go with, make sure to put emphasis on engagement. Ensure the principal and other people in the interviewing panel that you want to involve the students in the lessons.

You will ask questions, give them a reason to speak, or even try teaching methods such as flipped classroom. That’s the key. Unless they feel being a part of what’s going on, unless the barrier between the speaker and the audience is broken for good, you won’t achieve the desired level of engagement in your classes.

What’s more, you can talk about certain mechanisms for measuring engagement, such as formative assessments, or social and cognitive presence. If the subject is new to you, research for more information on it online.

Any questions or ideas for improvement? You can always contact us. Thank you for helping us making this website better for all job applicants and teachers.

Q 13: How do you include parents and guardians in their child’s education?

Back in the day when I was a child (and that’s a long time ago indeed) my parents played such a vital role in my education. They spent hours with me in the evenings, helping me with the homework, or practicing writing, reading, math. Teacher-parent meetings were held almost on a monthly basis, and the attendance always approached 100%. Times have changed, however.

People are extremely busy nowadays. The difference between the rich and poor keeps growing each year, and the middle class slowly ceases to exist. Many parents have two or three jobs, and barely any time to help their children with their studies. What’s more, the divorce rate is at all times high. Many children grow up in incomplete families, or in unfavorable conditions.

When you have two jobs, household to take care of, and bills keep pressing you on every corner, you have to sacrifice something from your schedule. Or all things that aren’t completely necessary. For many parents it is participation on their child’s education. But what can you do with that, from a position of a teacher? And how should you approach these challenges while interviewing for a job? We will try to find the answers together.

Sample answers

I stick to the basics, that is a regular teacher-parent meeting. In an ideal case I try to have a short time alone with each parent, in order to make sure they are comfortable discussing sensitive issues. Of course, with some parents one minute is enough–all you have to do is praise them for the results of their child and the work they do with them back home. With others, however, the meeting can easily extend to thirty minutes or more, as we discuss the problems their child faces at school and what we can do together to address them.
In my opinion, we should include parents and guardians in the education, but we should not rely on them. Of course it would be nice if every parent spent two hours studying and practicing with their child daily. But we have to be realistic. Many people are extremely busy with their jobs, and things are far from ideal in many families. Hence, in my opinion, we should give parents the opportunity to participate, for example calling them to inform them about important issues at school that relate to their child, or inviting them for events. But if they aren’t interested, we should not force them. We should try our best to help each child develop his or her full potential. Whether their parents care or not about it is of secondary importance.
Working as a special education teacher, I find the role of parents absolutely pivotal for the success of the child, for their ability to progress. Because children with disabilities have to make an extra effort. They have to study and practice more, if they want to pass. What’s more, communication with their parents or guardians is absolutely crucial. It is important that we are all on the same page, following the same direction with the child. Only together we can achieve the desired results. Hence I try to have a close cooperation with parents or guardians of each child I work with individually.
This is my first job application, and logically I do not have that much experience with including parents in education of their children. Having said that, I definitely want to have an honest and open communication with the parents, discussing the issues their child faces, and also informing them about any important changes. At the end of the day, parents care for their children (or at least their should), and we teachers should definitely keep them in the picture.
Speaking honestly, I typically do not include them unless necessary. Let me explain. We are at a high school here. Students at this level should already know what they expect from life, and why they are studying. As a teacher I try to help them see the connection of the lessons with the real world, and realize the importance of their education. When you’re 17 years old, you’re not going to try hard just because your mother or your teacher tells you to try hard. Either you find the motivation within, or you don’t, and will not put in any extra effort. Hence I focus more on helping students to find the motivation, instead of trying to talk their parents into something. Of course, if a particular student has disciplinary issues, for example, and we cannot address them at school, it is important to discuss things with their parents and involve them in the solution of the problem.
Just like with everything else in teaching, I prefer individual approach to each student and each case. We have to realize that not every child has a good relationship with their parents. For some children, including parents in their education will make things only worse… That’s why it is important to know the children, their family situation, and have at least one longer meeting with child’s parents at the beginning, to understand where we are standing with each family. Then, when it makes sense, when the relationship is good and parents care, we should involve them as much as necessary–inviting them to participate in events, discussing even minor issues with them, having a regular one on one (or one on two) meeting. In other cases, when including parents or guardians would make more harm than good, it is better to avoid it altogether.
I try to benefit from the modern technology. We can have a connection on a social network (or on some internal communication system) with each parent. Having an ability to send a group message, or to have an individual chat, I can easily and promptly address any issue, or inform the parents about an important event. And, of course, with distance learning in place at many schools nowadays, it is also important to encourage the parents and to guide them, to make sure that children progress with their education back at home, and at least somehow deal with the isolation they may face in these circumstances…

Special tip no. 1: You can vouch for any approach, as long as you explain your reasoning

As you have likely understood, there isn’t just one right answer to the question, a one fit all approach. Without a doubt the leaders of the school (your interviewers) have their ideas, and opinions. They may prefer strong inclusion of parents, and they may vouch for a complete opposite. It isn’t easy to find out what they prefer before the start of your interview, regardless of how good your research is.

As long as you explain your reasoning, however, the only bad answer to this question in silence. Tell them how you want to include the parents in education, and explain why. Describe them your thoughts. If they do not agree with your opinion an interesting discussion may follow–and that’s only a good sign. Explain your thoughts, listen to their thoughts, and ensure them that you are open for discussion when it comes to parents’ inclusion and any other important matter.

Special tip no. 2: The focus should always remain on the well-being of the student

Regardless of what you vouch for, you should always emphasize your primary goal–to make sure that each child reaches their full potential at school. Some teachers forget that, focusing more on the satisfaction of the parents, or on some other goals. This should not happen to you in your teacher job interview.

Hence even if you advocate strong inclusion of parents and guardians, make sure to elaborate on it. Explain the role it should play in the education of the children, the positive impact. That’s the attitude you want to show in your interview.

Q 14: How would you handle a student who is constantly disruptive and defiant?

The question may seem hypothetical to teachers with little experience, or to those of us lucky to teach at some Ivy League university, or at similar educational institution where one has to pay to play. In reality though, disruptive students form a daily bread of teachers all around the world, and you will always encounter at least some of them in your teaching practice.

How will you deal with such a student? And what impact will their behavior have on you? Are you ready to handle it emotionally? And what about the impact such a behavior (and your eventual reaction) will have on the rest of the classroom? School principal has all these questions on their mind while talking to you.

The key is to ensure them that you will keep a cool head, regardless of what happens. Sure enough, you won’t just let them disrupt the lesson and make everyone else’s life difficult. But you won’t explode emotionally, you won’t let them get into your head. At the end, that’s what many students are after when acting disruptively. They want to break you.

On the contrary, you will calmly instruct them to stop their behavior, ask them out of the class, punish them, send them to principal’s office (if nothing else works). And you won’t stop there. You will actually try to solve the problem. Asking school psychologist for help, or talking to the parents of the student in question, are just some of the steps you can suggest taking.

Sample answers

First of all, I would do my best to prevent this from occurring. Setting clear rules of discipline with the students right from the start, during the first lesson, is the first step to take. But I will also try to make sure that I lead the lessons in an engaging and interesting way. If students find the classes interesting, they won’t act disruptively. Having said that, I understand it can still happen. If it does, I will have a system of steps ready. First one can be verbal warning, second one punishment, third one sending them to principal’s office. Of course, if you hire me I prefer to discuss these exact steps with the school leaders, to make sure that I do not create unnecessary extra work for my colleagues.
Well, I definitely won’t let them spoil the entire classroom. Because it can easily happen, and I’ve seen it happen before. So I will try to stop their behavior as quickly as possible, and I will be strict. Give them a clear deadline, and if they do not obey, they have to get out of the class. Having said that, I understand the issue is more complex. Students who are constantly disruptive and defiant often face mental issues, or they come from a difficult family background. For this reason, it is important to involve other professionals while addressing the issue. Case manager, school psychologist, their parents or guardians, various counselors employed at school–all of them can help to eventually address the issue, and make sure that the student can be a part of the classroom.
In my opinion, the most important thing is to keep a cool head. Because when you try your best, and care about each student, it is easy to burst out emotionally, or even say something you will regret later on, while dealing with disruptive behavior in a classroom. So it is important to remind yourself to take it easy, to not get emotional. Then you should try to address their behavior, and here I definitely vouch for an individual approach. In some cases, students may act disruptively simply because they do not find the lesson engaging enough. That one is relatively easy to address, because we can always adjust our teaching methods, or try something to make them more involved in the lesson. But it can be also personal, or some psychological problem, and it is important to understand it and address it accordingly. In my opinion, knowing the file of each student, as well as having a one on one with them when similar issue persists, trying to understand the core of the problem, is really the most important thing. Once we know what’s wrong, we can always address it.
This is my first job application, and I have not faced a similar situation yet. But i am not naive, and know that despite my best efforts, some students will not oblige to the rules. They will act defiantly, and they may try to make my life really difficult. I won’t to assure you that I am ready for such a behavior, and that it won’t impact me emotionally. At the end of the day, in each class you have the best and the worst students. You have to count with that. And I will try to address any disruptive behavior following the standard procedures you have in place here–be it some punishment, contacting the parents, or anything else that works. I hope to learn more about these remedies from experienced teachers working at the school.

Special tip no. 1: Show your readiness to cooperate with other professionals

It is important to ensure the interviewers that you know where your competences end. You are a teacher, not a psychologist or a case manager. And while you won’t pick up a phone and call someone with the very first disruption in the classroom, you will contact responsible professionals when a situation demands it, when you cannot handle the student.

Remember that each school district employs all sorts of counselors and psychologists. These people earn no small money, and they deserve every penny. It is their job to try and talk to students who are constantly disruptive and defiant, and somehow get them back on track. Or, in the worse case, decide that they have to leave the school. But this is their responsibility, and not yours…

Recommended reading: Do you like the answers? Check my eBook Teacher Interview Guide for brilliant answers to all 40 most common teacher interview questions + winning interview strategies. Thank you!

Special tip no. 2: Admit that you can also bear some “guilt”

As a rule of a thumb, if students are engaged in the lesson, they won’t make problems. Of course, it isn’t possible to motivate every single student, and sometimes they just won’t obey the rules, regardless how hard you try to make the lesson the most interesting lesson in the world. But it is still good to say that you do not seek the fault only in the others.

Why is the student misbehaving? Maybe you can try another teaching method, or give them a chance to express themselves in a meaningful way instead of a meaningless one, and so on. Ensure the principal that you will always try to look at the situation complexly, and that includes also the quality of your teaching…

Q 15: Why do you want to work with children?

Working with children can be both blessing and curse, as experienced teachers know first-hand. Of course, it depends a lot on your place of work, attitude, and other things. Generally speaking, private secondary school with high tuition will attract different children than a public school in a poor neighborhood. And the discipline of pupils in Korea differs to the discipline of schoolchildren in United States, or in Cambodia, just to give some examples.

In any case, you should show realistic expectations in your teaching job interview. And while it is great to have high ideals, hoping to become a role model for children, and help them develop their full potential, you should also be aware of the challenges teaching children presents.

Sample answers

I have always wanted to work with children. I believe that teachers have a huge impact on their pupils, especially at elementary school level. They help them overcome their fears, learn the most important skills such as reading and writing, understand the world around them, and they eventually prepare them for the challenges that await them down the road. This is a huge responsibility, but for me it is highly motivating. Not many people have such an impact in their work as elementary teachers do. And I always wanted to have an impact, and contribute to something positive in local community. That’s the primary reason why I want to work with children.
I just find it natural being around children. Since I have a good understanding for their world, and emotions, I find it easy to gain their trust. And everything is easier when you manage to win the trust of your pupils. What’s more, I believe that a job of a school teacher suits my strengths and personality, and cannot think about anything else I would enjoy doing for a living more than I enjoy teaching. Having said that, I realize that job of a teacher isn’t a bed of roses. We will face challenges, and despite my strengths I won’t manage to win the trust of every single child in the class. But that’s something I count with.
Our future depends on our children. Just look around to see what’s going on in the world. Slowly but certainly, we are destroying our precious planet. More and more people suffer from extreme weather conditions, lack of drinking water, or they have other grave problems. We have just one generation left to stop this madness. I want to help my pupils develop right values, putting humanity and environment on the top of their list. And of course, teach them to have an open mind and think creatively, instead of just blindly listening to the so called “authorities” who care only about their profits. In my opinion, survival of the human race is at stake. That’s a good enough reason to want to work with children, isn’t it?
I want to work with children simply because teaching them suits me much better than teaching adults. Each teacher has their strengths and weaknesses, their favorite teaching methods, and so on. I’ve taught both children and adults in my life, and came to a clear conclusion that I achieve better results with children. What’s more, I always wanted to work at this particular school, because I studied here years ago, and wanted to give something back to the community. Since it is an elementary school, it was clear from the first moment that I would work with children once I got the job here.
Speaking honestly, I do not have a particular preference. As an experienced English teacher, I know how to achieve the study goals with small children, teenagers, but also with grownups. Each audience has different goals and demands different teaching methods. It is something I learned during my long teaching career. At the end of the day, I really liked your job description and decided to apply, but the age of students wasn’t really an important factor for me.

Special tip no. 1: Showing flexibility is always a good idea

When applying for a teaching job with some bigger educational institution, it is always good to show certain level of flexibility when it comes to students, teaching methods, and everything else at your new job. Tell them why you prefer working with children, and then elaborate on it.

Sure enough, you prefer working with children, but you feel ready to handle also other age groups of population–if the situation at school demands it. Having a variety of teaching methods at your disposal, and endless empathy, you feel ready to help any group of students (or individuals) reach their goals. Show the interviewers that they can count on you in these uncertain times…

Q 16: How do you use technology in the classroom?

Good old days, when I was young. Computers were big and slow, and mobile phone was just a dream of some innovators and future billionaires. We wrote on paper and read from one, and it was much easier to keep attention in the classroom, simply because we didn’t have the distractions of 21st century, such as a smartphone always vibrating in your pocket.

Yet we cannot turn back the clock, and being nostalgic won’t help you in your job interview. Technology is here to stay. It will only evolve going forward, forming an integral part of a teaching process. Saying that you are against technology, or do not even own a mobile phone (yes, I know a few such people, but they are complete outsiders) won’t land you a teaching job, unless you deal extremely well with other teacher interview questions.

On the contrary, you should embrace technology, or at least accept it, and make sure that both you and your pupils benefit from it in the classroom.

Sample answers

I use technology to achieve two goals. First one is improving the engagement of the students. I try to have some variety in my teaching. Including an interesting documentary in the lesson, or letting children play an interactive Math game, which actually helps them to learn the subject, is much more effective nowadays, as several scientific studies have shown. My second goal is saving time. If we check the attendance electronically, for example, or distribute the homework to all students with a simple click of a button, we can spend more time doing productive work, such as explaining the lesson, or working one on one with some students. Sure, nothing is black and white, and using technology has some drawbacks. But I try to focus on the positives, since technology is here to stay and teachers will use it only more in the years to come.
Being in my early fifties, I must admit that I still struggle a bit with computers. It requires some humility to admit that a fourteen years old child works three times faster with their computer than I do with mine. But I do what I can. I take evening lessons, and try to improve on my skills to be able to benefit fully from the technology. And I can definitely see some progress. Having said that, I believe that I can achieve my goals and follow the lesson plans also without computers in the classroom. I’ve been teaching for thirty years. Did well without computers, achieved good results with my students. Sure, technology can help, but I do not see it as a big minus that I do not use it as often as some other teachers do.
Speaking honestly, I try to minimize the use of technology in my classes. Not that I do not see the benefits, or cannot use computers. The thing is just that children spend way too much time looking at the screen. Once back from school, many of them do nothing else than watching TV, or playing games on their tablet. And they do the same during breaks at school. Hence I believe that we should try to limit the screen time at school to bare minimum. At least that’s my personal philosophy. However, I do not struggle with computers, and if you want me to use one in a lesson it is not a problem, and I can do it with efficiency.
This is my first job application, and I do not have any real experience with using technology in the classroom. But I understand that we cannot ignore the evolution. Once out of school, children cannot do without computers. In almost every single job you have to use a computer, or at least a smartphone. Hence it is good if we have computers here, especially for underprivileged children, and they can learn to work with them. I definitely plan to use computer, projector, and other devices while trying to make the learning process interesting for the children. But whether they should be allowed to use technology during the lessons is another question…
In my opinion, we have to set strict rules when it comes to technology. If we allow children to use their smartphones and computers in the classroom without limitations, it can and will backfire. Sure, it is easier to make notes on a computer, for example, to write things down. Or to show them a short video illustrating the subject of the lesson. As they often say, one picture is worth a thousand words. In order to benefit from technology, however, we have to have strict rules in place. We have to make sure that children watch on their screens only what they are supposed to watch on them.
I am a bit old-school, and prefer to avoid technology in my classes. At the end of the day, this is an elementary school. Children should learn to read, write, do math–and they should not do it with a calculator on their smartphone. Once they get older, they won’t be able to avoid working with technology–even if they wanted to. But at six or seven or eight years old, we should make sure that they get some dexterity to their fingers, and develop cognitive skills. We do not want them to be completely dependent on the devices in their pockets, do we?
I’ve been using most advanced technology in my classes for a couple of years already. For example applications for collecting students’ feedback, or applications measuring the attention span of each child. Technology allows us to do such things, and implementing it in the classroom helps us to understand the effectiveness of our teaching, and whether we should make any changes to our teaching methods or classroom management strategies. I am a big supporter of technology, and if you hire me as a teacher, I can definitely help you with application of these concepts in all classrooms.

Special tip no. 1: You should always justify your use (or no use) of technology in the classroom

As you can certainly notice from the variety of sample answers to this interview question, one fit all approach does not really exist here. Some teachers rely on technology in their classrooms, and some do not use it at all. Yet both groups can achieve exceptional results with their students.

And that’s exactly the point. Regardless of whether you love or hate technology, as long as you explain your reasoning, the hiring committee with be satisfied with your answer. Or at least an interesting discussion will start, should they have an opposite opinion.

If you support a heavy use of technology in the classroom, explain how it helps with engagement, learning, assessing student’s progress, saving time, and so on. And if you are against it, tell us how learning without technology is better for developing cognitive skills, how it is easier to maintain discipline in the classroom, or simply more natural for human beings, who spend excessive time in front of a screen anyway, which does not help their physical and mental health in any means…

* You may also like from around the web: How to use technology effectively in a classroom – from Drexel University School of education.

Q 17: How do you assess students’ progress?

We live in a constant pursuit of something better–a well-paid job, a better wife, or at least a better results at school. Everything seems just a means to an end–we do something to achieve a certain goal in the future, and once we achieve it, we repeat the entire process again. And though it is a recipe for a life filled with worry, it is the way modern society functions nowadays.

Things aren’t much different in education. Parents, education administrators, and often also students expect one thing before anything else–progress. They want to leave the school each day a bit smarter, knowing something they have not known before. They want to grow during your lessons. No wonder your interviewers will actually ask you how you evaluate the progress of your students. Let’s have a look at some sample answers to this one.

Sample answers

Regular testing is the best way to assess their progress. However, it is important to use different forms of tests, or have some variety in your testing, because some students may excel in reading and comprehension but struggle in writing, or in expressing their thoughts, for example. At the end of the day, weekly tests (short format) should also motivate the students to do their homework and practice regularly, which is only good for them. And they help us, the teachers, understand if we are doing a good job, or if we have to improve our teaching methods in order to achieve better results with the students.
As a special education teacher, I advocate for an individual approach to each child. Everyone has some abilities and limitations. My goal as a teacher–or at least how perceive it, is to help each student to reach their full potential. For someone it can be winning national competition in Math, for others passing the exams and progressing to next grade is the ultimate prize. I always keep this on my mind. And since I work closely with my students, and keep a file for each one, it is not difficult for me to monitor their progress, even on a weekly basis.
For me the most important thing is to get the feedback directly in the lesson. I am not one of those teachers who starts talking at the beginning of the lesson and never stops until the bell rings. On the contrary, I involve the students as much as I can, ensuring that they are getting it, and collecting their feedback regularly. As long as they are getting it and doing their homework, they are progressing, each at their own pace. Of course once in a while it is important to do some tests, to see where the class is standing. But in my opinion the most important thing is to focus on each lesson, give your best, and make sure that students understand what’s going on.
This is my first job application, and I do not have experience with evaluating students’ progress yet. As I see it, however, we should do regular exams, for example on a monthly basis, covering the lessons from the previous weeks. Numbers do not lie. If students pass the test, it means that they are progressing in their education. And if they do not pass, we have to return to the drawing board and try to improve our teaching. Of course, you will always have a few students who won’t pass–that’s just how it goes, regardless of your effort. You always have best and worst students in the classroom. That’s something you have to accept as a teacher.
Teaching French, the best way to evaluate a progress of a student is letting them talk. At the end of the day, that’s the primary goal of learning a language–to be able to lead a meaningful conversation with someone, to get around in a foreign country, to express yourself clearly. Hence for me conversation in French is the best test of how they are progressing.
I have it easy as a PE teacher. If someone runs a mile in seven minutes at the start of the year and they manage to get it down to 6:15 towards the end of the year, we can measure quite accurately the progress they made. And the same applies to gymnastics, basketball drills, and everything else we do at school. In my opinion, measurement is the key. If we know how they did at the start of a year (or any other period), we can clearly say whether they achieved a progress or not towards the end of the year.
In my opinion, everything starts with setting tangible goals. We need to know what we want to achieve with students. With each one of them to be precise. And we also need to understand the starting line–their level of a given ability. Once we know where we are, and where we want to be at the end of a semester, it is much easier to plan the lessons and milestones. And once we have some milestones (such as passing a certain exam at a certain time), it is easy to evaluate the progress of each student. As you can see, I have a methodical approach to the issue, because it really matters for me to achieve progress with my students. I want everyone to leave my classes feeling satisfied, knowing that they’ve actually improved over the year.

Special tip no. 1: Job interview is not a school exam

It may be tempting to use a lot of terminology in your interview answers. Formative assessment, authentic assessment, curriculum based monitoring tests, you name it. And while it is fine to use these terms (as long as you know what they mean), you should be aware that some people from the hiring committee may actually not understand what you are talking about. You do not want to find yourself in such a position, do you?

Interview is not a school exam. If you decide to use terminology, make sure that people you talk to understand your vocabulary. Or you can avoid terminology altogether, describing in simple words what exactly you want to do with the students, in order to evaluate their progress. In many cases this is better than trying to impress the school principal with your vocabulary, and ending up misunderstood. Keep it on your mind and choose your words wisely…

Q 18: How do you connect your lessons to the real world?

At the end of the day, school shouldn’t be just a theory. Even when we speak about subjects like Physics and Math. Unless the students see the connection with the real world, unless they understand how they can benefit from the lessons down the road, many of them will struggle with motivation. On the other hand, once they clearly see the connection, their engagement in the lessons will improve, and their results will follow. Which is a dream of every teacher and principal.

Some teachers have it easier than others. When you teach English as a foreign language, for example, you can simply pick for reading and listening subjects that interest the student (their hobby, something related to their work, etc). When you teach Math or Chemistry things get more difficult, but you should at least try to connect the theory to the real world outside.

Sample answers

I must admit that I do not find it easy as a Math teacher. But I always try to explain to the students that Math is one of the principal subjects, and they will find it hard to progress with their education at high school or university, unless they master Math, or at least pass with decent grades. Whenever possible, I try to include simple riddles from real life, so instead of numbers you have persons or animals in the riddles, and the exercise feels more realistic to the students. This definitely helps with engagement, at least in my experience.
English is such a vital language for everyone nowadays. And I try to make it obvious to the students. Many people dream of traveling for example–I try to explain them how much easier it will be for them to make the connection with people abroad once they speak English on a decent level. Or that they will be able to get better paid jobs knowing the language. What’s more, for reading and listening exercises I purposely pick topics that interest the particular age group of students. I must admit that I still struggle with motivation in some classes, or with some students. But I do what I can to help them see the connection.
Biology is the real world. Hence I do not find it hard to make the connection. We are learning about plants, animals, human beings–it is real. Of course, you can make it easier for the students to imagine things with the right choice of words, practical examples, pictures, interactive content, and so on. I try to include all of it in my lessons.
Teaching Physical Education, this isn’t my primary goal really. We were born to move and run, and there’s no need making too much of a science of it really. But I often talk about the impact lack of movement has on our health, trying to motivate the students to actually exercise, and participate in the lessons, which is really hard with some of them. At the end of the day though, I cannot force anyone. I try to explain them the connection of PE and good health, and do my best to go by an example. It is probably the most I can do from my position.
This is my first job application, and I haven’t had a chance to lead the lessons yet. But I definitely understand that connecting the lessons with the real world can help tremendously with motivation, and will try my best to always find some connection. I believe that technology can help us a lot. For example, when explaining a certain chemical formula, we can show them the chemical reaction on the screen, or even showcase the application of it in some industry. This helps them to see the connection, and hopefully also realize the importance of the subject for their adult life.
I do so with guests from real life. Psychology and sociology are tricky subject to teach. Some concepts are rather abstract, and students may struggle to understand them. When I bring in a real guest, however, someone who suffers from a particular issue, or someone belonging to certain group of society, and they tell their story to the students, and explain their feelings, it is much easier for the students to see the connection. Of course, you cannot invite some guest to each lesson. You have lesson plans to follow. But once in a month, for example, you can definitely do it and it can help a lot with motivation.
As an IT teacher I do not find it hard at all. People realize that technology plays a major role in our everyday life. It isn’t difficult convincing them that unless they master it, at least to a certain level, they will find it hard to navigate their everyday life. Of course, the employment market helps here as well. Money motivates a lot of people. Showing them the six figure salaries many IT professional earn annually always gives them a motivation boost. Having said that, I’ve also understood that some students simply don’t care and don’t pay attention, regardless of what we do in the classroom. This is something I have to accept as a teacher. The key is to try my best, and always be there for students who actually care and want to progress.

Special tip no. 1: Your effort matters more than the final result

If you’ve taught for a while, you know for sure that for some students nothing matters. Realistic or abstract, they just won’t try their best in the classes. They may do nothing at all (except of acting disruptively and spoiling the morale in the classroom).

Of course, you can try to address this problem, or leave it for one of the counselors working at school. But it should not discourage you from trying to find the connection with the real world, and do other things to motivate the rest of the students, people who actually do care.

Ensure the interviewing panel that you are ready to put in the effort. You know that students will achieve much better results when motivated, and seeing the connection with real world always helps with their motivation. That’s why you will strive to always find some connection, regardless of how hard it may be with the subject you teach.

Any questions or ideas for improvement? Feel free to contact us. Thank you for helping us to make this website better for all job applicants and teachers.

Q 19: Please tell us about a time when you worked as a part of a successful team

Great school (or any other great organization) is always a team effort. You cannot have one good teacher and hope he will take the entire educational institution to new heights, just as you cannot hope a single motivated manager will turn failure into success in a corporate environment. Sure, individual people have achieved great feats in their life, but it is more an exception than a rule… Hence interviewing for any job in education (and any job in a corporate world) you will face at least one question about teamwork. Let’s have a look at some great sample answers.

Sample answers

Last time was in my previous teaching job. We were on the same page with administrators and counselors, had great meetings, and everyone followed the same goal. In the span of five years we manged to reduce the dropout rate by 50%, and the school got the best ratings in the district. But there was more than numbers can tell. Individual stories of children who overcame adversity and graduated against all odds, teachers and other staff members that enjoyed going to the job, and so on. I am proud and grateful for this experience, and sincerely hope I can apply what I learned there in my new teaching job.
I always say that success is relative. Doesn’t matter if we look at individual life or an organization. Whether or not you consider yourself successful depends on who you measure yourself against. In my opinion though, the only meaningful benchmark is our “past self”. And if I take it as a benchmark, I worked as a part of a successful team in my last sales job. With me onboard, we manged to grow our sales volume by 30% annually. And while I believe it was a success, especially considering the current economic climate, the organization still didn’t survive the pressure from big players, and we were all left jobless. But I know I gave my best for the team, and have no regrets. Now I am looking to join another great team in your corporation. And if it isn’t great, I want to help to make it such!
This is my first ever job application, so I cannot talk about an experience from work. But I believe my family makes for a successful team. We run the household together, each responding for their chores. We support each other, and spend a lot of time talking together. My family has taught the value of paying attention to the needs and feelings of people around you, and I definitely want to stick to this in my teaching job. Paying attention to the needs of my colleagues and making sure we communicate daily, I want to help to make the team successful, and both students and teachers happy.
I’ve never worked anywhere, but I can share with you an example from sports. I have always enjoyed playing soccer with friends. We joined a local league five years ago, and finished last the first season. Instead of hanging our heads down though, it motivated us to work harder, and to learn from more successful teams. Because soccer is a team sport, and even with average players you can still win, should you play as a team, have a good strategy, stamina, and a bit of luck. We worked on our strategy and stamina, and after progressing higher and higher each year, we managed to win the local league last year. Of course it isn’t professional level and a big achievement, but I still feel it taught me a lot about importance of teamwork, and how I can contribute to it. I hope to transfer this knowledge to the corporate environment.

Q 20: How do you support literacy for all students including English language learners?

It may not surprise you that more than 700 million people in the world are still illiterate. Illiteracy, however, isn’t a problem reserved for third world countries, problem of people who struggle with their most basic needs and cannot afford going to school because of that. In fact–and this mat actually surprise you, more than 40 million of American adults fall into the illiterate/functionally illiterate category. That’s a serious problem we face.

What’s more, with the climate crisis and immigration issues looming, many elementary school students are English language learners. They find it even harder to comprehend written text, such as the one you are reading right now. Needless to say, school principals are aware of the problem, and hence come this question. Let’s check out some sample answers.

Sample answers

Ability to read with comprehension is a skill like any other one. In order to improve, you have to practice. And that’s exactly my philosophy. I try to read a lot with students, and their homework is often based on independent reading and the comprehension of the text they read. Of course, it is important to choose topics that interest the students, at least somehow, so they do not find their reading excessively boring, and will do the homework.
I’ve taught many English language learners in my last teaching job. And I immediately understood that they need more time for the same length of text, that it simply takes them longer to cover the exercise, be it writing or reading. The most important thing is to give them your attention, make sure that they understand, collect their feedback, and also test their reading and writing skills regularly and monitor their progress, to confirm the efficiency of your teaching methods, and make adjustments when necessary.
This is my first job application, and so I do not have any experience with this yet. But I am aware that many children struggle with literacy, and that we should put more emphasis on independent reading, reading loudly during the lessons, communication between the students, as well as reading & writing exercises. I can assure you that I plan to put emphasis on these things in my classes, and will make sure that each student develops their full potential.
I honestly think that the key lies in building students’ love to reading books. Physical books–classical literature, but also new genres and styles. I support quality and variety in their reading, to make sure that they have contact with a variety of texts, and learn to comprehend the content of these books. It will help them a lot down the road.
Read, read, and read. There’s no better way to support literacy, regardless of whether we talk about native speakers or English language learners. My students spend a lot of time reading and talking about texts they read. Of course, it is crucial to know your lesson plans, and make sure that your reading exercises fit the plans. Once they do, we should motivate the students to read and progress with their reading and writing on a weekly basis.
Illiterate person is easily manipulated and will find it hard to verify facts. We should do all we can to support the literacy of all our students. In my opinion, individual approach is the key. Some students may struggle with alphabet, others with vocabulary. One person may find it easy to read the texts but hard to comprehend the meaning, while another one can struggle with reading itself. It is important to understand our students, and work with each one individually, making sure we address the correct issues. Of course, we can afford such a luxury only if we have enough personnel, paraprofessionals and assistants. It is the case at your school, and it is one of the reasons why I decided to apply for a special education teacher job with you, instead of with some other school in the area.
First of all, I advocate for no-technology policy in elementary education. Tablet, keyboard, and digital book reader should never replace pen and paper–at least in my opinion. As long as children spend enough time reading and writing, and if we progress at a correct pace with each student, we can be sure that we did our best to support their literacy. Of course, some students will progress faster and some will struggle more, regardless of what we do in the classroom. That’s something we have to accept as teachers. You will always have best and worst students. Having said that, achieving 100% functional literacy should be one of our main goals at school.

Special tip no. 1: Put emphasis on quality reading

Nothing beats quality reading. Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, Conrad, Joyce, Salinger–just to name a few masters of the word. Of course, you cannot expect elementary school students to understand such books. But you can always help them pick the right work of art, fitting for their age and level of functional literacy.

Books are hundred times better than some Facebook stories or online news. Ensure the interviewers that you plan to promote reading in your classes. Setting aside time for individual reading, supporting quality libraries, inviting guest readers to the classroom, and introducing various authors to the students are just some ways of promoting reading across the board…

Q 21: Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way

Persuasion is an important skill for every teacher, but also for each corporate employee. Students and workers often lack motivation, or do not want to change their routines. A good leader has an ability to convince them to see things their way, and to do the things they’d prefer not doing, or to agree to some important changes. Hiring managers are aware of the importance of this ability, and they will often ask you to demonstrate it in the interviews, narrating a situation from the past.

Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to this interesting question. It isn’t an easy one to answer, especially when you lack previous working experience, and I hope my answers will inspire you to come up with your own, unique interview answer. Remember that your attitude matters much more than the situation you narrate. As long as you demonstrate that you can “fight for your vision“, that you do not give up easily, and that NO is never a final answer to you, hiring managers will be satisfied with your words…

Sample answers

I recall a great example from my teaching job. Had one class where many children came from broken families, and from bad social environment overall. This put a dent to their confidence in education and the sense it has in one’s life, since they saw their parents struggling in many ways, having multiple jobs etc. You can all it a “bad role model problem”, you can call it what you want, but the reality was lack of motivation and discipline. I knew I had to do something to change their outlook of life, to see things my way, to understand that they do not have to live the same lives their parents do, if they study well. And hence I told them real-life stories and brought guests to the lessons, especially guests who came from poor neighborhood but made some career against all odds, becoming doctors, scientists, social workers, etc. This helped the children to see the value in what we do at school, and convinced them to try much harder. I am proud of this accomplishment and hope to replicate the same success in my new teaching job.
This is my first job application for a real work, before I worked just at McDonald’s, part time job, hence I cannot come up with example from work. But I remember a situation from my family. My sister dated a really bad guy, someone involved in drugs and a lot of bad stuff. She was in love though, and didn’t see the reality, that the guy was only using her and didn’t really care, and that the relationship was no good for her future. My parents could not talk her out of it, but I came with a plan. I found one of his past girlfriends, someone he also used and then “threw away”, and introduced her to my sister, to tell her story. This worked, it opened her eyes, and she finally saw things my way. She left the guy and now she has a normal boyfriend, a serious person.
I used it successfully just yesterday with my boyfriend. He was tired from work and everything, but I really needed a nice evening out to forget a bit about my job search and interviews, and overcome my interview nerves. As always he just wanted to stay home and watch TV… But I used some persuasion, explaining how a nice evening it could be, and helping to create some images in his head with proper remarks, visualizations of different scenarios that he liked–though they were just scenarios, and not something I planned to, when it came to the end of the evening. It worked like a charm, he suddenly changed his mind, put on some clothes, we went to see movies, eat something, and it really helped me to take my mind of the interviews and relax a bit.
To be honest, I never try to persuade people. Let me explain. In my opinion, persuasion isn’t effective, because as soon as people spot it, they start to act defensively and more often than not the battle is lost. That’s why instead of persuading anyone, my tactic is raising right questions, at the right time. When you manage to do that and people start to question their own beliefs, or at least the way they intended to do something, they may eventually decide to do things your way. But they feel much better about such an outcome, because they feel as if they made the decision themselves, instead of being defeated in some confrontation of opinions with you. Sure, it takes more time to do this and perhaps it isn’t the most fitting way to convince people immediately, but the technique yielded me some great results and I hope to stick to it in my new job.
This is my first application for a teaching job, hence I haven’t have yet a chance to test my persuasion skills in the classroom. I am not naive though, and know it won’t be always easy to motivate the students to study, to do their homework etc. But you can be sure I won’t give up easily, and had some ideas on how to convince them to give their studies their best effort. One of them is helping them to see the connection of their studies with their future, the income, the well-being, the level of comfort (or lack of it) they will enjoy. Other way is more indirect, applying innovative teaching methods such as learning by playing, and using technology in the classroom, something children generally enjoy more and should be more motivated. And I also hope to learn from my new colleagues (with more experience) how to use persuasion successfully in the classes.

Q 22: Why should we hire you as a teacher?

Trying to get any job at school, you should realize one thing: People sitting in the interviewing panel are not professional interviewers. They are education administrators, veteran teachers, and other people who devoted their lives to trying to make a positive difference in the lives of their students. And though they understand the ins and outs of running a school, and know the challenges their educational institution faces, they may still find it a bit tricky to lead the interviews, and to pick the best candidate for the job.

For this reason, you may get some questions that aren’t really typical in professional interviews anymore, at least not in the last ten years. One of them is “Why should we hire you?”. Just think about it for a moment.

This question has never made much sense. People who interview you for a job (for any job) are paid for their ability to assess your strengths and weaknesses, and gauge your readiness to handle the job. They should be able to tell whether it makes sense to hire you, or some other job candidate, without asking similar questions in the interviews. But as I’ve said, people at schools aren’t professional interviewers and recruiters, and you may easily face some strange questions while meeting them. Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to this one, including some unconventional replies.

Sample answers

You should hire me because I meet all the job criteria. I have the required education, I specialize in PE, and I have the personal traits that make from me a good candidate for the position–or at least I believe so. What’s more, I am highly motivated to teach here, I know a lot about this school and like the way it is managed, and you can be sure that I am here for a long run, and will try my best to leave a positive mark in the history books of your educational institution.
I believe that my experience plays in my favor. I’ve been teaching for fifteen years already. Experiencing all sorts of challenges and doing my best to tackle them, I feel ready to help you take the special education to next level. Working with children with both mental and physical disabilities, I can share my experience and knowledge with other teachers here. There’s really a lot I have to offer. If you are looking for such things, I am definitely the candidate to hire.
To be honest, I cannot tell whether you should hire me, or one of the other candidates for the job. Without a doubt each one of us has their qualities, personality, and goals they want to achieve while teaching here. I tried my best to present these things to you during the interview, so you understand why I am here and what I can offer. But I am also sure that other candidates have their qualities, credentials, and ambitions. At the end of the day, you have to decide whether I am the right person to hire, or someone else is a better fit for the role.
You should hire me because you will find it hard to find anyone else for the job. Look, we both know the reputation of the school. Bullying, problems with discipline, the highest dropout rate in the city. And the remuneration package you offer isn’t particularly attractive either. But for me, as someone who grew up here, money is of secondary importance. I would love to teach here, and help you try to tackle the challenges. And I doubt you will see many teachers with similar attitude in the interviews, especially when other schools in the area are also hiring teachers…
A better question would be why shouldn’t you. I meet the job requirements, I am highly motivated, willing to relocate for this job, and I’ve handpicked your school from dozens of possible places to work. Of course, I have my personality like anyone else, and at times it may be a pain dealing with me, and I am sure that you have also other candidates on your list. But at least from my perspective, I see myself as a great candidate for the job, and see absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t give me a chance to prove my skills in the classroom.
The answer is simple: my proven track of achievements. And I do not talk about personal achievements, but what I managed to achieve with the students. Please look at the list: I’ve led children from four different grades to victory in regional and national competitions, and the dropout rate has dropped significantly under my leadership. Numbers do not lie. If you would like to see your students achieve similar level of success, and the reputation of your school soar, I am the right person to hire.
Well, this is my first job application. Logically I do not have much to show yet, at least in terms of tangible results I’ve achieved as a teacher. But I can assure you that I am eager to learn, and highly motivated to make a positive difference in the life of every single student I teach. And I believe that attitude is the most important thing, and a young teacher with an excellent attitude to their work can do more good than an experienced teacher who has already lost their zeal, and teach simply because that’s what they have always done for a living

Special tip no. 1: Try to combine confidence and humility in your answer

You may be tempted to boast about your skills, and saying why you are better than the others. And while this approach can sometimes yield the desired results, especially if you have something tangible to show to your interviewers, in terms of your experience and achievements, it isn’t the best way of dealing with the question.

In the best possible answer, you should first and foremost present a constant desire to work on your skills, and keep becoming a better teacher along the way. That’s why it isn’t a bad idea to give some credit to other job candidates (saying that without a doubt they also have their strengths, and can bring value to the team at school), or even to point out a specific weakness you have–something you plan to work on during your teaching practice, in order to become the best teacher you can be.

Do your homework – research about the school

A thorough research will help you in many ways. It will help you find good answers to particular interview questions (questions that relate to the educational institution, and the reasons why you chose them instead of some other place of work), to calm down before your interview (since it is always easier to feel relaxed in an interview once we are familiar with the place and the people), and to come up with a good question, once you get an opportunity to ask them something. You can focus on the following areas in your research (use Google, social networks, local news, and your connections while researching about them):

The vision and goals of the educational institution.
School principal, and their career, any major achievements of their career.
Things that make the school a unique place to study at, and to teach at, simply the reasons why students (and teachers) should prefer it to other educational institutions (if there is any such reason).
Problems and challenges they face at school (with discipline, bullying, high dropout rate, anything else).
History of the school, at least briefly.
The most notable achievements of the students (and teachers) in recent years.
Study programs they offer, and approach to special education.

Luck favors the prepared mind

Learn to show the right attitude in an interview, do your homework (research), and prepare for the most common teacher interview questions with the help of our sample answers. The more time you spend preparing for your meeting with the interviewing panel, the better your chances of walking away with a new employment agreement will be. Law of action and reaction cannot be broken…

And if you would like to do something extra, checking information that’s not available to everyone, have a look at my eBook, the Teacher Interview Guide. Great answers to 40 most common interview questions for teachers, winning interview strategies, and basically everything you need to know to ace this interview with ease, will help you stand out and deliver when it matters the most.

Thank you for checking it out, and good luck in your interviews!

Glen

Author
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Glen Hughins

Originally from Philadelphia, Glen had worked as a school principal for fifteen years, before he started his career in recruitment consulting and interview coaching. He is the lead author of the content on this website and responsible for all premium eBooks sold here.

Top 40 teacher interview questions and answers

Q1: Please tell us something about yourself.

Special tip no. 1: Non-verbal communication is equally important, especially at the start of your interview

Special tip no. 2: Show your creativeness with a format of your answer

Q 2: Why do you want to be a teacher? (Why did you decide for teaching?)

Special Tip no. 1: Talking about the past is good, but you shouldn’t neglect future either

Special tip no. 2: The more specific you are the better

Q 3: Who or what inspired you to become a teacher?

Special tip no. 1: Do not forget on enthusiasm in your voice

Q 4: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher? (What strengths do you bring to the classroom?)

Special tip no. 1: Not sure what to say? Experience, or lack of it, is always a good answer.

Q 5: Can you tell us more about your experience with teaching? (What have you learned from your teaching experience?)

Special tip no. 1: Talk about achievements, show them that you are focused on the students instead of yourself

Q 6: Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? (How do you see yourself as a future teacher?)

Special tip no. 1: It is completely fine aspiring for leadership roles down the road

Q 7: How would you describe your teaching style? (What is your teaching philosophy?)

Special tip no. 1: Focus on the children

Q 8: What teaching methods do you prefer and why? (What is your teaching methodology?)

Special tip no. 1: Learn some terminology before heading to your interview

Q 9: Why do you want to teach at this school, and not somewhere else?

Special tip no. 1: Do your research about the school and find the reason to work there

Q 10: Why do you want to work for our school district?

Special tip no. 1: You do not necessarily need a reason

Q 11: Describe your classroom management style.

Special tip no. 1: Take responsibility for what’s going on in the classroom

Special tip no. 2: Know your limits and don’t hesitate to ask for help

Q 12: How do you keep students engaged and motivated? (How do you motivate your students?)

Special tip no 1: Plain lecturing won’t take you far in terms of engagement

Q 13: How do you include parents and guardians in their child’s education?

Special tip no. 1: You can vouch for any approach, as long as you explain your reasoning

Special tip no. 2: The focus should always remain on the well-being of the student

Q 14: How would you handle a student who is constantly disruptive and defiant?

Special tip no. 1: Show your readiness to cooperate with other professionals

Special tip no. 2: Admit that you can also bear some “guilt”

Q 15: Why do you want to work with children?

Special tip no. 1: Showing flexibility is always a good idea

Q 16: How do you use technology in the classroom?

Special tip no. 1: You should always justify your use (or no use) of technology in the classroom

Q 17: How do you assess students’ progress?

Special tip no. 1: Job interview is not a school exam

Q 18: How do you connect your lessons to the real world?

Special tip no. 1: Your effort matters more than the final result

Q 19: Please tell us about a time when you worked as a part of a successful team

Q 20: How do you support literacy for all students including English language learners?

Special tip no. 1: Put emphasis on quality reading

Q 21: Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way

Q 22: Why should we hire you as a teacher?

Special tip no. 1: Try to combine confidence and humility in your answer

Other questions you may face while interviewing for a teaching job

Do your homework – research about the school

Luck favors the prepared mind