SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR TEACHERS

Professional Experiences
1. What is your philosophy of education?
2. Describe your student teaching experience(s). What are some of the most significant things you learned from
your cooperating teacher(s)? What did you like/dislike?
3. What is your knowledge of and experience with standards-based education?
4. What experience have you had with students from culturally diverse backgrounds?
5. When did you first become interested in teaching?
6. What opportunities have you had to bring multicultural education into your classroom?
7. Describe your experience(s) working in an urban setting.
8. How well has your college/university prepared you for the teaching profession?
Instructional Skills
1. Describe the teaching techniques or strategies that are most effective for you.
2. How would you include cooperative learning in your classroom?
3. How would you identify the special needs of your students?
4. What do you include when you write learning objectives?
5. What techniques do you use to keep students actively involved during a lesson?
6. What methods would you use to assess student learning?
7. Describe different student learning styles and how you adjust lessons to benefit those differing styles.
8. Do you feel that the teacher should be responsible for developing objectives or should they be provided in the
curriculum?
9. How do you deal with the unmotivated student?
10. Is drill and practice important? How and when would you use it?
11. What would you do if 50% of your class did poorly on a test?
12. What do you see as the relative strengths and weaknesses of norm-referenced tests?
13. How would you use authentic assessment?
Technology/Computer Skills
1. How would you incorporate technology in your classroom?
2. What are your computer skills? What software have you used for instructional or classroom management
purposes?

3. Assuming you have adequate equipment, how would students be allowed to use technology in your classroom?
Classroom Discipline
1. Describe your philosophy regarding discipline.
2. What techniques would you use to handle discipline problems that may arise in your classroom?
3. What was the most challenging discipline problem youve encountered and how did you handle it? Were you
prepared to handle this situation? In hindsight, would you have handled this situation any differently?
4. What kind of rules do you have in your classroom? (Share an example.) How are they established?
5. How would you create and promote a safe atmosphere in your classroom?
Classroom Management
1. What is your classroom management plan/style? What are your goals?
2. Describe what you consider to be the model classroom. What would a typical day look like in this classroom?
3. Share three interesting classroom management techniques used in your classroom.
4. When students say they want their teacher to be fair, what do you think they mean?

Sample interview questions for teaching candidates

Not every interviewer will ask you every one of these questions. However, if you are prepared to
address these questions, you will leave the impression that you were prepared for your job
interview, even if additional questions take you by surprise.
Key to good responses: Give specific examples to illustrate and back up what you say about
yourself. Don't just speak in vague, general terms.
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Have you ever taken care of someone? Did you enjoy it?
Do you consider yourself a risk taker? (Give an example to back up your answer.)
Are you a positive and energetic person? (Give an example to back up your answer.)
If a student said she thought you were the worst teacher she ever had, how would you react and
what would you say?
If I were your principal and we were setting goals for next year, what would they be?
What is the last book you read?
Have you ever considered publishing a book?
Some people say you should demand respect. Do you agree or disagree?
Tell me about yourself.

 How would you rank these in importance and why? Planning, discipline, methods, evaluation.
If a student came to you and said, "None of the other students like me," what would you tell
him/her?
Are you an empathetic person? Give an example.
How can you tell that a person is a good listener?
Are you an objective person? Give an example.
What do you want to do with your life?
How do you feel if a student does not meet a deadline?
It is the first day of class, you are writing something on the board and a paper wad hits you in the
back, what would you do? Later the same day, if all the students drop their pencils, what do you do?
What was the most frustrating thing that happened to you as a student teacher?
What was the best thing?
Do you believe you should build rapport with students? If yes, how?
How do you give your students recognition? Do you think a student can have too much recognition?
How do you encourage students to learn? Can a student be forced to learn?
How do you handle a child who seems gifted, but is a discipline problem?
How do you prefer to use computers in the classroom?
How do you present a new word to a class?
What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
What is the role of the principal? Does a conflict exist between your perception of a principal's role
and his/her role as your evaluator?
Describe your student teaching experience.
During your student teaching, were you ever involved with a situation at school involving racial
tension? If so, how did you handle it?
How do you establish authority/discipline? What do you do when a discipline problem arises?
What subjects have you taught?
Are you patient? Give an example.
Do you ever feel angry toward your students?
What will you be doing in five years?
What is your educational philosophy?
If you could create the ideal school, what would it be like?
Do you like to be challenged? (Give an example to back up your answer.)
What do you like most/dislike most about teaching?

 How do you feel about noise in the classroom? How do you handle noise in the classroom?
How would you handle making a difficult phone call to a parent?

"Why did you decide to become a teacher?"

-Give some thought to how you will answer and be as honest as possible. Many teachers discover that
their love of children draws them to teaching, or that their own love of learning makes them passionate
about teaching. Others are inspired by a teacher earlier in their education who had a positive impact on
them personally.
"What type of classroom management structure would you implement if you were hired?"
-You should be familiar with the school district's philosophies on classroom management and discipline.
Your answer will vary depending on what grade level you are applying for, your teaching style, and your
previous experience in the classroom, with respect to the policies of the district to which you are applying.
Sample answers might include redirecting the student, involving students by agreeing on a set of
classroom rules together as a class, having students sign a learning contract that they help create at the
beginning of the year, listening to a student in a one-on-one meeting, mediating issues between students,
and involving parents in the disciplinary process.
Be sure to give personal examples of your method - and how it worked well for you:
-In my First Grade Classroom, I implemented a system where the students were each given a clip on a
chart. At each infraction, the students would move their clip along a progression of colors. The disciplines
ranged from a warning, losing 1/2 recess, losing all recess, to a call home or to the principal's office. I
made very few phone calls!
Have you had experience boosting a student's self-esteem? If so, how?"
-When answering this question, provide personal examples of how you have helped a student on an
individual basis. Most likely, you were not only helping them with something that they were having
difficulty with, but by showing them that they could do it, you also boosted their self-esteem.
Working one-on-one with students is a very effective way to boost self-esteem as they feel recognized as
an individual, not overlooked in the classroom, and pride in their achievement.

Sample Teacher Interview Questions and Answers

Here are suggested answers to teacher interview questions sample as follows:
Discipline

Questions about classroom discipline and the way you establish your authority.

How do you handle a discipline problem? What about noise in the classroom?

Are you a tough teacher or an understanding teacher?

How do you handle a gifted child who is a discipline problem?

Answer:
By having a set of classroom rules and consistently following your own guidelines a clear set of
behavioral expectations with clear consequences you have a good chance of controlling the class. Give
examples of rules and consequences. Simultaneously, present yourself as a good listener and adapter,
flexible to individual students needs. If possible, give an example of where you had to work around your
rule for a difficult student.
Working with Parents

Give an example of a difficult phone call to a parent.

How do you handle parent complaints about teaching methods?

How often do you report to parents? What is your communication method with parents?
Answer:
Your goal is to work in the childs best interest, together with the parents. In general, you report as often
as required and welcome parents contribution. Complaints and problems that have not been resolved are
addressed to the school principal if necessary. Communication can be any possible way text, email,
phone or a note home. When parents object to teaching method, it is best to have a principal explain and
defend the teacher. Parents are not usually as knowledgeable as they think.
If a child is caught cheating or continuously disturbs, this would be a difficult call to make. I would first
look over all the childs work and make a list of his/her good qualities and accomplishments. After
reporting that pleasantness, I would factually describe the problem, making sure not to exaggerate. End
with another nice comment, and listen to parents. Next I would try to work out a plan with them, or
interest them in the plan I worked out. Close with a nice comment about how easy it was to speak with
them, or some such compliment and wish them well.
Teaching methods

Questions about homework (overload).

The way you evaluate your teaching performance and teaching needs. How do you use resources?

Your teaching tools and methods, namely the Internet, team-teaching and external resources.

How do you handle the needs of children with high abilities as compared to the needs of low-skilled
children?

How do you meet the needs of children with ADHD?

What are your teaching objectives?

How do you provide feedback?

Answer:
You should explain the cutting edge teaching principles you utilize to meet your teaching goals and
objectives for enhancing students skills such as reading, social skills, technical skills etc. prepare and
rehearse your remarks. Speak professionally.
Social problems

How do you handle a case of a child who is socially isolated?

Answer:
I feel I must play an important role in the childs development of social competence and friendship skills. I
will do my best to help these children develop peer friendships. My responsibilities involve not only
imparting academic skills but social skills as well. Some methods are setting up study-buddies, team
projects, etc.
General

Why did you choose a teaching career?

Why are you interested in working for our school?

Answer: prepare a brief explanation. Focus on love of children, desire to give, enthusiasm for learning,
and whatever motivated you.

job Interview: Strength Examples List of Strengths

Here are some aspects (with detailed explanation) that you may put forward as being your strengths:
Learning agility and effective personal communication skills
Most researches show that the single best predictor for who will perform well and succeed in a new job is
the one who possesses learning agility (a quick learner) and the one who can adjust himself/herself to
changes and new situations, such as a new workplace.
Also, effective interpersonal communication skill is one of the best personal traits.
Past performance or even experience, skills and intelligence are not as important as learning agility and
communications skills. HR and recruiters are aware to these facts
Self Motivated and Determined
To achieve success, one needs to be self motivated and determined to succeed. Without self motivation,
it is quite possible that even the best of employees will languish in the company without achieving any
success.
Success Oriented and Natural Leader
All companies search for an individual who has the drive within himself or herself. Frankly, the company
would not have time to actually sit back and look out which of their employees has that next big idea, or
which of the employees is not working according to their talents and resources. Therefore, it is best that a
company have a self-appointed mentor who keeps these things in mind and speaks about them at the
appropriate time.
This characteristic is necessary for team leaders, supervisors, executive managers and project managers.
Team Player
No man is an island. And in todays world, like never before, a person requires a group of people with
whom to succeed. Therefore, being a team player in todays world is almost as important as any
academic degree.
Hardworking
This is one of the most common traits found in a successful boss as well as a successful employee. It is
said that success is ninety percent hard work and ten percent thinking/brain activity. Any company would
like to have a hard-working employee. Therefore, you can speak about hard-work, dedication and
commitment as your strengths.
Intelligence and Self Confidence
Being intelligent does not mean being the only person in the room who can drive a plane, but a person
who has the simple logic and practical knowledge that goes with running a proper team.

Job Interview: What Are Your Weaknesses Examples & List of Weaknesses
Several interviewers will also ask whether you have any weaknesses. When it comes to weaknesses,
make sure that you describe the weaknesses that are ambiguous enough to be converted into strengths.
Here are some of the weaknesses that are generally discussed.
Getting Nervous around people
Today, with the advent of the new work culture where a person seldom meets another and where the only
time people speak to each other is during coffee breaks, there are some people who have become
introverts. This causes some people to become nervous about giving presentations and speeches.
Being a Debater
Some individuals are too passionate about work and require a reason for any change that is introduced in
the company. Though this is good for the project and the product, it might rub some people the wrong
way.
Going out of ones Way
There are several people in organizations all over the world who take all kinds of work from their
colleagues, whether it is their work or not. While these people are an asset to the company, they may
create antagonism.
Lack of some skills
No person has all the requisite skills for the job profile. This is one of the greatest disadvantages that one
has, because once a person starts earning, they find it difficult to go back to their learning ways.
Remember that these are just concepts and you should back up each of these strengths and weaknesses
with an example.
Some other strengths & weaknesses (per job title) to consider:
Weakness
Sensitive person: Taking things to heart and getting too disappointed when things are done in the wrong
way.
Too helpful: Crossing limits while helping teammates.
Summary
An interview is the short span of time spent with each other, in which a person has to decide whether the
employee is perfect for the job or not. To establish this, the interviewer asks several questions.
Some of the questions are quite simple and can be answered immediately, while some are not as simple
and require some thought before the answer is given. One good example of this is the question regarding
strengths and weaknesses.

Job Interview Tips: Weaknesses Answering the tell me about your Weaknesses
What do they want?
This question is popular in interviews not necessarily because they want to make you stressed, but they
may be interested in hearing (or seeing) 4 possible things:
1. How you handle challenges How you respond when youre under pressure, and how you
maintain your composure.
2. Honesty You can speak about a real weakness honestly. You are someone who can do an
honest self-assessment.

3. Correcting Not only you identify a weakness but you take corrective action and deal with them
maturely.
4. Do they take any risks hiring you?
Keep in mind that they may not be interested in your answer but they might be interested in observing
your body language when you respond to this trick question.
How would you make the desired impression that you are someone they can trust/who can be trusted and
a person whos easy to develop an open/honest working relationship with? Read further..
Answer the question
Dont try to convince them that you dont have one. Some employers may think you are arrogant for not
being able to see any faults in yourself. If they think that you are dishonest and lack integrity it is even
worse.
State a true weakness!
We all have faults. No one is perfect, and you shouldnt pretend to be a perfect person.
You are even expected to have personal insight into some weaknesses in order to fix them. If you give
considerable thought to your greatest weaknesses youd most probably find some.
Related weakness
Under no circumstances should you list a key element of the position as your weakness! Never provide a
weakness that has an impact on your job! If you do that, why wait? Why dont you just send yourself
the rejection letter?
Dont be nave. The interviewer is not a psychologist to whom you confess a weakness that could harm
your chances.
Pick Minor weaknesses
So how to answer the interview question What are your weaknesses?? Pick a minor weakness (but not
too minor, see examples hereafter):
1. Select a neutral weakness carefully Something that is not critical to the job.
2. Then, tell [the interviewer] what you are doing to overcome it.
This shows not only that you are honest, but someone who can identify areas for improvement, and that
you are actively seeking ways to develop yourself.
In addition, it wouldnt be wise to adopt the famous advice of speaking about a strength as a weakness.
Interviewers know these ready-made answers and do not like them. He can insist that you are talking
about a strength and will ask you to give another example.
List of weaknesses for Job Interview: Weaknesses for Interviews
What are good weaknesses to report in an interview? What is the greatest weakness you can list?
Always pick a weakness that will not disqualify you from the position that you are applying for
Something that you have already worked on fixing. Here are examples:
1. Critical thinking:
As a decision maker, I can tell you that critical thinking is an issue everyone should work on including
mine, so for improving that aspect as much as I could, I have recently taken an online critical thinking
course to help me become a better decision maker.
2. Technical skill:
If the job does not require technical skills, you can speak about any technical issue as your weaknesses.
I have to admit that I am not a born mathematician; Im weak in math [or computing]. I found that it is an

acquired skill if you take an interesting course in this area. I have used computers but it is still something I
would like to improve. So I found computer graphics to be my area of interest and took some computer
graphics sessions etc.. .
3. Presentation skills:
If the job does not require public speaking, you can address aspects of public speaking as a weakness.
I have confidence to speak in front of a group but I have to admit that my presentation skills are still far
from being perfect, so I took classes on public speaking and [any other course] to become more
convincing as a presenter.
4. Too focused:
I am too focused on my career. I believe I should always be improving myself. My work life and personal
life were out of balance, as I was too focused on my work lately. Nowadays, it is easy to dismiss the
boundaries between work and home, so I need to find more time for the family and to develop other
interests. Though I always put my all into everything I do, knowing how to balance things is an important
quality that I must improve.
5. Time management:
You can also include time management as a weakness, if you are not applying for managerial positions.
Time management is a problem for me. However, Ive improved myself by learning from my former
supervisors how to prioritize daily tasks and how to delegate duties to others if required.

Question 1 - What are your thoughts on team-teaching?

Answer - I am sure many of you have participated in team-teaching and realize the benefits of this strategy. The
interviewer who asks this question wants to discover, if you are flexible, enjoy working in a team environment, have
experience in this area, and what your viewpoints are on the subject.
It is always wise to speak about some of the positive aspects of team-teaching, such as:
It is an effective strategy for teaching large groups of students. Encourages teachers to collaborate and generate
ideas ... two heads are always better than one! Talk about team-teaching experiences you have had, and the positive
results that transpired.
If you haven't had any hands-on experience, you may explain that you enjoy working in a team setting and are
excited about the possibility of participating in this approach. OR, maybe you have done some reading on the
subject and can share some of the insights you gained with the interviewer ... this will definitely be impressive!
Furthermore, it is vitally important to be honest when answering all questions during the interview. Organizing your
thoughts in advance will serve to help you deliver truthful and concise responses, while highlighting the skills you
possess that are most compatible with the needs of the school or district.
Question 2 - What are your greatest strengths?
Answer - This question will probably be asked. Now, if you researched the district/school and found out what they
are looking for in a candidate, you will be able to focus your response on that information, keeping in mind it is
important to tell the truth. With every response you must show your VALUE to the district. This will also give them
an idea on how you view your talents and skills as a teacher. Perception is critical... you must be able to confidently
discuss your skills using a convincing approach.
It is important the answer shows your hard/tangible skills. For example, classroom management, curriculum
development, or technology integration. These skills will show the interviewer(s) what you can do on the job. Don't

stop there, you will set yourself apart from the pack if you can back up your claims with actual stories. This will
build credibility... it shows you really are good at what you are claiming. Tell them about what you have done to
incorporate technology into the classroom and what was the result. The result part of the story sells value... and that
produces job offers.
Question 3 - What is your biggest weakness?
Answer - Your response could include something that may have been a challenge in the past, which you have taken
steps to rectify. It is important to be truthful, they will be testing your honesty. In addition, they will be checking to
see if you provide a weakness that is critical to success in the position. For example, the interview will likely end
quickly if you answer you have a difficult time management the classroom. The key to answering the question is to
turn a negative into a positive.
I don't suggest using that the traditional statement, "I'm a perfectionist", it is often overused, and will tend to sound
phony. It is important you don't get defensive and try to justify why you are weak in a particular subject area, such
as social studies. This would make a bad impression, because it may be relevant to the position that you are seeking.
Whatever you decide to use, ensure it is not one of the key skills of the position you are seeking. In other words,
don't pinpoint classroom discipline and/management or subject area if you are seeking a teaching position.
Think of this question as an opportunity to sell yourself. Here is an example: You wouldn't say, "I have a difficult
time organizing my day." Instead, rephrase the answer by saying. "There are so many creative activities I plan for
my students and class time is limited. It is difficult to incorporate all of the activities that I would like my students to
learn from. Over time, I have realized to prioritize what lessons are the most important to enhance my student
learning. I now realize that I can't do everything I would like to."
The above example shows you are excited about designing new and creative lessons for your students. In their mind,
this will not be a negative. It will position you that much closer to getting a job offer.
Question 4 - Let's imagine an interview for a grade one teaching position and the interviewer asks: "Describe
your classroom's physical appearance." Having prepared ahead of time, you understand the interviewer[s]
attempt to determine:

Your teaching style,

Your ability to effectively manage the class,

The level and quality of student interaction,

Your teaching philosophy,

Answer - Within this context, you might respond:

"Upon entering my classroom you will find a lively and colorful room completely centered upon children and active
learning. Sight words, the alphabet, numbers, and inspirational quotes cover the walls while large bulletin boards
proudly display students' work. A large area contains a carpeted reading or group corner specifically for storytelling,
show-and-tell, weather discussions and calendar and day-of-the-week conversations. This classroom includes an
abundance of age appropriate reading materials and student mailboxes where children place personal journals, home
reading books and workbooks in the morning and then collect newsletters or other parent communication at the end
of the day."
NOTE:
Presenting floor plans successfully used in the past demonstrates strong organization and preparation skills. Indicate
various potential seating plans used throughout the year and offer pictures of your old classrooms as a way means to

provide the principal and interviewing board a first-hand view of your potential classroom...As the saying goes, "a
picture is worth a thousand words."
Remember, each person's answer will vary depending upon teaching style and philosophy. The district
representatives will look to see if your style is compatible with their needs. Thoroughly researching each specific
district needs will allow you to tailor your answers which is the key to a successful interview.
Question 5 - Why do you want to work for our school district?
Answer - Your preparation and research is imperative to successfully answer this question. Provide a few reasons
why you're interested in the school or district, and what in particular sparked your interest. What is your personal
experience with the school or district? What do you know about its student body, faculty members, industry
reputation, community involvement, educational goals and objectives, upcoming initiatives, demographics, or
extracurricular activities? This information will help you to accurately respond to the above question. The word
accurate is important -- don't answer the questions by using old information
The interviewer is looking for evidence that you really know why you want to work there or did you just send out
applications and hope for the best. This research will also help immensely when answering other questions
throughout the interview, so plan to dedicate some time and energy doing this homework. Effective research will
help to tailor your answers, without being deceiving, to the question above. It is wrong to tailor your answer with
incorrect information - preparation and honesty is the key to a successful interview.
Question 6 - How do you handle classroom discipline?
Answer - For obvious reasons everyone will have a different answer; it will depend on your teaching style, grade
interviewing for, and past experiences. The interviewer will be looking to see if you have a plan, you know how to
implement it, and if you think that discipline is an important part of the position. What I have found from coaching
clients is they fail to provide a clear action plan that can be backed up with examples. Also it is important to find out
what is the philosophy of the school or district, this will give you some additional information. A few things to bring
up when answering this question is the following:
It is important to develop ground rules the first week of class, this allows the students to understand what is and isn't
acceptable behavior.
These rules are discussed and agreed upon with the students, this makes the students accountability and responsible.
You may want to touch on your philosophy of classroom discipline. This of course would depend on your style;
you will have to be honest with yourself. But you may believe that you reduce negative behavior by offering the
students a intellectually stimulating, organized, and respectful environment.
You will want to get an example of your plan; use a real situation to show your expertise in this very important area.
Whether you use the red light/green light, time-outs, or removing the student from the classroom, it is important that
you can back up why it is effective and use examples. You will want to explain why you feel the discipline action is
effective and why you enjoy using it.
It is also important to indicate there are always two sides to every story, so if the action involves discipline of two
students, you must listen to both sides. Indicate that you try to get the students to resolve their own disagreements,
which may involve compromise. And end the discussion by asking them, "How will you handle the situation next
time?"
Again, you must be honest when answering this question or any other question during the interview, but by
organizing your thoughts and stories will make your response concise, truthful, and show your skills to the district.