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?

•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?