Elementary Teacher Interview Questions Lauren Bauer Oakland University EA 754

1. First question: Please tell us about yourself. Include any prior experiences you have working with students. a. Rationale: Teachers who have previous experience working with children will know the challenges and joys that come with working closely with them. Teachers who enjoy children tend to find the rigors and challenges of teaching more manageable. b. Deeper or tag question: What challenges you most about working with students? What gives you the most joy? 2. Second question: How do you go about developing your lesson plans for a day/semester/year? a. Rationale: Effective teachers must have knowledge of the curricular choices they need to make on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. Candidates who mention collaborating with teammates, as well as consulting local and state standards are also knowledgeable in the many ways in which curriculum choices are made. b. Deeper or tag question: How familiar are you with the common core state standards (CCSS) which are currently being implemented in our schools? 3. Third question: What are some ways you will go about empowering your students? a. Rationale: Effective teachers empower students so that they feel that they have ownership in the educational process and the power to effect change. Students who feel powerless will eventually attempt to regain power and this can be disruptive. Disengaged students will also been less motivated to perform at a high level in a classroom or take the risks necessary to achieve proficiency.

b. Deeper or tag question: What are some of the benefits you have seen in classrooms where students are empowered to take charge of their learning? 4. Fourth question: How do you develop and use assessments in your classroom? a. Rationale: Effective teachers utilize both formative and summative data in their classroom to make informed instructional decisions. b. Deeper or tag question: Explain the difference and the benefits of both summative as well as formative assessments and how they influence your teaching. 5. Fifth question: Describe the steps you take when disciplining a student. Use an example from your experiences. a. Rationale: Effective teachers know and understand the power of disciplining a student in both a private and respectful way. Student discipline can be handled with many different steps and programs but keeping students dignity as well as a safe and productive learning environment is key. b. Deeper or tag question: Explain the most challenging student you have encountered and how you handled disciplining the student. 6. Sixth question: Share a time you worked collaboratively with others to accomplish a goal. a. Rationale: Effective teachers know how to work collaboratively with teams to plan and analyze data. These times collaborating effectively will in turn lead to improved student achievement as well as productive Professional Learning Community (PLC) time. b. Deeper of tag question: Tell us about a time working with a team that was challenging and how you ultimately resolved the issue.

7. Seventh question: How would you organize your literacy block to support a diversity of learners? a. Rationale: Effective elementary teachers know the essential components of a literacy block as well as the many ways we can support diverse learners in our classrooms. Students with diverse interests can be engaged through teachers classroom libraries having a variety of genres and a wide range of reading levels. b. Deeper or tag question: What are some challenges that come in with having such a wide variety of reading levels and interests in your classroom and what can you do to support these students? 8. Eighth question: At your mid-year evaluation meeting, what are two things your administrator will say you are doing well and two things you need to improve on? a. Effective teachers are always reflecting on what they are doing well in the classroom as well as ways they can improve themselves as educators and professionals. b. Deeper or tag question: What steps do you typically take when you notice that something in your teaching needs improvement? 9. Ninth question: How do you go about establishing routines and procedures in your classroom to promote independence? a. Effective teachers know how important routines are to minimize loss in instructional time as well as keep a safe and orderly classroom environment. Classrooms where students can quickly and efficiently transition throughout their day using procedures meant to promote independence have more time for teaching as well as learning.

10. Tenth question: Tell us about how you go about communicating and engaging with the parents of students in your class. a. Rationale: An effective teacher knows the importance of communicating and engaging parents in their childs school and class. Engaged parents typically have a better handle of what is going on within their childs class and can help support students at home. Contacting parents before theres an issue with their child and building that relationship makes it easier to get their cooperation when things arent going as well. b. Deeper or tag question: Tell us about a time when communicating with a parent was a challenge and what steps you took to remedy the issue.