Why did you decide to become a teacher?

Reasons to Become a Teacher

Many teachers discover that their love of children draws them to teaching, or that their
own love of learning makes them passionate about teaching.

Some teachers enter the profession because they're eager to make a difference — people
tend to remember their teachers for an entire lifetime, long after school is over.

Others are inspired by a teacher earlier in their education who had a positive impact on
them. A teacher may be seen as a leader, a mentor, or even a surrogate parental figure.

Describing a Favorite Teacher

It might naturally lead to a related interview question about the best teacher you ever had,
or who your favorite teacher was and why. This question addresses more than just your
chosen career; it also shines a light on how you function as an employer since a teacher is
essentially the first boss or manager of your work, albeit in an academic environment.

Did you respect your teacher because she was patient and tolerant or perhaps because she
took the time to offer you extra help? The interviewer will be interested in your
explanation as to which traits you admired in your teacher because it lends insight into
what kind of management style you prefer and what approach enables you to thrive.

No one ever forgets a meaningful teacher who had an impact on their life. It is a rather
personal question, and so your answer should be personal too. It is also a chance to
indirectly slip in some positive qualities and strengths of your own that you possess as a
result of this teacher's guidance.

Again, consider providing a personal anecdote. Share stories of how you made a
difference to a child in a classroom or how you successfully taught a challenging lesson
as a result of what you learned from that teacher. Here's an example:

The best teacher I ever had was my history teacher in high school. I preferred English
and science to history, but she was able to see past the dates and facts and make the
subject come to life beyond the basic curriculum. For instance, we looked through old
newspaper articles about historical events and then wrote our own blogs as if we were
journalists living during that time. I was inspired by her unconventional techniques, and I
strive to bring the same passion for innovative ways to learn to my classroom.
Additional Examples of Best Answers

 The assistant principal of my high school was a real inspiration to me, and she is
one of the major reasons I pursued a teaching career. Her ability to guide students,
her fairness, and her sense of justice made me aspire to bring these things to my
own classroom.

 While I was student teaching, I had the opportunity to take a student aside to help
him with a, particularly difficult math concept that he was having trouble
understanding. When I was able to show him a different way to approach the
problem, and he 'got it,' I knew that I had chosen the right field!

What type of classroom management structure would

you implement if you were hired?

When you are applying for a teaching position, a typical job interview question is, "What
type of classroom management structure would you implement if you were hired today?"
If you have teaching experience, this question should be easy to answer. That's because
as a teacher, you've implemented classroom management every day that you've taught.
However, if you’re just launching your career and looking for your first teaching job,
then you need to do some research, starting with the school and district you are
interviewing with.

Learn the School's Policies and Procedures

The first thing to do is to become familiar with the school district's philosophies
regarding classroom management and discipline. While teachers often have the freedom
to develop their own personal classroom management style, many school districts have
clearly defined consequences regarding student infractions. If presented with this
interview question, a well-thought-out, intelligent response will demonstrate your
knowledge of the school’s (or district’s) disciplinary guidelines and how you plan to
incorporate them into your own classroom management style.

If you were unable to find out much about the school’s disciplinary policy beforehand,
ask your interviewer how the administration supports teachers if a student gets out of
hand. This question will also give you insight into the school’s support system and
whether or not they'd be willing to work with your personal classroom management style.
Define Your Personal Philosophy

The interviewer will want to hear your personal philosophy or strategy for classroom
management. Most leading education organizations recommend some combination of
assertiveness and flexibility, allowing students some freedoms while also establishing
boundaries. Your strategy on classroom management might include using encouraging
positive classroom behaviors, emphasizing equitable interactions with students, being
aware of high-needs students, engaging in appropriate levels of cooperative behavior, and
establishing clear learning goals.

Share Specific Examples

Like the architect Mies Van de Rohe famously said, "God is in the details." The best way
to illustrate your classroom management style is to describe specific examples from your
past experience. Even if this interview is for your first teaching position, you probably
have experience as a student teacher. Don't be shy about drawing on that experience for
examples. Also, it’s okay to say you plan to follow your mentor teacher’s approach.

Sample Answers

Some answers worth considering include redirecting the student, involving students by
agreeing on a set of classroom rules together as a class and having students sign a
learning contract that they help create at the beginning of the year. Other possibilities
include listening to a student in a one-on-one meeting and mediating issues between
students.

When you give personal examples of your method, be sure to describe specifically how
the approach worked well for you. Here’s one example of a specific instance:

 In my first grade classroom, I implemented a system whereby the students were

each given a clip on a chart. For each infraction, the students would move their
clip through a progression of colors. The disciplines ranged from a yellow warning
to losing half of their recess to losing all of their recess to a red phone call home.
Using this color-coded approach I made very few phone calls.

How have you used, or how will you use, technology in the
classroom?
Make a List of Technology You Have Used in the Classroom or at
School
Review your past five years at work. Which technologies did you use and how did you
use them?

 Platforms: Tablets, desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile devices

 Software: Software packages (such as Microsoft Office), programs, apps
 Display Devices: Smart boards, video displays
 Video: Cameras, video recorders, video editing devices and applications.
 Audio: Microphones, speakers, mixers, amplifiers, recording devices, audio
editing devices and applications.

What Technology Do You Use at Home?

Discuss how you use technology at home and in your personal life. What social media do
you use? Do you use a fitness tracker? Are there apps or games you enjoy? How might
familiarity with these translate into future technology in the classroom?

If your previous schools had little technology in the classroom, showing that you use it at
home can be a positive response.

Did you teach your children, spouse, parents, or grandparents how to use technology?

What Technology Did You Use at Non-Classroom Jobs?

Be able to discuss how you used computers and other technology in jobs that were not in
education.

You may have used tablets and mobile devices in paid or volunteer jobs. Have examples
of how you found them useful for performing the jobs or how you coached co-workers in
using them.

Provide Examples of Technology You Have Used

Provide the interviewer with specific examples of what technologies you have used in the
past:

 I was lucky to have one of the first 'Smart Boards' in my classroom. The children
were immediately engaged, and eager to explore the possibilities being offered.
We learned together just what an amazing teaching tool it could be.
 We used tablets in my last class and the students used apps to enhance their
lessons.
 I taught a class that created a blog and a wiki, with all of the students contributing.
Students that were reluctant to speak in class blossomed when they were able to
write their entries.
  One of my classes developed a podcast to share with other students and their
families.
 We connected to guests via Skype for interviews. The students asked questions
and received answers from experts who were far away or too busy to come to class
in person.
 I use a personal computer or tablet to develop and organize my lesson plans and to
calculate final grades.

Be Prepared to Talk about Social Media and Internet Safety Policies

The use of social media – both by students and by teachers – is a charged issue with
many educators.

While you should be prepared, as a teacher, to demonstrate your command of social

media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you also need to make sure that your
use of these tools is transparent and that the way you present yourself there is above
reproach.

You should also know and be prepared to discuss your local school board’s policies
governing Internet use and the safety protocols they have implemented in their public
schools. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), twenty-five
states have implemented Internet filtering laws that require publicly funded schools and
libraries to instigate policies that prevent minors from accessing obscene, sexually
explicit, or otherwise harmful content on the Internet. These laws arose in response to the
2000 Federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), mandating that schools
receiving funds from the federal E-rate program provide Internet filtering of classroom
technologies accessed by students.

The other significant piece of legislation to be aware of is the 1998 Children’s Online
Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), that protected students under 13 from having their
personal information collected without the consent of a parent or guardian (which is why
social platforms like Facebook require users to be 13 or older).

Some school districts have responded to these laws not only by filtering websites, but
also by prohibiting social media contact between teachers and students.

Thus, you should be aware of your school district’s policies before going into the
interview. If your district is one of the many that does allow teachers to use social media
technologies for teacher-student and student-student discussion, be prepared to discuss
what safeguards you would implement to ensure student user safety and privacy in
accessing whatever class blogs or social media pages you set up and administer.
5 Common Teacher Interview
Questions And Answers
1. Why did you decide to become a teacher?
This is probably the most often asked teacher question which means whoever is
interviewing you has probably heard just about every story in the book… Giving a
standard “because I love helping people learn” isn’t going to cut it here.

You want to give an answer that is heartfelt and genuine and really illustrates
why you chose this field. Take time before your interview to really reflect on why
you’re doing what you’re doing. Was there someone in your past who inspired
you and you want to pay that forward and inspire others? Draw from specific
examples. Make your response thoughtful, genuine, and honest.

Example answer: When I was in third grade I struggled a lot with reading. I could never
keep up with lessons and I was always terrified of being called on to practice my reading
out loud. I started to doubt my own intelligence and was convinced that the bottom line
was I was stupid. It ended up affecting my grades and I started to fall behind. Rather than
give up on me, my teacher Miss Emily sat me down one day at lunch and really talked to
me about what was going on. I told her how hard it was for me to read and we discovered
together that I wasn’t stupid, but was having vision problems. She moved me to a desk
that was closer to the front, made sure I was able to see, and met with my parents to
discuss options. Because of her my parents took me to a doctor and my astigmatism was
diagnosed. Because of Miss Emily I began to love learning again. I want to be that
teacher…the one who takes the time to really discover why students are struggling and
give another little girl like me an opportunity to learn to love learning again.
2. Why do you want to teach at this school?
This question is another common teaching interview question and a perfect
example of why preparing and practicing your answers before you get to the
interview is critical! Use this opportunity to provide specific reasons why you’re
interested in the school by drawing on the information you gathered during your
research.
Whoever is interviewing you is genuinely interested in knowing if you’re actually
interested in the position or if you’re just sending out resumes and showing up for
whoever calls you no matter where they are. Having specific answers tailored to
your audience shows enthusiasm, initiative and dedication, all qualities that are
valuable!

Example Answer: I’ve spent a lot of time researching schools within this district and
I’m very impressed with what you offer here. Between an award winning teaching staff
and a district that is very involved, your school has a teacher-to-student ratio that I think
really allows for personalized education. Smaller classroom sizes, like the ones you
maintain here, make it possible for me to give each child the one-on-one attention they
deserve. On top of that, your after-school science program is exciting to me and I would
hope, should I get hired here, that I might be able to become involved in that as well.
3. What can you bring to our school that makes you unique?
This question is pretty straight forward, and the perfect opportunity for you to
really let your unique qualities shine. Talk about activities you’ve participated in
or passions you have that can easily translate into teachable moments and
classroom activities that fall outside the usual curriculum that is currently being
enacted. Don’t criticize what they’re doing, but explain how what you’re bringing
will augment and compliment what they’ve already got in place.

Example answer: I love science and exploring the natural world beyond the borders of
the classroom. For that reason, I started an after-school explorer’s club at my last
school. We would go on nature hikes, visit museums and invite local scientists and
biologists to come speak to us about what they’re working on and their research. The
response was overwhelming and I have students who still come up to me years later and
tell me how much they loved our club and how it helped inspire them to pursue careers in
the sciences. I would be very interested in continuing the legacy of the explorer’s club
here.
4. What frustrates you the most in a classroom?
This question allows your interviewers to get to know what it takes to ruffle your
feathers and how you’ll behave when faced with that situation. Find a situation
that is fairly common for all teachers and then explain how you’ve dealt with that
frustration. Remember, you want to focus on positive aspects of your teaching
style, so if you’re still frustrated with a situation and haven’t figured out how to
work around it yet, maybe don’t use that one as your example.

Example Answer: I have to admit, I get frustrated by the kids who think they’re too cool
for school and who float through their day doing as little as possible and the teachers
who play into that attitude. Rather than turn that frustration into anger or simply ignore
them and wait for a slacker to drift through a year in my class, I turn that frustration into
a challenge for both the student and myself. Most of the time those kids are too cool
because of challenges they’re facing outside of school and their attitude is a way for them
to protect themselves. Sometimes all they need is to know someone else believes in them.
By giving them a little extra attention and encouragement, I’ve seen some of the ‘coolest
kids’ turn into students who are focused, driven and ready to turn themselves around.
5. What is your teaching philosophy?
Everyone will have a unique answer to this question as everyone’s experiences
with education, experience, and own personal history will determine how they’ve
shaped their own philosophy. What drives you to teach? What is your approach
to teaching and what guides you and how you run your classroom? Take time
before you get into the interview to really focus on what your philosophy is and
how you apply it every day.

Example Answer: I believe that the best learning opportunities are the ones that the
students come up with themselves. For that reason I spend every lunch hour on the
playground with my students and make myself available for them to ask me “playground-
pop-quiz” questions. These questions have ranged from everything from how is the ice
cream we had at lunch made to exploring the lifecycle of the mosquitos we found in a
piece of playground equipment. I love challenging the students to try to stump me and as
a result, they go out of their way to explore the environment around them, making
learning fun and exciting.

6. How would you prepare your classroom if it was the first day of
school?
7. How do you evaluate students?
 8. Why do we teach “X” in school?
9. How do you communicate with parents?
10. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher?

Do You Have Any Questions For

Me?
If you’ve ever been to a job interview, you know that at the end of the questioning
period you will usually be asked if you have any questions of your own.
This is the gold mine question and one that serves two distinct purposes. It gives
you an opportunity to get information you might not have been able to gather
during your research period while also allowing you one more chance to
demonstrate you are the perfect candidate by having a pre-prepared list of
questions you’d like answered.

While a list of questions might seem odd, it shows an interviewer that you’re so
interested in the position that you’ve take the time to really think about working
there and want more information.

Good questions to ask include:

 Can you tell me a little about the culture here at the school?
 What is a typical day like?
 Are there any qualities you’re looking for in a teacher that were not listed in the job
description?
 Is there a teacher mentoring program here?
 Are there opportunities for furthering my education available here?
 What is the average classroom size?
 How are the classrooms equipped? Is this a wired school?
 What goals and expectations do you have for your teachers?
 Are there any challenges the school/district is facing that I should be aware of?
 Is there an active PTA here?
 How is the relationship between the parents and the school?
 Is the school a part of the community?
 How does this school handle student discipline?
 How does it handle bullying?

Tell me a little bit about yourself.



Oh, yes, this is the question that is most likely to be asked first. I call it a two minute commercial about
yourself. This is a great opportunity to sell yourself to the school
district representatives. Keep in mind, if
it is the first question asked, it will set the stage for the interview, so it needs to be extremely strong. Don’t
be too modest. This will provide an overview, an introduction, to you. You might start by stating, “As you
can see from my resume….” and then mention your degrees and certifications and give a quick run down
of your relevant experience. The last 1 ½ minutes should be used to communicate your strengths and
skills and what you can do to enhance education in their district. In other words, they are asking “Why
should we hire you?” Practice this carefully. You need a few sentences that answer that question at the
end of your response. Also, at the end, you may want to mention why you would enjoy working for the
school district in the position for which they are hiring.





2) Let’s pretend it’s almost the first day of school and you are
a first grade teacher. How would you prepare your classroom?


This question tests how well you will manage the classroom. The philosophy is that the more organized
you are, the more well-run your classroom will be. Don’t give the panel just a few words… they may be
using a checklist to see how many items you mention. Plus, as a teacher, you should be very excited
about this question and be able to speak for a while, but limit the response to two minutes.



Your response must provide them with an idea of how nurturing and inviting your classroom will be to
students. Come up with some creative decorating ideas, making sure
they are student-centered. You
could also mention a huge welcome sign, the daily schedule, age-appropriate posters, name tags for
students, labeled desks (how will they be
arranged?) and lockers, a list of class
rules/consequences/rewards, and other labeled areas (e.g., the classroom library, manipulative
storage, computer area), etc. Or, mention that you might invite parents and students to visit the
classroom the day before school
starts, with the administrator’s permission. If you have a portfolio with
have pictures of other first days of school, this is a great chance to share them with the panel.



Next, make it clear that you will have organized the textbooks, your lesson plan book, your grade book
and other materials well before school begins. Mention several
activities you might include during the
first day of school, including an ice-breaker, a trip to the restrooms, and a fun art project.



The real key to this question is to show your enthusiasm, passion, excellent organizational skills, and
how you will create a warm and captivating environment in which students will feel safe, where learning
will be maximized, so that children will look forward to coming to school each day.




3) As a grade one teacher, how would you motivate parents to
become involved in the classroom and in their child’s
education?



What is critical to communicate in your response to this question is your understanding of the importance
of parental involvement and how you always encourage participation to strengthen student-teacher-
parent relationships. (Grandparents can also be encouraged to
participate.) Talk about some of the
things that parents can volunteer to do in the classroom, such as: reading with students, preparing project
materials, creating bulletin
boards, sorting materials, setting up learning centers, hanging up students’
work, etc. 



Parental involvement means much more than just attending parent-teacher interviews. You must set
goals to keep the parents abreast of what is going on in the classroom. You
can communicate that
information and ask for volunteers through weekly or bi-weekly newsletters. You might inform parents
when you are starting a new unit or specific
projects and make sure they clearly understand the
homework assignments each week. Make sure that parents are invited to any momentous or appropriate
events. 



You should contact or speak to parents not just when a child is having difficulty, but also when they are
doing well. Tell the hiring panel that you will call parents and send notes home complimenting students
on good behavior. Also mention that you try to recruit bilingual parents to help with communication as
necessary. 



Let the hiring committee know that you coach parents on how they can help their child succeed
academically. You may have read some resource book(s) to gain ideas that you
could implement. If so,
let the panel know. Holding a parent appreciation lunch or tea to acknowledge those who have helped in
the classroom is a great idea. Consider
attending some of the PTA meetings. If your portfolio contains
any past newsletters or parental communication letters, make sure you show these to the panel.




4) Are you a flexible teacher? If so, explain how.



Yes I am a flexible teacher. I can deal very effectively with people and students from all backgrounds and
socio-economic groups. In teaching, I am completely aware that students have different learning rates
and styles. Some are fast learners and some are slow learners, some learn best in auditory manner,
others through actions or visual media. Still others have specific learning disabilities. I am flexible in the
sense that I address
these differences and make it a point to respond to their different needs. In my
teaching, I make use of different learning strategies so that my instruction will be interesting and
motivating to students. I use lecture, discussion, hands-on activities, cooperative learning, projects,
manipulatives, role playing, debates, reports, technology, and others. (Choose the ones appropriate to
the subject and/or grade for which you are applying.)



5) What did you find to be the most difficult aspect of student
(intern) teaching?


For me, the most difficult part of student teaching is the limited contact hours with students within one
class period (or day). When I teach, I have so much information that I
would like to impart to my students
that time flies by too fast. I always go to my classes full of energy and armed with lessons which I believe
will stimulate curiosity and
spark understanding and new insights in my students. There is so much
information that I need to present for them to have a comprehensive understanding of a concept. My

challenge is to make sure that I structure my lessons so effectively that learning takes place in one class
period (or day). So I plan ahead to maximize every minute of my
class period (or day).

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6) What ways do you assess and evaluate students?



In assessing students, I make use of different methods. I use formal and informal assessment
procedures to promote social, academic, and physical development. The usual
assessment that I use is
written quizzes (case studies, discussions) and examinations. Throughout the semester, I also grade and
assess students on their class participation
such as recitations, reports, group activities, and seat work. I
also assess and grade students based on their completion of assignments and timeliness in submission. I

also use authentic/alternative assessments, in which the student shows they can perform a task, such
as making a speech or writing a story. I like to use written, oral, and day-to-day assessments.

1. Friendliness and Congeniality

I think the most important characteristic of a good teacher can have is to be friendly and congenial
with his students. It is a plus if his students can share their problems with him, without being afraid or
hesitant. I think students have always thoughts of their teachers as their enemies (in a funny sense
though :p). With this mentality, they can never be close to each other, and besides that how many
teachers did you like who were NOT friendly, and were rather arrogant and rude?

2. A Good Personality
A good teacher has a very good personality; there is no second thought about it. Students always
get attracted to teachers with good personality which leads to better communication, understanding,
and ultimately good results. Everyone can have a good, decent, likable, and presentable personality.
Just dress sensibly well, smell good, and be a little gentle and kind. That's all.

3. Deep Knowledge and a Great Education

Another important characteristic of a good teacher is his knowledge and own education. There is a
saying that 'a teacher is only as good as his knowledge is.'After all, he is doing a teacher's job,
which is to teach. If he himself lacks in the knowledge of a certain subject that he teaches, he is
never going to make a name for himself. So, sign up with only that subjects which you have really
good expertise; and it is a moral duty too. Otherwise, it is not worth it.

4. A Good Communicator
One of the very important characteristics of a good teacher is his communication skills. He should be
a very good speaker. This characteristic will provide benefits in several ways. For example:

1. If his communication skills are good, he can convey his lectures with better skill and results.
2. If he is a good speaker, his class strength increases automatically. People love to hear a
person who he can speak well enough. There is always a shortage of good speakers in the
world ;)

5. A Good Listener
Apart from being a good communicator, a good teacher should also have the characteristic of being
an even better listener. As there is Turkish proverb:

"If speaking is silver; then listening is gold."

Remember, a good listener will always have many friends and fans. Because people do not want to
hear every time, they need people who can listen to them as well. And when a good teacher
develops this patient quality in himself, he starts to become a great teacher.

6. A Good Sense of Humor

A good teacher should also have the quality and characteristic of having a good sense of humor. It is
a logical fact that a person generally teaches the next generation and as they are younger than the
professor, they are expected to have more fun in the class too. So, a good teacher is the one who
can keep up with his sense of humor, and with his strong communication skills and personality, can
also maintain the discipline of the class.

7. Kindness
The last but obviously one of the most important characteristics to have in his box of qualities: he
should be a gentle, kind, chivalrous, and benevolent person. Students should love him, and when
they do love him, they idolize him. Then ultimately, they will respect him, will do the homework, and
eventually will bring greater outputs and results.