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11/24/2019 15 Common Interview Questions for Teachers (Plus Answers!) - The Muse
15 Common
Search Questions
Jobs and Companies Asked in a Teacher Interview
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by
Alyse Kalish
Being a teacher is an incredibly rewarding job. You have the opportunity not just to engage individuals, big and
small, on a specific topic (or range of topics), but to shape how they learn, grow, and see the world around them.
Of course, teachers have things they need to practice and work on, too—like answering interview questions in a
way that’ll nab you that dream job at that amazing school.
In a teaching interview, you’ll still get asked the most common interview questions like “What are your greatest
strengths and weaknesses” or “Why do you want this job?” But you’ll probably face more specific (and trickier)
queries about say, working with students or with other teachers, as well.
To help you prepare, check out these common teaching interview questions you’re bound to encounter—and tips
for answering them.
Teaching skills: Unsurprisingly, a candidate’s teaching skills—how they work with students on a group and
individual level—are crucial. “Do they know how to have an effective classroom where all kids are learning
and engaged?” says Dan Swartz, Managing Director at Resolve Talent Consulting, LLC, a firm that
specializes in education recruitment.
Data proficiency: In today’s modern school system, says Swartz, data is also incredibly important: “Have
you been able to master or are you proficient at the use of data?” To go a step further, he wants teachers to
give him examples of how they used data to learn or improve upon something—whether they looked at
specific test scores or overall class performance metrics.
Subject matter expertise: While being a great influencer is key for succeeding as a teacher, so is expertise.
Swartz notes that candidates have to show that they’re adequately knowledgeable about the content area
they’re looking to teach. “[A lot] of times there are state standards. So in some way incorporating in your
interview response just how much you know about the standards or how much you can use the standards for
your instruction, that’s another big piece,” he says.
Teamwork: “Everybody’s interviewing for teamwork,” says Swartz. “And I know that’s kind of cliché, but it
is really, really important.” Being a team player when it comes to working with other teachers,
administrators, aides, and staff means you’ll not only allow students to succeed, but also help the entire
school thrive.
Organization and accountability: “As an administrator, I need to know that I’m going to be able to get
lesson plans from you,” says Rob Sheppard, an ESL teacher who started his own online English school,
Ginseng English. Candidates that are on top of deadlines and can meet classroom goals will go far.
When planning out your responses to these questions, don’t just think about what you’re going to say but also how
you’re going to say it. “I always look at body language first,” says Calvin Brown, Senior Recruiter at Alignstaffing,
an education staffing firm. When someone looks frazzled or caught off guard by a basic question or behavioral
question—those questions that often start with, “Tell me about a time when”—he says, “I start to question, okay,
can you really handle that kind of population or have you handled this kind of situation before?”
“If you have a situation or a story with a great outcome, absolutely share [it],” says Brown. Stories are also a great
ways to highlight your expertise and skill set if you don’t come with a traditional background in education. Swartz
adds, “Even if you’re not a teacher with experience, you can still highlight how you go about your work by giving
past examples and scenarios of engaging” others.
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And when you go to tell a story or answer a question, “It sounds obvious, but [your] response needs to be relevant
to the job that you’reSearch
applying
Jobsfor,”
andsays Sheppard. Make sure you’re considering what this role
Companies entails
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the Up
mission or values of the school and tailoring your dialogue accordingly. If your experience and passion aren’t at all
related to the job, you’re not going to get anywhere.
JOBS COMPANIES ADVICE COACHING EMPLOYERS
How to Answer It
It’s obvious of course, but you don’t want to say, “Summer vacations!” This should be easy to answer simply
because there’s probably something you can think of that made you want to get into education. Maybe you love
teaching your friends new things, or are a facts wizard bursting with knowledge, or love connecting with children.
Focus not just on what you like about teaching but also on what you can, as Brown suggests, bring to the table.
For example, you might say: “I really admired my third grade teacher, Mrs. Kim, when I was younger, and even
after I left her class I still felt myself drawn to her for advice and guidance over the years. It’s that sense of warmth
and acceptance she provided me that inspired me to become a teacher. I want to be that person others can lean on
as they navigate the oftentimes tough waters of growing up.”
How to Answer It
“A good answer would be a community approach. So knowing that you’re one piece of this person’s journey,” says
Mary Findley, Senior Teacher Success Manager at Skillshare and a former Teach for America Core Member and
elementary school teacher. In other words, you see teaching as more than just standing in front of a whiteboard
barking orders.
You’ll want to be honest about your specific style. But also consider what this school’s philosophy is like, and try
tailoring your response to encompass those same values (so long as you’re being truthful).
You could answer with: “I would say I’m strict but fair when it comes to teaching. I believe when students are
challenged with realistic goals and given the support they need not to just get the answers right but to be able to
use those learnings to solve future problems on their own, everyone comes out on top. I also think that as a teacher,
it’s my job to support my students through the lessons I give, but also through the various challenges they may face
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at school, and to partner with them as well as other support systems to help them feel motivated, comfortable, and
happy in the classroom.”
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How to Answer It
“When students are disengaged, it’s either because the content’s too challenging, it’s too easy, or there could be
some outside-of-school factors,” explains Findley. A good answer delves into figuring out the cause, as that’s often
the most important step.
Then, your response should show that “you’re meeting the student where they’re at and building on their
strengths,” she says. It should also emphasize that you’re “collaboratively discussing” solutions with the student
rather than ordering them around. If you have an example story to tell, that’s a great way to state your case.
You could say: “For me, the first step would be to pull them aside and address the issue privately. My biggest
questions would be about deciphering what might be the root cause of this student’s bad behavior. Once I know
what may be contributing to their difficulty, I really try to work with them to come up with a solution. I used this
strategy in my last classroom, where I had a student who couldn’t seem to stay in his seat during lessons. We talked
about how his behavior affected the rest of the class and why he kept moving around, and we agreed that when he
was feeling really anxious he could raise his hand and I’d let him take a lap around the classroom, but only when it
was appropriate. I also decided to make some of my lessons more active and hands-on so that other students could
benefit from getting out of their seats every once in a while.”
How to Answer It
As Brown points out, “In order to get them to the next level...you have to know your students, you have to know
their strong points [and] their weak points.”
So it’s really about having a personalized approach, says Findley. You’ll want to show that you can engage a
classroom, as well as take into consideration various students’ needs and drivers.
Take this sample answer: “Positive reinforcement is super important to keep a student motivated, so one thing I like
to do is throw out rewards or bonuses when they perform especially well. This could be candy, or a star, or a
sticker, or even just a compliment—whatever I can tell students enjoy receiving, and it’s different for everyone. I
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11/24/2019 15 Common Interview Questions for Teachers (Plus Answers!) - The Muse
never want students to feel left out or overindulged, so I always try to be fair and consistent with everyone. But it’s
those little momentsSearch
of recognition
Jobs and I think that keep them happy and excited to learn.”
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“We know that the children that we staff need consistency at all times,” says Brown. “So doing it at school and
doing it at home are going to be two things that have to go together.” Building trust with the adults in your
students’ lives can often help you build stronger relationships with the students themselves.
How to Answer It
“I’m looking to see that a candidate will take every opportunity to interact with parents in person,” says Brown.
“Ultimately, I’m looking for candidates that believe parent collaboration is key to a student’s success, and they will
take the time to maintain an ongoing, open conversation,” he adds.
To show you take building relationships with family members seriously, you could say: “I think it’s really
important to get to know the important family members in each student’s life. Which is why at the beginning of the
school year I like to invite parents to my classroom and have individual meetings with the families. I’ll also send
out a survey to get a better understanding of the student’s home life, needs, and family dynamics. Then, throughout
the year, I always try to touch base with families to share positive updates and small wins about the student in
addition to discussing any challenges the student might be facing academically or behaviorally.”
In other words, Findley says, the interviewer’s asking: “What are some personal interests? How are you developing
yourself both within your professional career [and] personal development as well?”
How to Answer It
Hopefully, you’re doing something to help yourself grow—it doesn’t have to be career-related! Maybe you’re
reading a series of books about a particular topic, or attending a class, or making yourself practice a new skill. It
doesn’t matter how extensive your learning is. You just want to express a growth mindset and an appreciation for
continuing to get better at something.
Here’s what that sounds like: “I used to speak Italian in college, so I’ve recently picked up Duolingo to try to
reteach myself some of the basics. I’d love to continue to become more fluent so I can travel to Italy and talk with
locals!”
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Parents and students aren’t the only people you’ll be interacting with. You’ll frequently need to partner with aides,
staff, and other teachers to help students succeed. Thus, an interviewer wants to know that you can get along with
just about anyone.
How to Answer It
“Don’t be afraid to lean into the conflict that you had in the team effort, but don’t emphasize the conflict—
emphasize how you got through the conflict to have something that was effective,” says Swartz. A team situation
where things didn’t go perfectly is a great way to show you can communicate and collaborate with others even
when times are tough. Again, this doesn’t have to be an example that happened in the classroom.
You could reply: “In my last role as a project coordinator, I had to partner with our account managers to meet a
really tight deadline set by a client. We were all a little frazzled because the project required a lot of revisions, but
we put our heads together and divided the work, even staying late a couple days to make sure we finished on time. I
definitely don’t think we could have accomplished it without working together, and I believe the same is true as a
teacher working with other staff—you can’t go it alone if you’re going to successfully improve upon a student’s
behavior.”
Read More: The STAR Method: The Secret to Acing Your Next Job Interview
How to Answer It
Swartz gives an example answer from a social worker he once interviewed for a teaching position. “She did
everything for the [child],” he explains. “If she needed to do a house visit and spend hours there on a Saturday, she
would do [it]. And so the whatever-it-took mentality and the investment in, ‘I’m going to make sure that you
succeed despite all the barriers’ was impressive.”
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Brown says that with either of these questions, the interviewer wants to hear: “When you come across things that
are obstacles, how do you overcome
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hand in hand. So answering this question shows “that drive for achievement” that interviewers want to see in
teachers.
JOBS COMPANIES ADVICE COACHING EMPLOYERS
How to Answer It
Pick something that required you to stretch yourself a bit, but ultimately led to a successful outcome.
Maybe you could say: “When I was in sales, I dealt with one particularly difficult customer who wasn’t satisfied
with their purchase. Most of my team was struggling to connect with them, but I was determined to set things right.
I was patient and listened to their complaints, and we worked together to come up with a solution that seemed like
a good compromise for the customer. They left the store in a lot better of a mood than when they entered, and that
feeling of turning someone’s day around felt truly great.”
10. Tell Me About a Time When You Influenced Another Person to Your
Satisfaction.
Interviewers don’t want to just hear that you can influence students, but how you plan to do it.
Swartz says that you need to communicate that you understand the person you’re influencing and are tailoring your
message accordingly.
How to Answer It
Swartz says that one particular story that stood out to him over the years is the experience of a teacher who
convinced his entire school to adopt a technique to help teachers connect with their students. After discovering that
this new teaching method really seemed to work, they decided to get it implemented across the school.
“So they talked with the assistant principal and they got the assistant principal on board and they had the assistant
principal talk to the principal to consider some of the changes,” he recalls. By partnering with various staff and
respectfully sharing their ideas, the teacher eventually got the approval to make the change schoolwide.
“In a team environment where you may need to influence people and you need to have good team relations, they
were very careful and thoughtful about how to bring this up so that it was received well,” he adds.
11. Tell Me About a Time When a Situation Changed at Work and How
You Dealt With It.
“Teachers create lesson plans...but then something will happen and it throws off your whole lesson plan, like a
student gets sick or somebody else comes in and pulls the student for something,” says Swartz. So interviewers
want to see that you can think on your feet and handle a conflict when it arises.
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How to Answer It
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Make it clear you can stay calm, cool, and collected when a situation changes.
JOBS COMPANIES ADVICE COACHING EMPLOYERS
You could give the example: “When I was a camp counselor, I often had to keep campers entertained through rainy
weather or a blip in the camp schedule. The first time it happened we didn’t really know how to handle the group,
so I decided to put together a one-sheeter of activities and games we could use should we need to go off course in
the future. I can confidently say no camper was disappointed with the change of schedule—they loved all the
games, and our staff was relieved how smoothly things went after that first time.”
12. Tell Me About a Time When Someone Gave You Feedback and How
You Handled That.
You know that thing about teachers needing to have a growth mindset? Well, receiving and implementing feedback
well is important to showcase that.
“This is actually most critical for veteran teachers [to show] because veteran teachers would be the ones who in
most cases communicate a level of, ‘I’ve already gotten this, I’ve already arrived, I don’t need any extra
feedback,’” says Swartz.
How to Answer It
Consider a time when you got feedback that was tough to take but ultimately made you better at your job. Talk
through how you received it (hopefully with an open mind!) as well as how you made the change.
For example: “My last boss pulled me aside once to give me some advice on how I could better lead meetings. It
was certainly tough to hear that I wasn’t connecting with my colleagues as best I could, but I knew that improving
would benefit not just me but our whole team dynamic. I decided to sign up for Toastmasters for some public
speaking tips (my boss was kind enough to cover the cost of it), and run my presentations by my manager before
doing them. I now feel like I’m doing a much better job at running meetings and definitely saw improvements as to
how I worked with others on my team.”
“Sometimes I’ll present one of our objectives for a semester or for a course that they might be teaching,” explains
Sheppard. “And I’ll ask, ‘How would you assess this, or what would you consider evidence of learning for this
particular outcome?’” (Hint: This is where proving you can handle data might come in.)
“Being able to correctly show a mastery of the content versus just the knowledge of the content” is key, adds
Swartz.
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How to Answer It
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You need to show you can “reverse engineer” the problem, Swartz explains. There’s no exact right answer to these
kinds of questions. Rather,
JOBS
you’ll want to explain
COMPANIES
your process
ADVICE
for deciphering
COACHING
the subject matter or issue and then
EMPLOYERS
your approach for resolving the conflict.
“What are some of the common misconceptions students might have when solving the problem 31.8 + 0.45? How
would you address these?”
A good response might say: “One problem that could occur is that students won’t line everything up by the place
value or decimal. They may line the five up right below the eight and therefore get the wrong answer. I would teach
them to line the decimals up and then put zeros as place holders so they don’t get confused. I would also encourage
them to draw a line from each addend all the way down to their sum to make sure all the decimals are in line. I
always remind students to read carefully and double check their work to avoid common mistakes like this.”
How to Answer It
This question requires a bit more preparing on your part than a typical interview question. If you have an example
lesson from a previous role (whether you were a teacher or taught something to someone at work), that’s great. If
not, consider whipping up a quick lesson plan you might like to give. Talk through what it’ll look like from start to
finish, why exactly you decided to take that approach, and allow the interviewer to ask questions about your
process.
If you’re leaning on a past experience, also highlight the parts of the lesson you would change based on how it
went. It’s better to use an example that could use a bit of tweaking rather than one that went swimmingly—this
shows that growth mindset interviewers will be on the lookout for.
“Ask some serious questions about that school. That’s your opportunity to interview them as much as they’re
interviewing you, and they are going to respect that,” Swartz says. “Any question that they ask where I can see that
they’ve done their research about the position is a great question to me.”
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How to Answer It
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“Don’t just ask, when can I expect to hear something?” says Swartz. If you do have a question about next steps,
make it your final ask after you’ve
JOBS
posed others.ADVICE
COMPANIES COACHING EMPLOYERS
What do you wish you knew about [role]/[company or school] when you first started?
What qualities make someone successful here?
What are you most excited to work on/accomplish at [company or school] right now?
What drew you to [company or school]?
Swartz adds that all the other basic rules of interviewing apply here: Show up on time, prepare, and dress
professionally. While “you need to dress to a level that communicates that you are serious and interested about this
job,” he notes, you should also remember that interviewers want to see that you know what it means to work with
students.
“If you show up in a three-piece suit at a school building they’re [going to be] like, ‘Do you know where you’re
going to teach?’ You’re going to be bending over knees on the ground with the kids. So over-dressing would be a
negative,” he explains. (Hint: Try going business casual when in doubt.)
Most importantly, says Brown, “Be confident in what you already know and your experiences prior.” Preparing for
any interview is mandatory, but don’t try to over-rehearse your answers. Be yourself—or rather your best
professional self—and you’re sure to land the right teaching job for you.
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