You’ve made it through all of the reflections, observations, and portfolios and have landed an interview for your first teaching job. Or perhaps you’ve taught in the same district for several years and are experiencing a life change or a new opportunity that’s requiring you to get back into the teaching interview mindset. Either way, if you’re about to interview for a new teaching position, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be going through how to prepare for a teaching interview by discussing everything from what to bring to a teaching interview to what to wear for a teaching interview to questions to ask at the end of a teaching interview. I hope these tips for teaching interviews help you land the teaching role of your dreams. Let’s do this!
Tip #1: Do Your Research
I’m going to compare this one to online dating. Are you going to go on a date with a stranger you met online without doing your research beforehand? Absolutely not! Interviewing for a teaching position should be no different. School districts and schools have detailed websites, social media accounts, and teacher websites. Spend time familiarizing yourself with the school you’re interviewing at. What do they value? What curriculum do they use? What buzz words and teaching philosophies are associated with that curriculum? What initiatives do they have? As you’re doing your research, think about what excites you and connects you to this school.
Tip #2: Know the Experiences YOU Want to Share
If I Google, “teacher interview questions and answers,” I could read article after article of the 10 questions you are FOR SURE going to be asked in every single teaching interview and all of the buzz words and things you should say to answer each question. I could consume all of my preparation time reading these questions and memorizing what I should say. Here’s the problem with this strategy though: you can’t truly predict the questions you’re going to be asked and you are going to sound like an unauthentic robot who is just trying to say the right thing. Instead, be proactive and know the experiences from your teaching and your education that stick out to you. When is a time where you made a connection with a student who was struggling in school and helped them turn it around? What is the most engaging lesson you’ve ever created? What are you passionate about learning about in order to maximize student learning? Thinking through the experiences that make you who you are as an educator and being ready to share those is going to get you a lot further than memorizing someone else’s thoughts about education.
Tip #3: Pack Like a Minimalist
What should I bring to a teaching interview? I know that some would disagree with me here, but if you want my honest opinion, leave most of the stuff you’re tempted to shove in your teaching briefcase at home. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a teaching interview committee where we’ve hired the “paper passer.” You know, the person who has an example from their teaching portfolio that they want the interview committee to awkwardly pass around to each other for every question. I don’t like this technique (if you can’t tell) mostly because it takes the attention away from what the teaching candidate is saying. The people on the interview committee already may have interviewed several teaching candidates, so I wouldn’t give them any excuses to zone out and not hear your responses. One thing I do recommend bringing along to your teaching interview is a water bottle. A quiet, easy-to-open, non-distracting water bottle preferably. If water isn’t provided and you start coughing or your voice gets hoarse, it can lead to disaster. Avert a potential crisis and bring your own water bottle.
Tip #4: Master Your Teaching Interview Outfit
There is no perfect attire for a teaching interview that every candidate should wear. However, when selecting the perfect teaching interview outfit, make sure it represents your personality. You could do this by rocking your favorite color or a fun trend you’re into. Dressing in layers is also a good idea to hide the inevitable sweat that will roll while you’re in the interview hot seat and allow you to adjust to unpredictable temperatures in the interview room. If you’re going to do a mock interview beforehand (which I highly recommend), why not wear the outfit you plan to wear to make sure it’s comfortable when you sit down, move, and bend. Also, check yourself for distracting accessories such as loud bracelets or anything that you absentmindedly play with.
Tip #5: Prepare Questions to Ask at the End of the Interview
I have seen plenty of teacher candidates have no questions at the end of an interview to other teacher candidates ask so many questions at the end that we feel like we’re the ones being interviewed. I don’t recommend either of these strategies. A great number of questions to ask is two. I would have these questions pre-planned before even walking into the interview so that you don’t freeze or ask meaningless questions. The best questions to ask are questions that get the interview committee to see what you value (students, teamwork with colleagues, etc.). Make sure you avoid questions that could easily be found on the district website or asked to the HR director post-interview.
The Teacher Interview Preparation Guide: If you want to walk into your teaching interview feeling confident and prepared, then take the next step and pick up my Teacher Interview Preparation Guide. This guide includes all of the practical information and tools you need to land the teaching job you want.
