Philosophy of Education

-What is your philosophy of education?

Child-centered or teacher-centered?  Hands on?  Incorporate play?  The role of parental involvement?  Brain research? 

-What are the components of a lesson?

These may vary from district to district, but essentially they are: anticipatory set (introductory activity), warm up, direct instruction, guided practice, independent practice, assessment, and closure.

-What is your approach to reading instruction?

Balanced literacy (word work, comprehension, decoding/phonics, writing)?  4 Blocks?  Small groups?  Flexible or set groupings?  What do other students do while you’re teaching small groups?

 Instructional Strategies

-How would you help a struggling reader?

One on one instruction?  Small groups with similarly abled students?  Send home activities for parents to help?  Bring it up on SIT or tell a reading specialist?  Research strategies online, with co-workers, and a reading specialist?

-Do you use centers, and if so, how?

Materials? Objectives?  How often/ how long?

-What are some strategies you would use to teach math?

Hands on?  Manipulatives?  Variety of strategies? 

Classroom Management

-What kind of classroom discipline plan would you use?

Check system?  Card system?  Token system?  Punishments/ Consequences?  Rewards?  You will almost certainly be asked some variation of this question.  I would mention a pro-active approach, meaning that I set my students up for success by making expectations, rules, and procedures clear to try to solve discipline problems before they start.  I would also mention that I spend a lot of time in the beginning of the year establishing specific procedures, with extensive modeling and practice.

-What would you do for a constantly disruptive student?

Find out what’s causing the behavior?  Conference with student and parent?  Set up an individual behavior management plan with set rewards and consequences?  I would stress pro-active techniques: establishing effective routines and procedures.

Assessment

-How do you check to see if each student understands the material you are teaching?

Individual contact?  Wipe off boards?  Classwork assignments?  Ask students to explain how they got their answers and how they know the answers are right?  Require that students show they work?  Assess frequently?

-What kind of assessment methods would you use in your classroom?

Informal vs. formal?  I would stress using a variety of assessment methods to ensure that no matter what a child’s strengths, s/he would have frequent oppporunties to excel.  Ideas include tests, quizzes, classwork, homework, monthly projects, group work, internet research projects, participation, oral discussions, etc.  I would also mention using assessment to guide instruction.

Technology

-How would you incorporate technology into your lessons?

Web quests?  Internet research projects?  Digital cameras to make class books, etc.?  Class website for homework assignments and spelling words, etc.?

-How would you describe your own technological skills- beginner, intermediate, or advanced?

Be honest!

-What computer programs are you familiar with?

Be ready to explain your familiarity with Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, Excel and other spreadsheet software, children’s software, the internet, and email (many principals communicate through email now). 

Team Collaboration

-How would you utilize your team member’s experience to benefit your students?

I would emphasize the importance of working together as a grade level team and sharing ideas.  Regular team meetings to share whats’s working and what’s not are very important to me.  Additionally, I like to be part of a team that is constantly developing and finding new materials and makes a copy of those materials for each person on the team to have.

-What is your philosophy about team teaching?

Another place where it is essential to be completely honest.   If you like it, explain why (kids can benefit from multiple teaching styles, teachers can bounce ideas off one another, etc.).   I don’t like team teaching, and I would admit this because I would not be happy sharing my classroom with another teacher.  I would explain that by saying that while I love being part of a collorative grade level team, I like to provide the consistency that comes with having only one teacher’s ideas about rules, routines, homework, etc. in the classroom.  (UPDATE 7/05: I was actually asked this in my last job interview because I would be sharing a classroom with another teacher because of overcrowding.  I wanted the job so badly and I really felt like it would be the right one for me, so I told the principal that while I would look forward to having my own classroom, I knew the benefits of team teaching and the importance of communication, etc.  As you know, I got the job and ended up LOVING it!  So, you never know!  Hopefully as teachers we are always learning more about ourselves and our practice).

Professional Development

-Where do you see yourself 20 years from now, professionally speaking?

Still teaching?  Other grade levels?  Administration?  Masters or doctorate degree?  National Board certification?  Mentoring?

-What committees have you served on, or are you interested in serving on?

Try to list all of these before the interview so they are fresh in your mind.  Chances are, there are more than you think!  Include a list in your portfolio, if you want.  Try to come up with at least one committee you would be interested in serving on in your new school (a content area committee such as social studies, school improvement team, yearbook staff, parental outreach, etc.).

-What role would you like to play in school improvement?

See the answer above.

Special Education

-What experience have you had with special needs students?

Classroom?  Other jobs?  Summer camp?  Siblings?  Which disabilities?

-How comfortable would you be with special needs students in a general needs setting?

Emphasize that you are prepared to handle special needs students with the right support systems in place.

-What would you do to help a child with ADHD in your classroom?

Sit them in the front of the room?  Have them repeat directions to you?  Give them jobs so they can move around?  Try to keep instruction fast-paced and varied?  Use hands-on activities as often as possible?  Pair them up with a buddy?

Classroom Scenarios

-What would you do if you had planned a lesson but the students just weren’t understanding what you were teaching and were not ready to move on to the next activity?

I would answer this by saying I would re-teach using another approach.  For example, if I were teaching a math concept and they didn’t understand, I might get out manipulatives to try to make it more concrete.  I would also try to identify what information the kids did not know that I had assumed they had.  If I were teaching 2 digit multiplication and their answers were consistently wrong, I would look to see if they knew their multiplication tables and were computing correctly.  I would fix the problem during the lesson by passing out calculators or multiplication tables so the kids could focus on the new skill, rather than trying to recall basic facts, then add basic fact review activities to our daily routine.

-What would you do to help a child who was unable to finish work on time/ stay focused during your lessons/ refrain from hitting other students?

Individual behavior plan?  Parent/student conference?  Specific rewards/consequences? 

Parent Involvement

-What would you do to encourage parents to be more involved in their child’s education?

This is a tough one, and I often admit that.  The most important thing is to establish a good report at the beginning of the year.  Providing positive feedback is important, too- not calling only when a child is in trouble.  If there are any ideas from my family outreach page that you plan to use, mention those, too.

-How do you establish a good rapport with parents?

I try to establish contact right away, even if they don’t attend Open House night, just to introduce myself and see if they have any questions or concerns.   When a parent has a concern, I try to let them get everything out while I listen quietly, and validate their opinions rather than immediately jumping in to defend myself or the school.  At the end, I always ask if they feel the situation has been resolved to their satisfaction so I can be sure we are on the same page.

 Personal Questions

-What are your two biggest strengths and weaknesses?

Ideas for strengths: creativity, energy, enthusiasm, strong work ethic, patience.

Ideas for weaknesses: overthinking things, perfectionism (although some people will say that the latter is a cliche, it's true for me!). 

-Why would you like to teach at this school?

Proximity to home?  Good reputation?  You really want the grade level available?  You have a good feeling or gut instinct about the school?

-What is your grade level preference, and why?

I would give a grade range here, in case the principal can’t hire you for the grade you want.  I would also specify any grades I am certified to teach but would not want to.  I tell them that my gift is with grades 2-3, and that it takes a special person to work with older kids- I am not that person!

-Why do you think you would be a good match for this school/ what can you offer us that no other candidate can?

My personal answer to this question is that I am always learning.  I never teach a lesson the same way two years in a row.  I am constantly bringing in new ideas from the internet, other teachers, my co-workers, and original concepts.   I am open to change and like trying new things in the classroom.

 A note about personal questions:  You do not need to reveal your sexual orientation or marital status during an interview; in fact, it is illegal for a principal to ask.