Teacher High School Interview Preparation Guide

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Colleges look for students who will be a good match for their school. Your interviewer wants to see a genuine interest in the college. "There's always going to be a question 'Why do you want to come to our school?' so you really have to know the school," says Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor and director of the Ivy Coach. Spend time before the interview thinking about why that college would be a good match for you. "It's important to talk about yourself. Students need to do their homework before an interview. Find out what it is about themselves that can make them happy at that college," Taylor says.

Schools want to hear about educational goals. However, it's even better if your child can connect these goals back to that specific school. For example, your child could discuss how he/she want to join a competitive math team and how he/she is extremely impressed with the school's current team.

"That's going to come up at the end, guaranteed. Too often students will say, 'I think you've answered them all. That's probably the worst answer you can give. You need to have some questions," Taylor says. Asking your interviewer questions shows them that you've spent time thinking about their school. It's okay to bring a list of questions you wrote beforehand.

Ask the right sorts of questions. Don't ask something that can easily be found on the school's Web site. Show you've done some research. Ask questions that relate to your interests, not just general questions. You also don't want to ask a question that will put their school in a negative light. Instead of asking a yes or no question like, "Are research opportunities available to freshmen?" ask a more open-ended question like, "How can a freshman get involved in research?"

This is a very open-ended question, but you can easily help your child hone in on public figures they may find remarkable. Your child can mention famous historical icons, teachers, or leading innovators, and discuss why these people inspire him/her.

Admissions committees like this question so that they can assess how motivated the student is to attend their school. The applicant should know something about the school and which academic classes, sports, or extracurricular activities he or she might participate in at the school. It's compelling if the student has visited classes at the school or spoken to coaches or teachers to speak in a first-hand, vivid way about why he or she wants to attend the school. Canned, clichéd answers such as, "Your school has a great reputation" or cynical answers like, "My dad said I would get into a really good college if I went here" don't hold much water with admissions committees.

This is probably the most common question, and your child must be able to discuss specific classes, after-school programs, or sports teams he/she wishes to join. Consider this response as an example to guide your child: "Your school stands out from all the rest because here, I know I can develop my love for science. I am particularly interested in your great laboratory. Can you tell me more about how I can use this facility?"

I am the type of teacher who shares with my peers the classroom experiences that I have had, whether good or bad. I do this because I believe that this the best way for me
and other teachers to improve our teaching. In this way, I get to share with them the best of my skills and, in return, they share with me the best of their skills. I also find
that this is a very good way to learn how to handle situations that are difficult or unusual. The feeling of not being alone, but being part of a team of teachers, is what I can bring to the school. This will help build morale and a great working environment.

Schools are looking for passion. They want to know if your child can start something and persevere long enough to master it. Let your child know not to discuss video games or TV shows, but instead, to discuss something educational like reading, leading a school committee/newspaper, science experiments, etc. These are more impressive answers to give, but don't have your child feign these interests if they are not authentic. Other notable topics could be musical instruments, sports, building model planes, etc. Regardless of what they choose to talk about, your child must show passion in their answer.

If you interview in the United States, school administrators love to talk about state, local, or national standards! Reassure your interviewer that everything you do ties into standards. Be sure the lesson plans in your portfolio have the state standards typed right on them. When they ask about them, pull out your lesson and show them the close ties between your teaching and the standards.

In today's world of engaging video games and the Internet, many students don't read that many books. However, they should develop the habit of reading and have read three or so age-appropriate books that they can speak about thoughtfully in the interview. While it's acceptable to speak about books students have read in school, they should also have read some books outside of class.
While many students devour a steady diet of fantasy, the admissions committees often prefer students to speak about classic fiction, high-grade novels, and difficult non-fiction books. Here is a list of books to inspire you. Students should develop an idea of why these books interest them. For example, are they about a compelling topic? Do they have an interesting protagonist? Do they explain more about a fascinating event in history? Are they written in an engaging and suspenseful way? Applicants can think about how they might answer this question in advance.

There are standardized assessments at almost every grade level. Be sure you know the names of the tests. Talk about your experiences preparing students. You'll get bonus points if you know and describe the format of the test because that will prove your familiarity.

This question will come up at almost every elementary school interview. It's fairly common in the middle school and high school as well. You might have a weekly parent newsletter that you send home each week. For grades 3 and up, you may require students to have an assignment book that has to be signed each night. This way, parents know what assignments are given and when projects are due. When there are discipline problems you call home and talk to parents. It's important to have an open-door policy and invite parents to share their concerns at any time.

I feel I must play an important role in the child's development of social competence and friendship skills. I will do my best to help these children develop peer friendships. My responsibilities involve not only imparting academic skills but social skills as well. Some methods are setting up study-buddies, team projects, etc.

An IEP is an "individualized education plan." Students with special needs will be given an IEP, or a list of things that you must do when teaching the child. An IEP might include anything from "additional time for testing" to "needs all test questions read aloud" to "needs to use braille textbook." How do you ensure you're meeting the needs of a student with an IEP? First, read the IEP carefully. If you have questions, consult a special education teacher, counselor, or other staff member who can help you. Then, you just make sure you follow the requirements on the IEP word for word. When necessary, you may be asked to attend a meeting in which you can make suggestions for updating the IEP. Your goal, and the goal of the IEP, is to make sure the student has whatever he or she needs to be successful in your class.

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.)




Older students are expected to follow current events and know what's going on. During an election year, students may be asked about the issues involved in the election. To answer this question in a thoughtful way, students should read their local newspaper, as well as an international or national paper such as The New York Times, or the Economist.

That question helps me set a tone," explained. "I expect my teachers to be lifelong learners, and to want to take some responsibility for their own professional development.

our child shouldn't say something such as, "I don't like math because I hate numbers." Instead, they could say, "My strongest subject is English and my weakest subject is math, but I hope to improve in that area at your school. I know you have the right teachers to help me achieve this goal."

My teaching is unique in the sense that while teaching approach is holistic, it is also inclusive and individualized. It is holistic because I not only share knowledge with my students, but I also elicit knowledge from them. For instance, when I was teaching mathematics, I didn't simply teach formulas and methods of solving mathematical problems. I also explained to my students the value of understanding numbers and the great things we can use math for, such as the ability to think logically. I include all students in my lessons. For those who have difficulty, I use cooperative learning, peer tutors, and re-teaching techniques. I attend to the individual needs of the students by modifying assignments. For example, when I had a group of gifted children in my class, I
regularly gave them special assignments to work on that would stimulate higher level thinking skills and had them present their work to the class. 



There are standardized assessments at almost every grade level. Be sure you know the names of the tests. Talk about your experiences preparing students. You'll get bonus points if you know and describe the format of the test because that will prove your familiarity.

Schools want to see that your child is motivated. The easiest way to show that is by asking for bigger and greater challenges. Have your child display that by pointing out how they enjoy being challenged and crave reaching that next level of success.

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).

What I most enjoy in teaching is hearing my students explain, in their own words, what they learned in a particular lesson and watching them enjoy participating in a lesson. When you observe my class, you will see that I get my students engaged in our discussions and activities. You will see that my students actively participate in each lesson. I make sure that all of them have a chance to speak, express their thoughts, and share them with the class. I enjoy how their faces brighten every time I recognize their efforts to learn by saying, "Very good," "That's a great idea," "Good job," and other encouraging phrases. At the end of the lesson, you will hear the students explain what they learned. Most of all, you'll know that I enjoy teaching because the children in my class look happy.

"Since that is what I am looking for, I make certain to screen for it during the interview," said McNeely, principal at Alexandria Middle Magnet School for Math and Science.

Chris Vail, assistant principal at Groveport Madison Middle School South in Groveport, Ohio, is interested in getting a handle on the ability of teachers to structure a good lesson, but one of the questions he asks is intent on getting a read on whether or not a teacher knows what to do if a lesson is not working. Vail often asks candidates

An Individualized Education Plan will be successful if proper coordination and collaboration are emphasized by the teacher, parents, psychologist, and other school staff. I accommodate a student with an IEP by planning a series of in-depth discussions with the parents to learn about the student's diagnosis and needs and later to inform the
parents of his progress. This allows me to design an education program that addresses his specific needs and puts into place special accommodations.
I also will document my own observations and evaluations of the student's academic work and behavior. As I gain knowledge and information about the student with the IEP, it will be easier for me to decide on the lessons and teaching and learning styles I should use to accommodate his needs and maximize his learning. There are many types of accommodations, depending on the student's diagnosis, for example, instructing a student through the use of
 manipulatives, providing a seat near the front of the room, reinforcing positive behavior every few minutes, providing extra time for assignments, and giving tests orally instead
of in writing.