Sample Interview Questions for Teachers

Why should we hire you instead of the other applicants?

What have you got to offer that the other applicants do not have to offer?

Why did you elect to become an educator?

Do you know what AYP means? (Adequate Yearly Progress. Used to determine how well students are TAKS testing.)

What are some instructional strategies that you found to be the most effective during you student teaching experience?

If I walked into your classroom and stayed for an hour, what type of activities would I see your students doing during a lesson? What would you be doing? How would you organize your lesson so that all children learn?

What do you consider key components of your classroom discipline management program?

How do you help all students experience success in the classroom? What do you feel are the causes of student success and failure?

How do you plan to continue to develop professionally?

Tell me in your own words what it means for you to be a teacher.

What instructional strategies, methods or practices do you feel will be most effective for you in the classroom?

What type of students do you feel you can teach most effectively?

Tell me about a challenging experience you have had in your student teaching and how you met or resolved the challenge.

What or who influenced you to become a teacher?

How have your past experiences prepared you for teaching?

Why do you want to teach?

What do you like most about working with young people?

What do you enjoy least about working with young people?

Tell me about your student teaching/internship experiences.What kind of problems did you have and how did you resolve them?

How do you handle discipline problems?

How would you handle a student who is a consistent behavioral problem?

How do you keep a student on task?

What do you feel are the most important things students can learn in your classroom?

Describe an ideal classroom.

Describe how you conduct a lesson.

Define cooperative learning and give an example of how you have used it.

How do you individualize your teaching?

How do you handle the different ability levels of students?

How do you work with students who perform below grade level?

How do you personally feel students learn?

How do you reinforce major ideas or concepts that you want students to learn?

How do you involve parents in the learning process?

What is your philosophy on teaching?

What attributes are common to good teaching?

How do you think your students would describe you?

What kind of learning environment do you try to create?

How do you reinforce self-esteem in students?

Describe your ability to listen and be responsive.

How do you make students feel at ease around you, while still respecting you?

How do you show your students that you understand them and their frustrations?

What is the toughest aspect of teaching today?

What is the most exciting initiative happening in your area of teaching today?

What do you want to accomplish in your profession?