1. Tell me about yourself.
Your answer should include your basic skills. Relate your answer to the position you are applying for; briefly describe your education, areas of knowledge and work experience, tell about your greatest achievements, indicate your strongest skills; explain briefly how your potential employer can benefit from your skills. Try not to repeat the facts from your CV. Never read or recite your CV.
2. Tell me about yourself professionally.
After I completed my student teaching at ___________and graduated from ____________ I became a high school teacher at ____________. While there I ____________. Then you should talk about other teaching jobs, especially those that are closer related to the job you are applying for. You should mention your accomplishments/achievements. In addition, mention extra curricular activities. Do not read your resume.
3. Describe yourself.
I am an enthusiastic teacher who looks for opportunities to tie academic goals and standards to practical, and memorable, situations.
4. What do you know about our institution?
Before attending an interview, try to get as much information about your prospective employer as possible: study the website of the institution and if possible talk to some people who worked in that institution. Employers feel impressed if you know much about them.
5. Tell me your teaching success story.
You need to sit down, take a pen and write down your teaching success story so that you would not need to stammer at a job interview.
6. How do you teach?
Try to relate this question to your own teaching philosophy. You can answer in this way (this is an example only – please think of your own, better answer): “I always tell my students: 'If you want to learn to speak you must speak'. I believe that content-based communicative way of teaching is the most productive way of teaching. Students must use the newly learned words (which are actually passive words) in practical situations until they become active, 'their own words'. One of the most efficient ways of dealing with large size classes is by subdividing, for example, 25 students into smaller groups, i.e. 5 subgroups of 5 students. Each subgroup is given a topic for discussion. Now and then, I walk up to each subgroup, brainstorm them and ask questions. Students work on their topics and later one student from each subgroup gives a presentation (5 students). This is student-centered approach of teaching and it always works well. Students are exposed to natural communication. I usually make up lists of active vocabulary and different patterns for each subgroup in advance, depending on their levels. In this way, a well organized twelve week intensive ESL course could teach an average student approximately 2500 active words.”
7. What kind of technology have you used in the classroom?
You should mention your knowledge and experience in teaching courses related to CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning).
8. What do you like about the job of an ESL teacher?
Tell about new challenge or the opportunity to bring fresh experience to the school and to share your experience with others for example, ‘I have a great passion for learning and learners, and I think that the best way to learn is by teaching. I belong to the category of those persons who are not satisfied until they have shared all that they have gained with their students. I believe that teaching is a continual bilateral process of learning and sharing, especially in an ESL classroom where I use a combination of communicative, content-based and kinesthetic method of teaching.’ You can also reflect on the following: ‘An ESL teacher’s job is based on imagination and creativity. It is also related to a great variety of stimulating activities and unlike many other jobs, has no real monetary value. The profit is in my learners. In my opinion ESL teaching is a very satisfying job.’
9. What are your strengths? www.esldrive.com All rights reserved
Select two or three strengths that are directly related to the requirements of the position you are applying for. Stay focused on the position you are applying for instead of trying to mention all types of strengths that you have.
10. What are your weaknesses?
Give a ‘positive’ weakness. The question does not require from you to tell a weakness that is related to the position you are applying for therefore you can give a weakness which is not directly related to the position. To achieve more objectivity, speak about your weakness from another person’s perspective, e.g. your colleague, spouse or friend. You can answer: ‘When I become very much focused on an important task I am very scrupulous about details. It takes some efforts and time from me to accomplish the task: I work overtime and sometimes miss appointments for dinners with my friends; my wife/husband argues that this is my worst weakness. Although I enjoy doing my job, others tell me that I am a perfectionist.’ Also, emphasize the steps and actions that you have taken to overcome your weakness: ’I have a diary in which I record my appointments; in addition, I ask my wife/husband to remind me about my weakness, whenever I am involved in my work’. Also, if you are a workaholic person, i.e. often spend long hours working till late at night - you can mention that being a workaholic person is your ‘weakness’ too, and your family members are not happy about it.
11. What is your weakness as a teacher?
I plan so many creative activities for my students and class time is limited. It is difficult to include all of the activities that I would like my students to learn from. After a while I have understood that it is very important to prioritize my lesson activities in order to enhance student learning.
12. Where do you want to be five years from now?
The answer greatly depends on your age, experience and qualifications. It would be logical to tell that what you would want to be in five years' time would depend on your job performance and employer satisfaction. If you are a young teacher with a TESOL Certificate, you could mention your ability to learn and seek for improvement, although you should not be too ambitious with the job that you have not been offered yet. Also, you should not demonstrate too much that you want the job because you want to learn from them (if you want to learn, you have to go to school and pay tuition fee).
13. What would you do if your superior tells you to do something that you know is not right in the way of doing?
There are a few possible answers to this question. Here is one: ‘I always accept the fact that people, from time to time, make mistakes, and I am not an exception in this case. I would bring to light the issue, explain my way of reasoning, and if my superior still insists I would follow his /her order. Afterwards, I would reflect on this matter and try to understand why my superior had chosen that approach. It often happens that there are two or more ways of doing the same job or solving the same problem - and both ways are very efficient. Perhaps this would be an opportunity for me to learn to apply new methods and techniques or gain some new skills that I never knew of before.’
14. If I call your present employer, how will he describe you?
You should probably answer that your boss would describe you as a fully qualified and enthusiastic ESL teacher who can work both independently and as a part of a team.
15. What do you think of the last school you worked for?
You should stress the positive aspects of your experience. Tell about the positive work experience that you gained and mention good qualities of that school. Tell what positive skills and experience you gained. www.esldrive.com All rights reserved.
16. What would you say about your time management?
You can straightforwardly say that you manage your time well and never procrastinate. You always set goals and prioritize your tasks and spend a proper amount of time to accomplish each task.
17. Is there any workplace environment that is ineffective for you as a professional ESL teacher?
One of possible answers: ‘A lack of independence, creativity and no teamwork support. I do well when I can draw my own map, make my own schedule and prepare my own teaching materials to help my students achieve their learning objectives. I also like to work in a team, especially on assessment and material design issues. I believe that a lack of independence, creativity and no teamwork may result in ineffectiveness for any professional ESL teacher.’ You can also add the following if you like: ‘In my opinion, an ineffective workplace environment is usually based on micromanagement.’
18. What qualities do you think will be required for this job?
Job requirements are usually in the job advertisement. Study the job advertisement and ask yourself what additional qualities may be needed for that particular position. Additional skills may include ability to work independently as well as a part of a team, cross-cultural communication skills, leadership ability, supervisory skills, analytical skills, problem solving skills, creativity and student behavior management skills.
19. Why do you want this job?
Stress the positive aspects which have attracted you to apply for this job. Do not mention the negative aspects of your current job or the job that you are applying for. Mention such possible reasons as improvement opportunity, creativity and team work opportunities.
20. What can you contribute?
Study their website, their needs, and the job requirements in the ad, and tell about your accomplishments, responsibilities and achievements in your previous jobs; relate them to the job you are applying for.
21. What are you looking for in this job?
Interviewers want to measure your level of interest in the job and to make sure whether you have any doubts or not. While answering this question, focus on the job. Talk about the key skills the job requires and put emphasis on your interest in having a chance to further develop them.
22. What kind of people do you find hard to get along with?
You can answer in the following way if you like: ‘There are four basic communication styles, the relater, the socializer, the thinker and the director. I consider myself as a relater. I focus on people and interpersonal relationships, and I sometimes feel that it is harder for me to get along with the thinkers. In my eyes, they are very different in their attitudes. However, my knowledge and understanding of the differences helps me to communicate with them successfully. When I communicate with the thinkers, I try to present and explain my ideas in a logical way, and I support my ideas with facts. This helps me to get along with them well.’
23. How do you handle a conflict situation that occurs in your workplace?
This question aims to find out whether you are able to handle conflicts that may occur. It would be good if you could give an example of a conflict and explain how you resolved it. In addition, you can mention that there are two types of conflict, substantive and personalized. Substantive conflicts can sometimes be even ‘useful’ and help to solve problems in the workplace if handled properly. Personalized conflicts are usually destructive, hurt people and waste a lot of precious time in the workplace.
24. You seem to have little experience in ESL teaching. How do you intend to perform well in this job?
You can answer that although you have little experience in ESL teaching, you have a lot of theoretical knowledge in this field; this knowledge will help you to pick up practical skills as soon as you start teaching. Tell them that your classmates and teachers have always considered you as a fast learner.
25. Can you adjust yourself to rapidly changing environment?
You can answer: I consider myself as a person who can easily adjust to changing environment. I never had problems in this respect. I travelled much and I worked in different countries in summer camps with different people. Give an example.
26. What is your management style?
I consider myself as a relater: I focus on people and interpersonal relationships. When a person comes to me with a problem, I try to discuss and investigate the problem with the person, and I learn together with that person. I never try to tell people how they have to think or what they have to do. Instead, I work together with people and leave people to decide upon the answers and actions to be taken.
27. What kind of people do you work with most effectively?
I usually work most effectively with people who are honest, open-minded and enthusiastic about their job.
28. What things impress you in your colleagues?
You can mention the following nouns: enthusiasm, positive attitude, integrity, open-mindedness, and competence.
29. What color is your brain?
This is a zany question that tests your ability to deal with unusual questions or work under atypical circumstances. You can give an answer like this: ‘I am constantly full of various multi-colored ideas therefore I think that my brain has even more colors than a rainbow.’
30. If you got on an elevator where everyone was facing the back, what would you do?
This is a zany question. The aim of this question is to see whether you would follow the crowd (i.e. think the way others think) or you would think independently, on your own. You can answer, ‘I would still face the front.’ You can also add, ‘I know that if I follow the crowd I will go no further than the crowd; if I choose my own way, I may find something new, undiscovered.’
31. Would you say your previous school was full of hypocrites?
Possible answer: 'No. I worked with very intelligent and educated people in prestigious schools, colleges and universities.'
32. Why do you change jobs so often? / Why have you had so many jobs?
If you have had many jobs, describe the positives, e.g. that you were gaining experience and useful skills; traveled and gained cross-cultural experience, etc. Relate your experience to the position that you are applying for. Here is an example answer for a well-travelled ESL teacher: ‘My object of research as well as my interest and hobby is cross-cultural communication. I like traveling and I want to learn about cultures, traditions and languages of the world. The best way of studying another culture is living and working among people of that particular culture and learning from the local people. Traveling and learning about the world gave me an excellent opportunity to grow academically and professionally.’
33. Can you give me an example of your creativity skills?
Give examples that can prove your creativity in such fields as student motivation, classroom management or new teaching material design; tell how you use games for ESL teaching purposes; how you apply grammar in kinesthetic learning environment; how you use a combination of methods to improve teaching standards at various levels. Give a few examples, if possible.
34. What do you want from this position?
Describe your ideal job and include several descriptive adjectives that summarize the institution, the job and yourself. Be realistic and brief. Do not mention salary unless you are asked a question related to it.
35. Describe yourself as a teacher in three positive adjectives.
There are numerous excellent adjectives, unfortunately, most applicants do not think about them before they go for an interview. Your answer can be: ‘patient, diligent and dedicated’; or: ‘open-minded, honest and teachable’. You can think of some adjectives which describe you as an ESL teacher and also as a person. Write them down. Prepare to give a positive example with each adjective.
36. Describe yourself as a teacher in three negative adjectives.
The adjectives should not be so much negative that you would not get the job. For example: perfectionist (see the negative side of it? And also – positive?), fast (it is not always good to be too fast but in many cases it is OK to be fast) and workaholic (not enough time for leisure, although it is good for an employer if you work much); or emotional (you can elaborate: being too much emotional makes my life more complicated), straightforward (i.e. perhaps too open too simple for some people) and indecisive (if a very important action has to be taken I usually tell a superior before I take an action). You can think of more suitable ‘negative’ adjectives which describe you as an ESL teacher. Write them down. Prepare to explain them and give examples with each of them. Also, prepare a few ‘negative’ adjectives that describe you as a person.
37. Why are you leaving your current job?
There can be many reasons for leaving a job. In most cases, you can answer that you would want to pursue for more opportunities, get the chance to develop new skills (mention the areas), get more responsibility, or indicate any other sound reason. Your response should be positive and should not contain any criticism relating to your previous employer.
38. Are you most productive working alone or in a group?
The answer depends on your personal characteristics. You can answer that you need some private time for planning purposes. You also need private time whenever you design materials for your students and prepare for lessons but otherwise you like the activity and noise of people around you, as well as the ability to share ideas with teachers and students.
39. Tell me about when something went wrong.
You should give examples from your experience. These examples can be about your first class, your first encounter with a classroom management problem or some difficulties related to planning and achieving your goals. In any case, try to sound positive and sincere. Tell what you learnt from your experience.
40. Why do you want to work for this institution?
Put emphasis on the positive reasons why you want to join their school, college or company but avoid mentioning such things as more money or shorter working hours.
41. Why should we employ you?
To answer this question, concentrate on your previous achievements which are related to the job that you are applying for. Also, tell about something that you have but others don’t: specific skills that might be needed by your potential employer.
42. How are you different from the rest of the teachers?
(=What is it that you do and they don’t?). The employer wants to know what makes you stand out from the crowd. One of your answers could be (but not necessarily): ‘I can effectively teach ESL students without a textbook, as well as with a textbook. I believe this makes me different from those teachers who have a preference to use a textbook. I know my student well and I prepare my own teaching materials so I do not allow textbook publishers to dictate my curriculum, although I often use a textbook as a supplementary material for my students.’ Think of your own effective answer. It can be related to application of new methods of teaching and research. Perhaps you wrote a textbook or designed a beautiful website? What other useful skills, apart from classroom teaching, do you have?
43. What are your basic strengths?
Select examples of your strong points at earlier positions. These examples should highlight the skills required by the position that you are applying for.
44. What do you enjoy most about your current / last job?
Try an answer similar to this one: ’as an educator and, therefore, a persistent learner, I take great joy in sharing my knowledge, wisdom, experience and passion with my students. My greatest joy is to watch a students succeed through the motivation that I have cultivated over the past few months.’ You should give at least one example. Also, you can add that you are looking forward to expanding your experience in your new position if they employ you.
45. Do you work well under pressure?
Although you should say ‘yes’, you should not sound too much unnatural, by trying to make an impression that you would enjoy working under pressure every day. Perhaps you could give an example from your experience when you worked under pressure and achieved good results.
46. What is the last book you read?
Prepare a list of books that you like to read; preferably those related to language teaching and applied linguistics. Many employers would like to see you reading books that are related to the position. You should also be prepared to mention the title of at least one professional journal that you read regularly.
47. What do you dislike about the job of an ESL teacher?
Imply that there is nothing or very little to dislike about the job of an ESL teacher (the one that you are applying for). In addition, take this opportunity to demonstrate that you have the knowledge and understanding about some difficulties and problems related to the job: ‘Teaching sometimes can be very frustrating when students have developed a negative attitude towards school and ESL learning, before they walk into the classroom. They may not be willing to trust me as an ESL teacher and they may be resistant towards ESL learning. It can be frustrating when a teacher’s efforts are met with opposition or no response at all. As a teacher, I must keep on motivating these students by applying methods and strategies of teaching that can suit best.’
48. Tell me about your future research plans.
Ideally, you should give a clear answer regarding your research plans in the next few years. It would be good if you could choose a research topic and would be able to speak on it. However, if you do not have any research topic in mind (and do not know much about research), study the website of the institution to find out what they are doing. At the interview you can mention that you would be interested in joining a team of their researchers (and mention the title of their research topic). Be open, tell that you are eager to learn and do not try to pretend that you know everything in that field.
49. What was your worst teaching experience?
You should give examples from your experience. These examples can be about your first class, your first encounter with a classroom management problem or some difficulties related to planning and achieving your goals. In any case, try to sound positive and sincere. Tell what you learnt from your experience and how you improved your performance.
50. Why did you apply to our school in particular?
You need to prepare the answer carefully. There may be many reasons, such as prestige of the school, proximity to your home, flexible working hours, improvement opportunities, etc. It would not be good to mention higher salary.
51. Describe your teaching experiences.
Almost all employers ask this question. It would be best if you could review your experience - perhaps look at your CV once more - and answer this question (in writing if you have enough time) before an interview. Tell what method of teaching you use and explain why.
52. Tell me about your teaching experience in 2-nd Grade.
I absolutely loved teaching the 2-nd Grade. I found that in the beginning of the year the children were not motivated to learn much. And during their time in my classroom they learned how to work in teams, how to share knowledge and skills. It was really amazing. I found that I have to be diligent about putting procedures in place, allowing choices, explaining in simple language and setting limits. I also realized how critical it is to differentiate instruction and build on previous knowledge at this level so that a good foundation can be set.
53. Name three reasons why you became a teacher.
I not only have 3 reasons but I have a long passionate story to go with it.
(1) Just like some kids dreamed of being a fire-fighter or nurse, I dreamed of being a teacher because I felt it was the most important profession.
(2) I really have a passion for learning and would like to pass that on to others.
(3) I love children and that fact along with my skills, attributes and personality make teaching the perfect profession for me.
Or:
For the reasons I became a teacher I think I would say something like this:
(1) The first reason I became a teacher is that I love children and enjoy working with children. I feel that everyone who goes into teaching needs to love children.
(2) In my view, variety is the spice of life. As a teacher I really feel as if every day is a different day, while in many other jobs every day is the same. Every day in a teacher's life is unique. There are different challenges to face and new decisions to be made.
(3) My third reason is that I love to learn and help others to learn. As a teacher I am constantly learning and helping my students to learn and see the "light bulb" go off in their heads as they finally understand something that they have been trying to understand for a while.
54. What would you never want to do as a teacher, and why?
I would never want to yell at my students. I also would not want to think that there was nothing more for me to learn from my students.
Or:
I just finished student teaching in a school where I saw several teachers yell at the students. I also grew up going to the schools in the same town. I was so disappointed to the point where I have started writing a letter of complaint. I just think it is so hurtful to yell at a student. I understand everyone gets frustrated but it is better to take a deep breath. When the teacher yells the teacher loses control and that is not a good thing.
55. How would you get subject matter across to the ESL students? What strategies would you use?
You could say that you make your lessons more visual (animations, pictures, concept maps, etc.) and would make sure you would teach important vocabulary along with whatever material is being covered.
56. In your opinion what are the most important issues facing your profession today?
There are so many more things we have to do besides teaching. The major issues are state testing, childhood obesity, drugs, multiculturalism, broken families, budget cuts, etc.
Or:
For me, it's children's lack of motivation and lack of interest in education. This is more of a problem in the upper grade, but for some reason, many lose their interest by the time they get into 3-rd or 4-th grade. There's something wrong if teenagers, who are normally interested in the world, lose interest in learning.
57. Discuss a time when you used poor judgement or made a poor decision in the classroom? How would you or how did you resolve the issue?
Kids are always arguing about friends not sharing supplies. Then I made a decision to not allow supply sharing (their own school supplies twistables, colored pencils etc.). Later, I discovered that this sent the wrong message (and kids started not sharing other things as well). So rather than banning school supply sharing, I decided to allow them to share but began stressing kindness and sharing in the form of character education. I then saw that the kids shared better and were learning important life skills at the same time.
Or:
During my 1-st grade student teaching, I gave a girl several chances to correct her behaviour during a group activity. When she didn't "shape up" I had her leave the group activity and put her head down on her desk. She just bawled with her head down. I realized that wasn't the best way to handle her misbehaviour. When time permitted, I pulled her aside and apologized to her and explained why I was frustrated. She gave me a hug and we discussed ideas of how to help her stay on track the next time we had a group activity. It was a good learning experience for both of us. When the event was over I reflected on my actions and what steps I would take with future similar situations to prevent the situation and behaviour [your aim is to convey that you know you are human and make mistakes, you admit your mistakes, reflect on them, and try to improve your teaching from the experience].
58. How would you teach students with diverse backgrounds (different cultures, different socio-economic backgrounds)?
You should mention how your lessons relate to their real lives and how you use a variety of teaching strategies that would meet this diverse need.
Or:
You should talk about how you try to build a classroom community, allow your students to share things about themselves and their families and embrace the different cultures [be sure you do not say something like ‘you put your blinders on and treat them all the same no matter where they come from’].
59. Why do you want to teach 2-nd grade?
That would be easy for me because of my own experience. I went to an elementary school that was extremely diverse. For example, we had a large Chinese community and we would study some of their customs and would have school events such as the celebration of the Chinese New Year. I just love those memories. We also sampled some of the foods and did those chips that come in different colours - the Chinese potato chips. We also had an international day and that was a big celebration. I had this beautiful skirt that had mariachi musicians on it, so I chose to represent Mexico. I still have the picture from that event. I loved elementary school. It provided me with some of the best memories of my life [also, you could describe how to make your lessons a little more challenging to ensure their mastery].
60. What would you expect from your principal?
Support and backing with any problems that might come up in the classroom, as well as with other co-workers, or with parents.
Or:
I would expect the principal to set a positive tone for the school. I would like the principal to keep an open line of communication between the teachers and school community, keeping confidentiality in mind at all times.
61. Why would we hire you over another candidate?
Well, being a relatively new teacher, I can bring a freshness into my teaching. I am enthusiastic about my work, have many new ideas to try and am not set in a specific teaching style. I am open to trying new things, have a great grip on new technology and have the desire to utilize it in my classroom. However, I am not fresh out of college; I do have four solid years of substituting under my belt. I know the teachers here, the kids here, I understand what goes on in a school, and, in particular, how things are done here.
62. What three main concepts do you want your students to get from your lesson?
First, I would want them to be able to apply what they learned into the real world.
Second, I would want them to connect what they learned in this lesson to a previous lesson.
Third, I would want them to be able to come back to what they learned in this lesson in any future lessons and make that connection.
63. We would all like to raise student achievement and address the needs of each student. But when it comes down to it, we often have to make hard choices. If you had to choose, would you rather raise student achievement or increase self-esteem and self-worth?
I would focus on raising academic achievement because higher self-esteem is a natural consequence of better academic quality.
64. Is it better to be strict or caring? Which type of teacher are you?
I think it is far better to be caring but to also provide limits and boundaries that are so necessary in a child's development. Students should not fear you but rather know that you care about them and that they can trust you to help guide them in making good decisions. Setting limits and boundaries helps them to take responsibility for their own learning.
Or:
It depends on the situation. I am caring because students should not fear me but rather trust me. I am strict because I care about students, and I realize that they need rules and they need structure so as to thrive academically.
65. Why do you want to teach middle school? Or: Why do you want to teach high school?
You should probably start with your love for the subject that you would be teaching. You should mention that at the middle or high school level students are acquiring skills that will prepare them for their life. As a middle or high school teacher I am helping my students create and motivate themselves. I would love the opportunity to both learn from my students and inspire them for a bright future.
66. How would you handle a conference with a parent who does not think there is a problem with the student?
I always file documentation of my students’ progress and problems/failures in case I need to present them to the parents.
Or:
Apart from documenting all behaviours or misbehaviours (and keeping records of students’ performance), I talk to the parents about the good things that the child does so they would not feel like I am attacking their child. In addition, I try to maintain regular communication with the parents. Then, when it is time to talk about the behaviours that need to change they are usually more open-minded. I usually start conversation in a positive, optimistic manner. I absolutely positively hear the parent out and stay open-minded. One of the things the parent should be made aware of is what their child’s continued behaviour might mean in the future if left unaddressed (e.g. natural consequences like loss of friends on the behaviour side, or being pulled out of class for academic issues, or possible failure in class). Then I would follow up with some suggestions that have effectively worked in the past with students who faced similar problems.
67. You are in the supermarket and a parent comes up to you and starts talking badly about another student. What would you do?
I would tell the parent that I never talk about other students with parents, just like I don't talk about their child with other parents.
68. What would you say to a parent who says their child is not being challenged in your class?
I would ask the parent specifically, what areas they feel their child excelling and what specific skills they have. I would respond to the parent how their child was performing with my assessments as evidence. I would also provide the parent with information on the enrichment activities provided within each lesson. I would tell the parent that I will be continuously assessing their child and adjusting the lessons to meet his/her needs. I believe the parent would respond well, once they understand that I was aware of their child's needs.
Or:
I would cover the following points:
(1) Ask in what areas do you feel your child is not being challenged.
(2) Outline briefly what you are doing, what you must do and how you do it.
(3) Point out how you believe the child is being challenged.
(4) Tell the parent that because of their concerns you will be observing the child more closely
(5) Dependent on what I find, I would change a few things such as grouping or probably assign some higher level activities.
(6) If I feel the child is being challenged enough I may recommend some extra activities.
69. Do you believe all students can learn?
Every student has his or her point of challenge. If I have done my job and pushed each student to their own point of challenge, and check in with them frequently enough to assess their progress, there is no question that each student can learn. The solution to this is to have a very interactive relationship with students.
Or:
Yes, all students can learn. The key to ensuring this is to find what works best for the individual learner. Finding out how the student learns best, i.e. what type of memory he or she has: kinaesthetic, auditory or visual memory. The next step is to find each student’s interests and relate the concept being taught to their interests.
70. People say that some children just do not want to learn. Do you agree?
Absolutely not! I think that maybe they have not had the material presented in a way they can understand. It is up to us as educators to find the way that works for the learner.
71. What area of the curriculum are you the strongest in? What area of the curriculum do you need refinement in?
I am strongest in writing. I like making writing interactive for students by using technology, interactive websites and having students work cooperatively. I need refinement in teaching special needs students, e.g. dyslexic students.
72. How would you encourage reluctant readers?
I encourage reluctant readers by having them seek out books in a genre that they are interested.
Or:
I help students find books that are of interest to them. First, I find out what their interest is – travelling, music, type of sports, etc. Then I make those books available for students to read.
73. How do you know if you met objectives? What if you did not?
I know objectives have been met through data collected through informal and formal assessments. I also give my students a questionnaire. Had the objectives not been met, I would revise classroom materials and try to achieve the objectives by using a different approach.
Or:
Every lesson I teach has closing in which I lead the class through a reflection of what was learned. Formal and informal assessments are also utilized through data analysis.
74. How do you know how long to spend on your objectives?
The timeline for objectives is determined by what the students already know. That would determine the extent to which I need to cover the material.
Or:
I spend as much time as my students need to understand each objective and master the objective and I would monitor this regularly through informal assessments.
75. How do you teach literacy in your classroom?
Since literacy is integrated into almost everything I do, I teach literacy in my classroom using a balanced approach which includes modelling literacy during read aloud, practicing with shared reading, and focusing on specific literacy skills in guided reading. In the classroom I use word walls words and lots of books of varying levels. My students have book bags where they have the books they are reading or have recently read to build fluency.
76. Describe your balanced literacy program.
In a balanced literacy program you have to make sure you focus on the following elements:
(1) Read aloud (teacher reads aloud) serves as a model of fluent reading, encourages prediction, builds a community of readers, and develops active listening skills.
(2) Share reading - student/teacher - demonstrates awareness of text, develops sense of content, promotes reading strategies, develops fluency and phrasing; it also develops comprehension skills.
(3) Guided reading promotes reading strategies, increases comprehension and supports independent reading.
(4) Independent reading encourages strategic reading, increases comprehension, supports writing development, develops fluency, promotes reading for enjoyment and information.
(5) Model or share writing develops concept of print, writing strategies and supports reading development; provides model for a variety of writing styles, models connection between sounds, letters and words, produces text that students can read independently.
(6) Interactive writing provides opportunities to plan and construct texts, increase spelling knowledge; it generates written language resources in the classroom, creates opportunity to apply what has been learned.
(7) Independent writing strengthens text sequence and develops understanding of multiple uses of writing.
(8) Strategic reading is an expert reading: when students read, they use their prior knowledge along with clues from the text to construct meaning. Effective readers are strategic. They have aims for their reading and can adjust their reading to achieve their reading objectives.
Or:
I use a combination of read aloud, shared reading, and guided reading in my class where I can model reading to the students, the class can practice reading in shared reading, and then I can focus on specific skills in guided reading. In addition to this, we do shared and independent writing to relate what we learn during our reading to better our writing. I use word wall words, environmental prints, and various reading materials.
77. What are your best practices in instruction?
You can mention balanced literacy, small group instruction, early intervention, technology integration and differentiated instruction.
78. How would you describe your classroom management?
Your classroom management should be related to your philosophy of teaching and methodology. It should include your classroom layout and organizational methods.
Or:
Behaviours come up when students are bored or do not understand, so I make sure my lessons are student-cantered and engaging the students. I also use strategies that require 100% student participation. For example, students write down their answers to questions. As they write, I monitor, considering who is getting it all right and who still needs some extra assistance. Then we develop the rules of the classroom and compare a great classroom to a not so good classroom, and what we would see in each of them.
79. Could your strength be a particular subject you really excel?
My strong point is that I can present information in a way students are capable of understanding it. I usually give age appropriate, real life examples even on difficult topics. A parent of a student recently approached me and commented how much his son got out of my lessons. He said his son came home and talked about how well I explained the subject so it was not boring and the material made sense to him.
80. How would you handle a student who is disrespectful to you?
I would pull this student aside to find out the problem the student is having with me and try to come up with a workable solution for us both.
Or:
First I would make sure that my lessons are engaging and that the material is at an appropriate level for them and that they are always actively engaged. If the problem persisted, I would take that student aside and ask them why they are being disrespectful to me. Depending on the student and what their individual needs are, I may start a positive reinforcement behaviour management system with them where they receive a reward for demonstrating the proper amount of respect towards me and the rest of the class.
81. What do you know about Vygotsky?
Lev Semenovich Vygotsky (1896 –1934) was a Jewish Russian developmental psychologist and the originator of cultural-historical psychology. His most important contribution was in the field of language and thought. In his book Thinking and Speaking he established the profound connection between silent inner speech and oral language. He described inner speech as being qualitatively different from normal (external) speech.
82. What do you know about Chomsky?
Avram Noam Chomsky (born in 1928) is a Jewish American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, author of many books and political activist. He made contributions to linguistics, psychology and computer science. In the academic community he is known as ‘the father of modern linguistics.’ His theory of generative grammar has had a profound influence on linguistics. At present Chomsky resides in Lexington, Massachusetts. He travels much, gives lectures on politics.
83. What do you know about Geoffrey Leech?
Geoffrey Leech is Emeritus Professor of English Linguistics. His major fields of interest are English grammar, literary stylistics, semantics, computational linguistics, corpus linguistics and pragmatics. Geoffrey Leech was Professor of Linguistics and Modern English Language at Lancaster University from 1974 to 1996. He then became Research Professor in English Linguistics. He has been Emeritus Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Modern English Language, Lancaster University, since 2002. He has written, co-authored or co-edited 25 books in the areas of English grammar, literary stylistics, semantics, computational linguistics, corpus linguistics and pragmatics. They include: English in Advertising: A Linguistic Study of Advertising in Great Britain (1966); A Linguistic Guide to English Poetry (1969); Meaning and the English Verb (1971, 2nd ed. 1987, 3rd ed. in preparation); A Communicative Grammar of English (with J. Svartvik) (1975, 2nd edn. 1994, 3rd edn. 2002); Style in Fiction: A Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose (with M. Short) (1981); Principles of Pragmatics (1983); A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language (with R. Quirk, S. Greenbaum and J. Svartvik) (1985); Spoken English on Computer: Transcription, Mark-up and Application (ed. with G. Myers and J. Thomas) (1995); Corpus Annotation: Linguistic Information from Computer Text Corpora (ed. with R. Garside and T. McEnery) (1997); Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English (with D. Biber, S. Johansson, S. Conrad and E. Finegan) (1999); Word Frequencies in Written and Spoken English: based on the British National Corpus (with P. Rayson and A. Wilson) (2001); Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English (with D. Biber and S. Conrad) (2002).
84. What do you know about Stephen Krashen?
Stephen Krashen completed his PhD in Linguistics at UCLA in 1972, and is currently an Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Southern California. Dr. Krashen is the author of more than 250 articles and books in the fields of bilingual education, neurolinguistics, second language acquisition and literacy. His publications have received numerous awards. One of his most famous publications is considered ‘Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning.' Krashen believes that language acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language where speakers are concerned not only with the form of their utterances but also with the messages they are conveying and understanding. He distinguishes five key hypotheses about second language acquisition: (1) Acquisition-Learning Distinction, (2) Natural Order Hypothesis, (3) Monitor Hypothesis, (4) Input Hypothesis, and (5) Affective Filter Hypothesis. His five hypotheses of second language acquisition can be summarized in this way: acquisition is more important than learning.
85. What do you know about Claire Kramsch?
Claire Kramsch is Professor of German and Foreign Language Acquisition in the German Department and in the School of Education. She is, in addition, Director of the Berkeley Language Center, a research and development unit for all foreign language teachers on campus. She teaches courses in foreign language pedagogy, discourse analysis, second language acquisition and foreign language literacy. Her area of research is applied linguistics, with emphasis on pragmatic, aesthetic and hermeneutic approaches to language study. She also directs Ph.D. dissertations in these areas both in the School of Education and in the German Department. Her major publications include Discourse Analysis and Second Language Teaching; Interaction et discours dans la classe de langue; Reden, Mitreden, Dazwischenreden: Managing Conversations in German; Foreign Language Research in Cross-Cultural Perspective; Text and Context: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Language Study; Context and Culture in Language Teaching; Language and Culture; Language acquisition and language socialization - Ecological perspectives. Her many articles have appeared in Studies in Second Language Acquisition, The Modern Language Journal, Die Unterrichtspraxis, The Canadian Modern Language Review, Profession, The ADFL Bulletin, PMLA, The Journal of Sociolinguistics, Language Culture and Curriculum.
86. How do you know how long to spend on your objectives?
That depends on the students. At the beginning we do a KWL (Know, Want, Learn) chart to find out what students already know so we can just touch on those concepts and get into more depth of the things they do not know. A KWL chart, or KWL table, is a graphical organizer designed to help in learning. The letters KWL are an acronym for "what we know", what we want to know, and "what we learned". A KWL table is typically divided into three columns titled Know, Want and Learned. The table comes in various different forms as some have modified it to include or exclude information. It may be useful in research projects and to organize information to help study for tests.
Here is what the KWL chart can look like:
| K |
W |
L |
| What students know |
What students want to know |
What students learned |
| Students write about what they know in this space |
Students write about what they already know in this space |
After the completion of the unit, write what the students learned in this space |
A KWL chart can be used to drive instruction in the classroom. The teacher can create lesson plans based upon the interests and inquiries of the students and their needs. Using this strategy can increase motivation and attention by activating the students' prior knowledge. This allows the teacher to understand the students' prior knowledge and the students' interests in the topic.
87. What is the purpose for using KWL charts?
The chart is a comprehension strategy used to activate background knowledge prior to reading and is completely student centered. The teacher divides a piece of chart paper into three columns. The first column, 'K', is for what the students already know about a topic. This step is to be completed before the reading. The next column, 'W', is for students to list what they want to learn about the topic during the reading. This step is also to be completed before the reading. The third column, 'L', is for what the students learned from the reading. This step, of course, is done after finishing the reading. The KWL chart can also be used in reading instruction at the beginning of a new unit. A teacher has many reasons for using KWL charts in the classroom. First, a KWL chart activates students' prior knowledge of the text or topic to be studied. By asking students what they already know, students are thinking about prior experiences or knowledge about the topic. Next, KWL charts set a purpose for the unit. Students are able to add their input to the topic by asking them what they want to know. Students then have a purpose for participating and engaging in the topic. Also, using a KWL chart allows students to expand their ideas beyond the text used in the classroom. By being aware of students' interests, the teacher has the ability to create projects and assignments that the students will enjoy. A KWL chart is a great tool that can be used to drive instruction.
88. How do you know what to teach?
I use a diagnostic test to determine what students need to know and what they can learn.
Or:
I know what to teach by looking at the state standards for each subject, and by looking at the curriculum that the school uses.
89. How do you know when a student "got" it?
Formal and informal assessments, observations and face-to-face communication help me to find out whether the student 'got it' or not.
Or:
When I am able to see by walking around the room that they are doing the skill correctly or when they come and proudly tell me that they can now do this.
90. What do you do with a student who doesn't "get" it?
I re-evaluate the way I taught. I look at exactly what the student missed out and teach it again by using different strategies.
Or:
I think about why they are not "getting it" and determine another way to present the information to them that may be better for them.
91. Have you worked with Pacing Guides or Curriculum Maps?
No, I haven't. I have used a Scope and Sequence to determine what concepts need to be taught during certain grading periods.
Or:
No, but I worked with my cooperating teachers to come up with a long term plan for what would be taught and when.
92. As a new teacher, how long of an adjustment period will you need before you start contributing to the school and faculty in general?
I believe I would start contributing to the school and faculty from the first day I am at the school.
Or:
I would immediately start to contribute to the school and faculty.
93. What will you do at that point?
I would join committees, participate in faculty meetings, go to school events and collaborate with my colleagues and the parents of my students.
94. What is the greatest challenge that today's educators face?
The greatest challenge is lack of student motivation. Educators should really get into what students find relevant and apply that into their lessons.
95. What are the primary factors contributing to low student achievement?
Lack of motivation and not enough parental support at home.
96. What do you say to a parent when you have to call them?
I start with a positive thing about their child, go straight into what the problem is, and then finish up with another positive.
97. What modifications or accommodations are you familiar with for a struggling student?
Shorter assignment, positive attitude, behaviour modification and personal approach.
Or:
I look at my students as a whole, and try to teach the way they learn. I work with small groups in reading, and arrange my partner groupings so that my higher students can help a struggling student. I have also utilized behaviour contracts to encourage desired behaviours in my students. As an educator, I take full advantage of all the existing resources and utilize them for the benefit of my students.
98. How would you address a wide range of skills in your classroom?
I include pre-assessment, flexible grouping, and formal assessment.
99. How would collaborate with fellow teachers? Or: Why would you collaborate with fellow teachers?
I believe it is essential to work with my colleagues to help create activities and lessons that are engaging, hands on, and fit the needs of my students. I work with my fellow teachers by sharing teaching materials, in the development of lesson plans, the collection of materials for special projects, and the sharing of resources. My current team is great at collaborating. We share the load and work together. It depends on the team members you work with and their personalities/teaching styles how much you can successfully collaborate with them.
100. Would you tell your kids that you like them, or that you are their friend?
While I do care about my students very much, it is important that they do not think of me simply as a friend. What they need in a teacher is someone to provide clear expectations in a safe and caring environment. One of my goals is to teach them the social skills necessary to developing friendships with their peers. I need them to think of me as a safe person to approach, as a caring and sympathetic ear, but, ultimately, as an authority figure, not as a friend.
101. What are your favourite subjects?
I really enjoy teaching independent living skills to students with special needs. It's encouraging to observe a student completing a task that, until now, someone has had to complete for him.
102. What do you think about parent involvement?
Parental involvement is vital to student success in all classrooms, but particularly in special education classrooms. Students with developmental disabilities need consistency and routine in order to master and generalize concepts. If concepts taught at home can be reinforced at school, and concepts taught at school can be reinforced at home, we greatly increase the chances that the concept will be generalized.
103. Are you a team player?
As a special education teacher, I actively seek input from parents, regular education teachers, related service providers, and other involved persons to ensure consistency of instruction. I look for ways to help my students be successful in a variety of environments and with a variety of caregivers and professionals.
104. What would you do if a child wasn't ''getting it"?
As an ESL teacher, I have gained experience breaking broad concepts into small and concrete elements that are more easily retained. When a student still struggles with the concept (e.g. grammar), it may be time to remind myself why this information is important to the student and when the student is going to use it. If I can make the information meaningful to the student in a practical way, the student is more likely to remember it. It's also important, when a student is not retaining information, to assess the teaching style I have been using and determine whether it is the most appropriate teaching style to utilize with this student. If I have used visual examples and this child is an auditory learner, I am not reaching her in the most effective way. I must also determine whether the motivational system I am using with this student is reinforcing enough to make learning the information worthwhile.
105. Would you expect to make friends with fellow teachers?
The camaraderie between teachers is important not only to creating a positive work environment for employees. It is also an important part of modelling appropriate social interactions for students. What I would expect to develop with my colleagues would be mutual professional respect and appreciation.
106. How can you tell that your teaching is effective?
It would be through formal/informal assessments and student portfolios.
Or:
I think I would also say something about listening to the types of questions your students are asking. Also, it might be nice if you could say that you are seeing they are engaged in learning and fully participating. I think that helps paint a picture of your teaching style working.
107. What would you do if one day before a test you realize that eight of your students are extremely confused and have not understood anything from the current unit?
I would have been conducting informal assessments and listening to my students so that the situation would not arise in the first place. I would be surprised if by doing so, that eight students would not understand anything.
Or:
I would hope that it would not come to that point and that I would know if those eight students did not understand anything. I would ask to see these eight students for a tutoring session before the test.
108. How would you handle it if a student refused to do something you had asked?
If the student was causing a disruption, I might ask to see the student outside in private to talk to him about what is going on.
109. What would you do if a student refused to sit down?
During my most recent teaching position, at a school for students with special needs, this was a common problem. I had one student for whom nothing we could offer her at her desk was more reinforcing than simply being up. Because this was her most motivating reinforcer, I had to find a way to gain control over it; if she could freely wander the classroom whenever she wanted, she had no reason to come back to me and engage in work.I placed work materials at eye level around the classroom. These were materials she had previously mastered -- things like color ID, sight word reading, etc. When she would leave her desk and run to the window, she found sight words taped to the window and we reviewed them until she chose to leave the window. When she climbed under the teacher's desk, she found shapes to review. When she hid behind the door, she discovered community helper cards to identify.Meanwhile, at her desk were fun activities like stickers and her favorite coloring book. When returning to her desk became more reinforcing than wandering the classroom, she began spending more time appropriately seated. Once this change occurred, I was able to slowly fade in more academic tasks at the desk, interspersed with fun activities, until remaining seated at her desk was a part of her regular routine. I made "roaming the classroom" a reinforcer choice and allowed her to wander undisturbed only when she had engaged in a work task and earned all her tokens. What had once motivated her to tune out her teachers and leave her workspace now motivated her to remain in her workspace and engage with her teachers to earn her desired reward. www.esldrive.com All rights reserved
110. Tell me a bit about yourself.
I am a high school teacher but I have worked with students with special needs in a professional capacity for ten years. I have had experience filling a variety of roles at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
111. How do you make learning fun for students?
Learning is fun when it is meaningful and when you are not afraid to take chances. When I take chances and I model for my students that I'm not afraid to make mistakes, it reduces a lot of the stress students feel to do everything "right." We make mistakes together, we learn from them together, and we correct them together. That's a fun and meaningful process. That doesn't sound quite right to me now, but like I said before, I'm going through and answering them off the top of my head just like in a real interview.
112. If I walked into your classroom on a typical afternoon, what would I see going on?
You would be greeted by an eager group of students who enjoy practicing social interactions with a variety of visitors to the classroom. One or two students would be seated with me at the group table, working on an academic task. Other students would be independently navigating their environments according to their picture schedules, completing independent work stations to reinforce academic, leisure, vocational, and life skills concepts.
Or:
Several students would be engaged in independent learning centres designed to reinforce academic and vocational skills. This would leave me free to work one-on-one or in small groups with students at the group table. You would probably get a chorus of "hello"s and "how are you"s from a class of students eager to practice social interaction. It's likely that a few of us would be engaged in activities that, on first glance, look mysterious -- exchanging paper slices of pizza, for example, or matching labels to cereal boxes. Many of our classroom activities are designed to teach vocational skills for the future.
Or:
You would see a bright classroom where the students are actively engaged in cooperative groups, using manipulative, as I monitor and listen in on conversations about what the students are learning. Posted around the room is the schedule, student work, helpful posters, and on the back wall I have strategies I need to work more on, the schedule so I can manage the time better.
113. Describe a typical lesson plan.
When writing lesson plans, I need to know what my students already know about a topic, what I want them to know, and how and when they will apply this skill or knowledge once they have learned it. This information is not just for me; it is information that will work its way into my teaching procedures, because my students need to know the WHY behind what we're working on in class. We usually begin with a review of the prerequisite information, followed by a brief and engaging hands-on activity designed to identify and build upon existing knowledge. I utilize visual examples, modelling, and verbal and signed directions during the lesson to ensure that students with differing learning styles are able to connect with the content being taught. Each lesson ends with some type of assessment, usually informal. If a student does not understand the concept or is not able to perform the skill, I know to reteach the information in a new way.
114. What is your teaching philosophy?
"There is a brilliant child locked inside every student." - Marva Collins. First and foremost all students can learn. There is not a single student in my class that is not capable of learning. I just have to find the way that works best for them. Secondly, I am not the centre of the classroom. I am simply a facilitator. I consider myself a life-long learner and I want my students to learn to love learning, and to understand why they are learning. Take a look at a sample teaching philosophy, click HERE...
115. Tell us about your discipline philosophy.
Students in my classroom earn access to reinforcement by engaging in appropriate behavior and completing work tasks as requested. In practice, this might take the form of a set number of tokens a student must earn before being rewarded, or of a behavior contract a student must abide by to gain access to reinforcement. When a student fails to behave appropriately or to complete the tasks assigned her, she is unable to earn these rewards.
If a student engages in inappropriate behavior that is designed to meet a legitimate need, I teach a more acceptable replacement for that behavior. For example, if a student screams because she is frustrated and needs help with an academic task, I might teach her to say or sign "help" or to hand me a card with the word "help" written on it instead of screaming. When she requests help appropriately instead of screaming, I immediately reward this behavior by providing the requested help. If by requesting help appropriately, the student has also met the requirements of her behavior contract or token system, this enables her to access a tangible reward in addition to receiving the requested help.
116. What are your classroom rules? How do you make students familiar with the rules?
My students are involved in the rule-making process at the beginning of the school year. Together we identify the components of a safe and enjoyable learning environment. We then determine what rules are necessary to create this environment, and what the consequences should be for breaking these rules. The rules we identify are usually some version of the following:
• keep hands, feet, mouth, and belongings in your own space; www.esldrive.com All rights reserved
• use kind words when speaking to others;
• call others only by name;
• ask for help when you need it;
• give help whenever you can;
• do your best work.
117. How will you go about implementing school-wide rules?
I usually post a version of school-wide rules in the classroom and then break them down into simpler versions, coupled with pictures, to promote comprehension. Together my students and I discuss these rules, what they mean, and why they exist (to make school safe, to make sure everyone does their best, etc). To gain access to reinforcement, students must follow all school and classroom rules in addition to meeting the individual behavioral goals developed for each student.
118. What are some ways you can avoid behaviour problems?
I can avoid many behaviour problems by setting clear expectations, by modeling expected behavior, and by reinforcing desired behavior.
119. In what ways do you communicate with parents on a regular basis?
I develop a classroom website, which is updated weekly. On this website, parents can find our weekly theme, any homework that is required, and information such as spelling words or upcoming assessments. I also include links to online enrichment activities. In addition to the website, I send daily notes home to parents in each student's communication log. I also phone home on a regular schedule (biweekly or monthly, depending on the student and the family's preference) to discuss the aspects of the child's education that are going well. This makes it easier to call home when there are problems, because I already have an established relationship with the parents.
120. How do you keep parents informed of their child's progress?
In addition to sending home quarterly progress reports, I send home weekly work samples or narratives describing performance, particularly if there is a skill that is being practiced both at home and at school.
121. What do you look for in a principal?
I look for a principal who can serve as a role model for me and for my students. I want to feel comfortable bringing questions and concerns to the administration.
122. If I were to call your references, what might they say about you?
My references would be likely to say that I am energetic and creative. They would point out that I sometimes get excited about a topic and deviate from my lesson plan to further explore it, sometimes exceeding the allotted time for that particular subject. Many of my former supervisors and colleagues recognize that I enjoy the process of writing and implementing IEPs. They will also tell you that I still get nervous before IEP meetings, but less so, the longer I teach.
123. Can I assume you are interested in other positions that might open up in this district?
Yes, I am interested in other jobs if you do not hire me for this one.
124. The parents in this classroom are very comfortable with the current teacher. Some of them are going to have difficulty with this transition. How will you handle those situations?
I would call the parents before the start of school to introduce myself, invite them to observe in my classroom, and address any stressors they had about the transition head-on. I've been in that situation before, and told them so; at my last school, some kids had had the same teacher since they were three before I came along. (They were between eleven and thirteen, so that's a long time!)
125. How do you start class? What are the first few minutes of each class like? (Do you let kids meander in and waste time, or do you have a plan to get them started each day?)
I have an assignment written on the board so that students immediately have work to do. I make it a routine, so that students already know what is expected of them each day. This also allows me the time to take attendance, check homework, or even speak to a student briefly if needed. It also helps students to get settled in quickly, instead of wasting time talking or doing nothing because they are waiting for me.
126. How much do you want to know about your students in order to be helpful to them?
I want to know what they already know about the concept we're working on, their background and interests, what experiences they have had.
Or:
I like to give every kid a new beginning when they walk into my classroom. So I wouldn't want to know of any previous behavior problems. I would only want to know information that would be vital for me to know.
127. What three things do you most want to know about your students? What do they already know, what are they are interested in, and how do they learn best?
(1) my students' level of English,
(2) any medical information about them (allergies, inhaler they take, etc.),
(3) their interests, so I could incorporate them into my lessons.
128. What do you need to know in order to begin your lesson planning for a class?
I would need to know what my students already know about the subject so I know where to begin in my lesson.
129. What four key components do you believe you must include in your plan?
(1) introducing the new concept,
(2) relating the concept to prior knowledge,
(3) modelling and guiding, and
(4) independent work time for students.
Or:
(1) student friendly objectives,
(2) background knowledge,
(3) words that may be in the lesson that they will need to know,
(4) ways for me to check for understanding.
130. Why is collaboration important? What will you do to collaborate?
Teachers are the best resource for other teachers. Collaborating with teachers gives new teachers ideas from veterans and vet teachers get a fresh new perspective from new teachers.
131. Describe your classroom management plan.
Best classroom management plan is a good instructional plan. By planning lessons and using strategies that require 100% participation, I eliminate boredom. When I use strategies that require everyone to participate I can immediately see who does not understand the material, and lend a hand where they need it. In case a student misbehaves, they are required to sign in the discipline book, put the date, describe their offense, and if parent contact was needed, I initial. I treat each student as a personality so their outcome depends on the student, the offense, and the circumstances surrounding the offense.
132. What are your reasons for wanting to teach in our district?
I want to teach in your district because the mission statement of the district matches my philosophy of teaching. I believe that students learn best when they are actively engaged in their own learning in a safe and positive atmosphere that fosters a lifelong love of learning. I also would like to teach in your district b/c as a member of the City community; my daughter will be attending school here, etc.
133. List and describe two core teaching strategies you most utilized in your classroom.
I utilize All-write strategy and Cooperative Learning Strategy.
134. When you think about your students, in what major ways do you most want to influence their lives?
I want them to become critical thinkers, to be of good character, and to love learning. www.esldrive.com All rights reserved
135. When can you start?
Perhaps there is a two or three months’ notice regulation or contract with your current employer. You should not hide the fact from your potential employer that you are still very much needed in your present position by your current employer and you are required, according to an agreement, to give him a three months’ notice. This will increase your value in the eyes of your potential employer.
136. What are the main duties and responsibilities of a teacher?
At first sight, this question seems to be simple and easy. Unfortunately, many applicants cannot answer this question properly not because they do not know the things listed below but because they just forget to remember to mention them. They feel too much nervous or excited at the job interview.
You should mention at least the first 5 from this list:
(1) Prepare lessons, assignments and assessment
(2) Design learning materials and curriculum
(3) Mark homework, class assignments and exams (conduct formal and informal assessment)
(4) Identify the needs of individual students
(5) Assist students in learning and teach students not only what to study but also how to study
(6) Attend meetings, professional development courses, workshops, seminars and conferences
(7) Conduct interviews with parents
(8) Perform other duties, whenever requested by the school administrators.
137. Do you have any questions? / Do you have any questions you would like to ask?
Summarize your understanding regarding the position and politely request confirmation. Clarify only the points that you really need to know. Do not ask unnecessary questions. However, if you do not ask any questions you run the risk of making an impression that you are not interested in the position. You should ask at least one question. You should not ask all of them! Select four or five questions. Perhaps some of these questions will be answered during the interview so you will not need to ask them.
____________________________________________________
Questions to Ask at an Interview
1. When can I expect to hear from you?
2. If I am employed, when exactly would you like me to start teaching?
3. Is there any other important information which you think I should know?
4. When will you decide on the appointment?
5. What is the next step?
6. With whom will I be working most closely?
7. To whom would I report?
8. Who would report to me?
9. Whom will I supervise?
10. What is the school’s promotional policy?
11. How many contact hours per week would I be required to teach?
12. Which level of students would you give me to teach?
13. What is the average class size?
14. What training do you provide?
15. What is your major research theme/topic?
16. What are after school / extra-curricular activities available?
17. What will be my responsibilities?
18. Where will I fit into the overall school structure?
19. How will I be evaluated or assessed?
20. What do you expect me to do in the first 4 months, apart from teaching?
21. What resources are available to achieve student success?
22. What are the staff working relationships?
23. How are parents involved in the school program?
24. What level of performance do you expect from me?
25. Is there any other information I can provide?
26. What kinds of professional development can this school offer me?
27. (To the principal) Please describe your management style [he or she would be impressed if you had the guts to ask that].
28. Are there any major issues within the school that are going to be addressed this school year?
29. What is the policy on lesson plans? Are they turned in weekly? Or is having them accessible at all times okay?
30. What kind of mentorship can I expect my first year? www.esldrive.com All rights reserved.
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