Teacher Interview Questions Flashcards

Questions and Answers

How do you minimize discipline issues?

Praise students for staying on task, make rules clear and understandable, and stay fair and consistent in learning activities, schedules, and relationships.

A student's attitude is important in learning.

True

What should you do if a student doesn't complete homework?

Celebrate their current progress and create incentives for the student.

What are effective reading teaching strategies?

Choose appropriate readings, hang up reading strategy posters, incorporate graphic organizers, use the 3-2-1 strategy, add word walls, and facilitate predictions and discussions. Signup and view all the answers

What are some writing strategies for students?

Give daily feedback, include templates, use mentor texts, model expectations, encourage peer reviews, and provide sentence starters. Signup and view all the answers

What math strategies can be used in the classroom?

Use manipulatives, include reference posters, facilitate partner work, provide graded packets for corrections, gamify learning, and ask questions to promote higher thinking. Signup and view all the answers

Why are you the best candidate for the teaching position?

I am bilingual, have an ESL endorsement, wanted to be a teacher since preschool, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in elementary education. Signup and view all the answers

Tell us about yourself.

I am 21 years old, a senior at ISU, bilingual, enjoy traveling, and have experience working with kids. Signup and view all the answers

What are your academic strengths?

My strengths include reading and writing, attention to detail, and organization. Signup and view all the answers

What are the different skills/attributes of a great teacher?

Multitasking, organized, time management, respectfulness, communication/collaboration, and patience. Signup and view all the answers

How would you address a wide range of skills in a classroom?

By offering constant support and motivation, offering choices, and implementing portfolio documentation. Signup and view all the answers

What are your three most important reasons for becoming a teacher?

To teach and expand young minds, to learn from students, and to contribute to a profession that creates all other professions. Signup and view all the answers

What do you want to know about your students to be most helpful to them?

Their learning style, what motivates them, and how they handle things emotionally. Signup and view all the answers

What do you need to know in order to begin lesson planning for a class?

Set goals and state standards, access to all materials, what is relevant/interesting to students, and where students are academically with material. Signup and view all the answers

What are the four key components you believe you must include in your lesson plan?

Objectives, anticipatory sets, checking for understanding, and closure. Signup and view all the answers

When you think about your students, in what major ways do you most want to influence their lives?

Teach them it's okay to make mistakes, give them confidence, and help them find their passions. Signup and view all the answers

What two core teaching strategies do you most use to achieve your goals?

Visualization and differentiation. Signup and view all the answers

What do you offer an organization/team?

Reliability, responsibility, organization, interpersonal skills, and cultural awareness. Signup and view all the answers

How sensitive should you be towards viewpoints of coworkers?

We need to have mutual respect towards each other's ideas, opinions, and viewpoints. Signup and view all the answers

When did you first start taking on responsibilities?

From a young age, helping with family and siblings, and later translating for them. Signup and view all the answers

Do you like to continue to learn new things on the job or would you rather do one or two things really well?

A mix of both, needing a good balance. Signup and view all the answers

What do you picture yourself doing vocationally five years from now?

In my own classroom, utilizing my skills and contributing to the school's goals and mission. Signup and view all the answers

How do you feel about supervisors who have extremely high expectations of you?

High expectations can challenge us to push through difficult situations and give us a sense of pride once accomplished. Signup and view all the answers

Is there anything else you believe would be helpful for us to know about you as a person and employee?

I'm an extrovert, love to travel, experience different cultures, and plan ahead. Signup and view all the answers

Describe how you have differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students in your classroom.

By using tiered assignments, incorporating student interests, and adapting to their needs. Signup and view all the answers

Components of an effective reading program?

Phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and comprehension. Signup and view all the answers

Describe how you communicated with parents in your prior experience or student teaching.

Through weekly newsletters, individual meetings, and shared lesson plans. Signup and view all the answers

Role of technology?

Making learning more exciting, promoting active learning, expanding possibilities, and trying different learning styles. Signup and view all the answers

Leadership qualities important in the field of education?

Communication skills, collaboration skills, and flexibility. Signup and view all the answers

Students say you don't grade fairly?

Empathize, demonstrate acknowledgement, and provide a response based on research. Signup and view all the answers

You call on more boys than girls?

Validate their concerns, stress fairness, and adapt to promote equality. Signup and view all the answers

You are teaching and the class isn't listening, what do you do?

Establish a call and response, promote student interaction, and regroup. Signup and view all the answers

Parent is complaining you don't challenge her child enough?

Stress that you will create extra materials, ask for their input, and emphasize the importance of teamwork. Signup and view all the answers

Colleague doesn't want to attend professional meetings, what do you do?

Ask to discuss their concerns, emphasize the importance of teamwork, and remain polite but firm. Signup and view all the answers

How do you know your students are learning?

Through monitoring, questioning, formative assessments, and summative assessments. Signup and view all the answers

Student is crying at their desk, what do you do?

Pull them aside, ask if they are okay, and offer support. Signup and view all the answers

Have you ever helped your colleague grow professionally?

Yes, by sharing ideas and resources, and implementing portfolio documentation. Signup and view all the answers

Have you ever been in an emergency situation? What did you do?

Stayed calm, prioritized student safety, and took control of the situation. Signup and view all the answers

How do you engage your students?

By relating lessons to them, using group work, changing voice and expression, and giving chances to move around. Signup and view all the answers

How do students know they can trust you?

By staying respectful, reliable, and listening to their opinions and voice. Signup and view all the answers

How do you make relationships with students?

By getting to know them as people, making a presentation about myself, and asking them questions about their lives. Signup and view all the answers

Would your students say you are creative and innovative?

Yes, especially with COVID, I adapted to completely new learning styles and implemented lessons through Zoom. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Teacher Attributes and Skills

Essential skills for teachers include multitasking, organizational ability, time management, respectfulness, communication, collaboration, and patience.

Classroom Management and Support

Addressing diverse skills in a classroom involves offering constant support, providing choices, and implementing documentation like portfolios.
Understanding learning styles, motivations, and emotional responses of students is critical for effective support.

Motivation for Teaching

Key motivations for becoming a teacher include the desire to expand young minds, mutual learning, daily new experiences, and contributing to the foundation of other professions.

Lesson Planning Essentials

Effective lesson planning requires setting goals aligned with standards, access to materials, relevance to students' interests, understanding students' academic levels, and planning for post-lesson activities.

Components of Lesson Plans

Essential components of lesson plans include clear objectives, anticipatory sets, methods for checking understanding, and appropriate closures.

Influencing Student Lives

Major influences on students' lives include teaching them to embrace mistakes as learning opportunities, building their confidence, and helping them discover their passions.

Teaching Strategies

Core strategies utilized include visualization to enhance understanding and differentiation to cater to diverse learners.

Contribution to Organizations

Value offered to school teams includes reliability, responsibility, organizational skills, interpersonal skills, and cultural awareness.

Respecting Coworker Viewpoints

Mutual respect for coworkers' ideas is crucial for fostering a positive work environment, approached with thoughtfulness and civility.

Early Responsibility

Experiences contributing to early responsibility include translating for family and supporting younger siblings as an oldest child in immigrant backgrounds.

Continuous Learning Preference

A balanced approach to professional development combines continuous learning with mastery of specific skills to share profound knowledge.

Future Vocational Vision

Aspirations include managing a classroom that supports students, contributing to school goals, and pursuing personal growth as an educator.

Handling High Expectations

High expectations from supervisors encourage personal growth, create motivation, and are a standard that can foster a sense of accomplishment.

Personal and Professional Background

Diverse experiences shape a candidate’s teaching perspective, emphasizing patience, understanding diverse home environments, and bilingual advantages for supporting language learners.

Creative Student Engagement

Encourage creativity through innovative projects like sensory poems, which promote independent thought and expression.

Skills for Support Services

Essential skills for working in student support include patience for providing emotional reinforcement and motivation to celebrate student progress.

Addressing Classroom Issues

In problem-solving, empower students by involving them in rule-making and empathetically discussing issues to derive solutions jointly.

Active Learning Definition

Active learning prioritizes student engagement through interactive methods such as discussions and relatable content.

Role of Technology in Education

Technology enhances learning by making it more engaging, facilitating active participation, and expanding resource availability for students.

Leadership Qualities in Education

Important qualities for educators include strong communication skills, collaboration, and adaptability to new ideas and strategies.

Student Perception of Fairness

Addressing concerns about grading fairness involves empathy and clear communication regarding grading policies and standards.

Gender Call-out Balance

Address perceptions of biased participation by privately validating concerns, increasing awareness of equitable engagement during classes.

Managing Attention in Class

Establishing attention-catching strategies like call-and-response helps maintain focus and interaction among students during lessons.

Parental Communication for Challenges

Address parents' concerns transparently, and work collaboratively to provide extra challenges and materials for advanced learners.

Engaging Reluctant Colleagues

Engage colleagues in discussions about the importance of shared ideas and collective support for student benefit.

Monitoring Student Learning

Assess student learning through real-time monitoring, questioning, formative assessments, and summative evaluations.

Supporting Emotional Needs

Respond to students in distress by offering space to talk or time alone, prioritizing their emotional well-being.

Professional Peer Development

Sharing experiences with fellow educators encourages professional growth and collaborative idea development, enhancing classroom practices.

Emergency Response Capability

In critical situations, assertively prioritize student safety, manage the classroom, and redirect focus to minimize distress.

Strategies for Engaging Students

Use relatable lessons, dynamic teaching methods, and opportunities for movement to maintain engagement.

Building Trust with Students

Establish trust through mutual respect, reliability, and consistent communication, validating students' feelings and perspectives.

Relationship-Building Priorities

Know students personally by learning about their lives outside school, facilitating an inclusive and familiar classroom environment.

Creativity and Innovation in Teaching

Adapt your teaching strategies based on evolving circumstances, such as the use of online learning tools during the pandemic.

Student Motivation Techniques

Establish clear goals, offer student choices, assign collaborative roles, and provide praise to motivate students effectively.

Passion for Teaching

A personal connection to teaching stems from experiences overcoming language barriers, emphasizing the importance of educators who support students’ learning journeys.

Displaying Enthusiasm in Class

Exhibit enthusiasm through expressive communication, positive reinforcement, active engagement in student interactions, and celebrating classroom achievements.

Time Management Practices

Successful time management techniques include setting alarms for transitions, prioritizing tasks, and maintaining detailed organization through planners.

Teamwork in Education

Collaborative teamwork is essential for addressing diverse student needs and maximizing educational support efficacy.

Supporting Struggling Students

Offer additional resources, individualized assistance, and collaborative planning with parents to support students who struggle academically.

Student Descriptions

Students may describe teachers as empathetic, energetic, and positive based on their interactions and classroom environment.

Professional Self-Description

Qualities like being personable, understanding, and passionate are critical for self-perception in a professional context.

Educational Philosophy Statement

Every student deserves a safe, respectful classroom environment that supports holistic growth—academic, emotional, and social.

Minimizing Discipline Issues

Set clear rules with student involvement and consistently praise on-task behavior to create a constructive classroom atmosphere.

Importance of Student Attitude

A student's positive attitude plays a crucial role in their engagement and success, impacting their overall academic performance.

Homework Completion Issues

Celebrate existing progress and introduce incentives to encourage students who struggle with homework completion.

Reading Teaching Strategies

Select grade-appropriate reading materials that resonate with students’ interests, enhancing motivation and engagement in literacy activities.### Reading Strategies
Student interest in readings enhances engagement.
Display reading strategy posters in the classroom for reference.
Utilize graphic organizers to help students visualize connections in the material.
Implement the 3-2-1 strategy: students summarize three learnings, share two interesting facts, and ask one question post-reading.
Create word walls to foster a literacy-focused environment.
Encourage predictions before reading and facilitate discussions, followed by questions during the reading process.

Writing Strategies

Provide daily feedback on writing to promote continuous improvement (e.g., grading biographies turned into notecards).
Use templates to assist in organizing ideas (e.g., for writing sensory poems).
Incorporate mentor texts to guide students.
Model expected writing standards with examples shared in class.
Facilitate peer reviews among classmates for additional practice.
Offer sentence starters to support student writing when necessary.

Math Strategies

Employ manipulatives as visual aids to enhance understanding.
Include posters and charts in the classroom as reference tools for students.
Encourage partner work to discuss diverse problem-solving approaches.
Review graded work by circling incorrect answers for correction and reflection.
Gamify lessons using board games involving problem-solving to maintain student interest.
Ask probing questions to stimulate critical thinking (e.g., "How did you arrive at this number?" or "Is there another method we can use?").

Candidate Qualifications

Bilingual abilities enhance support for English language learners and cultural understanding.
Holds an ESL endorsement for improved instruction to non-native speakers.
Inspired to teach since preschool, influenced by a supportive teacher.
Graduated Magna Cum Laude from ISU, recognized for its teaching program, with a degree in elementary education.

Personal Background

21 years old, currently a senior at ISU.
Recently graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in elementary education and an ESL endorsement.
Fluent in Polish, with a strong connection to Polish culture and family.
Passionate about traveling and exploring diverse cultures.
Extensive experience working with children from babysitting to camp counseling to nannying.
Naturally outgoing and extroverted, comfortable forming relationships.
Highly organized, utilizes lists and planning to manage responsibilities.

Academic Strengths

Strong background in reading and writing, fueled by a passion for language and comparative analysis between languages.
Detail-oriented and committed to organization in academic pursuits.

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Description

Prepare for your teaching interviews with these flashcards covering essential skills and attributes of a great teacher. Each card provides insights into effective classroom management and the importance of diverse student support. Boost your confidence and readiness for interview questions.