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There is no
question that
the competition
for teaching
jobs is
extremely
tough. I have
sat on teacher
interview
committees where
we had narrowed
it down to four
people for the
open teaching
position and it
broke my heart
that I had to
tell three of
them they did
not get the job
despite being
excellent
teachers.
If you are
getting calls
for interviews,
but you are not
able to seal the
deal and secure
yourself a
teaching
position, you
need to look at
every aspect of
the
interview…you
need to do every
little thing to
separate
yourself from
the intense
competition.
There are many
things teachers
should do during
the interview, but
one of the most
overlooked is
asking questions
of the interview
committee.
I am always
shocked at how
many candidates
simply do not do
this…or don’t
put as much
emphasis on it
as need be. By
asking questions
you are
accomplishing
two main goals.
One, you are
determining if
this is actually
the right
teaching job for
you, and two,
you come off and
giving the
appearance of
confidence…don’t
underestimate
this.
Also, by asking
the correct
questions at the
correct time YOU
begin to take
over and control
the job
interview. The
interview then
becomes more of
two-way
conversation
between
colleagues on
the same level
than it does a
one-way
interview in
which the
candidate is
simply fielding
questions from
superiors.
I have always
said that the
best interviews
are the ones
that don’t
“seem” like
interviews…they
felt
natural…they
felt more like
conversations.
However, what
questions you
ask are also
important. You
don’t just want
to ask questions
for the sake of
asking
questions…you
want to ask the
right questions.
And, by asking
the right
questions during
your teacher
interview you
will separate
yourself from
the other
candidates
applying for the
same teaching
job.
Unfortunately,
many people just
can’t seem to
come up with the
right questions.
Here are 10
questions you
should ask
during your next
teacher
interview:
1.
How many classes
would I be
teaching?
2.
How many “preps”
does this
position
require?
(Remember, you
may only be
teaching 5
classes, but if
you have four
different
“preps” for four
different
subjects you may
be in trouble)
3.
Would I have my
own classroom?
(Having to teach
in different
classrooms can
make teaching
much more
difficult)
4.
Do you have a
teacher mentor
program (A
teacher mentor
program can be a
new teacher’s
saving grace,
but veteran
teachers can
benefit from
them as well)
5.
Will I have
opportunities
for professional
development?
(You want to
give the
impression that
you plan to grow
professionally)
6.
What type of
access would I
have to
technology?
(Grade book
software, email,
unitedstreaming,
etc.)
7.
What duties are
required of the
position?
(Lunch, hallway
etc.)
8.
What type of
extracurricular
activities can I
get involved
with?
9.
How much
planning time do
teachers have?
(Don’t ask this
question
first…it will
come across as
planning time is
your most
important
question.
However,
planning time is
important and
different
schools will
have different
amounts of time
allotted for
teacher planning
so you should
make sure you
know before you
accept any
teaching job)
10. What is the
school policy on
inclusion?
Again, by asking
questions during
your interview
you will
establish an air
of confidence
about you.
However, more
importantly, you
will determine
if the school is
truly a good
match for YOU. |
