The Most Common Teaching Interview Questions
02 May, 20231-2 minutes
If you’ve pursued a career in teaching, you’ll know how rewarding it is to support a young person through the most important years of their development. For Teachers who have worked at the same school for a long time, the idea of leaving a place you know well might feel daunting. However, taking a leap of faith could be the best thing to keep your passion for the industry alive.
If you’re interviewing for a new Teacher job, it's important to prepare for a school Teacher interview, so we’ve compiled the most commonly asked questions - and how you should be answering them!
Common teaching interview questions
The most commonly asked Teacher job interview questions are:
- How do you motivate your students?
- How would you engage with a parent or guardian?
- How would your past peers describe you?
- What is your teaching philosophy?
How do you motivate your students?
Every Teacher knows that motivating a class of students who would rather be elsewhere is no mean feat. In any education setting, it’s vital that a Teacher is able to lead their class successfully and have a positive influence on their day-to-day learning.
For that reason, a hiring manager will want to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of how to help your students get the most out of their lessons. To successfully answer this question, draw upon past experiences where you were able to motivate a class and deliver a fulfilling lesson.
If you’re new to teaching, think back to a time when you motivated a child in a different setting. It might have been helping a sibling with homework or encouraging a young person to pursue a hobby. Giving a hiring manager real-life examples will add credibility to your answer and show them that you have already developed the skills they are looking for.
To enhance your answer further, include that motivating a class usually requires a personalised approach. This is a great way to show a hiring manager that you’re able to adapt your teaching to motivate different personality types.
How would you engage with a parent or guardian?
For a Teacher of any age group, it’s vital you’re able to communicate well with the parents and guardians of your students. Most parents and guardians will want a comprehensive insight into their child’s education and will expect their child’s teacher to provide them with this.
To answer this question, explain to the hiring manager that for a child’s education to be a success, it’s vital there is mutual trust between a Teacher and parents or guardians. The more trust there is between the adults, the more comfortable a student should feel in their Teacher's care.
You might end up working with children from different backgrounds, so it’s important you get to know their families on a personal level to be able to engage with them effectively.
The hiring manager might also ask how you would deal with a challenging parent or guardian. We advise preparing for this question and if you have a real-life example of when you have dealt with such a situation in the past, be sure to include this in your answer.
How would your past peers describe you?
In order to prepare for the question, we advise making a list of the critical attributes a hiring manager will look for in a new Teacher.
If you’ve already enjoyed a successful career in teaching, the likelihood is you already possess many of the required attributes, such as compassion, creativity, patience and leadership.
You should enhance your answer by explaining to the hiring manager why each of these attributes makes a successful teacher. A hiring manager will use this question to assess your self-awareness and they may even compare your answer to any references you have provided them with.
What is your teaching philosophy?
A hiring manager will ask this question to assess the cultural fit between yourself and their school. Before answering this question, we advise researching the school in order to gain a better understanding of its history, culture and beliefs.
By touching on your findings, your answer should encourage a hiring manager that your teaching philosophy will fit in well with their existing principles. The most successful answers to this question will emphasise the passion for the industry and the determination to shape a child’s future.
Latest Teacher jobs at Spencer Clarke Group
If you’re searching for your next Teacher job, why not take a look at all the teaching opportunities available with Spencer Clarke Group now?
Alternatively, why not speak with one of our specialist consultants who can discuss any upcoming opportunities. We work with hundreds of schools across the UK and can offer a range of opportunities including temporary, permanent and to temp-perm positions.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Since 2017, we've been changing the face of recruitment. From our employees, to the way we do business, to the culture within our office, we're determined to make a difference and create a positive impact on everyone around us.
Recruitment to us isn't just about matching candidates and clients; we’re passionate about finding candidates the perfect job which has the ability to boost their salary and standard of living, better their work life balance and improve their mental health.
Similarly, we understand the impact which an experienced and skilled employee can make to a business and we love seeing clients thrive through the hard work of candidates which we have placed with them.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
Planning, Development & Regeneration
Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering
If you’re searching for a new role, why not visit our job page to take a look at the latest opportunities? Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our experienced consultants will contact you when a relevant opportunity becomes available.
If you’re struggling to fill a role, why don’t you give us a call on 01772 954200 to see how we can help? One of our consultants will be happy to listen to the challenges which you are facing and advise on the best possible solution for you.
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