Getting into this profession requires a candidate to answer teacher
interview questions. However, answering is not enough. A candidate must have
the depth required to be an influencer.
He/she should also be able to display the same so that the interviewer
is confident about hiring the right person for a teaching job.
With the changing times and coming of technology in education (EdTech)
the responsibility and expertise required for the teaching profession have also gone
a sea change. Unlike in the past, a teacher today is required to have knowledge
or awareness of various audio-visual teaching aids.
Keeping in mind the future of students, most schools in India follow a
particular format to hire a good teacher. The process may vary from school to
school but the essence remains the same – to hire the best teacher.
Like any other interview, a teaching interview also requires you to
prepare for common teaching interview questions. But there may be one of
several written assessments that you may have to complete before you face any
teacher interview questions. And quite a few questions asked in a teaching
interview are behavioral questions. So, you may have to keep that in mind
while preparing for your teacher interview.
Here are some of the important teacher interview questions that you may be
asked:
- What motivates you to be a teacher?
- What is your idea behind this profession or your philosophy that
drives you every day to work?
- What method will you take to handle a difficult student?
- How will you encourage and motivate students in your class?
- Do you like to keep parents in the loop about a student’s progress?
- How will you build relationships with your parents?
- What is a lesson plan and how do you prepare one?
- How do you handle classroom discipline?
- How would you deal with an angry parent?
- What actions will you take to manage underperforming students?
- How can you make learning more fun for your students?
Subject Related Written Assessment
The written assignment is the first round one has to face before the interview. This assessment is to judge a candidate’s knowledge related to the
subject. In addition, it is used to
determine how well a candidate can perform a certain set of skills related to a
particular subject or group of subjects for which they have applied. This form
of assessment is a mass eliminator and those who are able to clear this round
are able to proceed to the HR Interview.
HR Interview
This round is to understand the psyche of a candidate and also to
understand their backgrounds. Besides the common teacher interview questions
listed above, in this round, you may be asked the following questions as well:
- Tell me about a time when you solved a student’s problem with other
teachers.
- What’s the one major thing you have learned in your last job that will
help you here?
- Tell me about your strengths in difficult times at work.
- Tell me about a time when someone gave you feedback and how you felt and
handled it.
- Where are you from?
- Walk me through any lesson of your choice as storytelling.
- Any questions for me?
- The interview questions in this round are to judge a candidate’s
aptitude to teach in the classroom.
Subject Related Panel Interview
This interview is related to the subject that a candidate is supposed
to teach in school. This panel interview consists of people who have mastery in
subjects along with the school principal and director. This round is to judge a
candidate’s knowledge of the subject. The major questions are related to a
theorem or a concept in the book. A few questions also demand a practical mindset
to answer. This round if cleared can take a candidate to the next level which
is about practical teaching.
Teaching Test/ Audition
In this round, the candidate is asked to go to a real life setting and
teach students in the class. The candidate here is judged by a senior teacher
who is an expert in the domain knowledge. This round gives a clear idea about how
a candidate may perform in the classroom and the basis this 90% of selection decision
is taken.
Psychometric Test
A few top private schools in the country prefer to take a psychometric test before hiring a teacher. This gives schools an idea about the capabilities
that they look for in a competent teacher.
Most schools prefer the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality
test that unveils the following:
- Uncover team strengths
- Enhance team understanding of each other
- Understand the level of appreciation of own and others contribution
- Understand the level of a candidate’s performance in teams
- Understand the problem-solving ideology of the candidate
- Uncover the candidate’s weaknesses and potential blind spots in the team
work
Final Negotiation
This again is the HR negotiation but with senior HR of the school,
here a candidate is asked about his or her salary expectation and a final offer
is rolled.
In this whole process, the teacher interview questions are based on
parameters to judge aptitude, knowledge, ability, mindset, tech-savvy behavior
and teamwork.
