When you are going for teaching interview, you should go prepared. Education is a competitive sector. Everyone is better than the next. Thus, it is better to be prepared and hence, confident. Make sure you hold eye contact with your interviewer. Do not be stiff. Be fluid like water, ready to answer whatever question you are thrown. Prepare beforehand. Have a general idea about teaching lingo and general knowledge.
It is alright to be opinionate but refrain from shoving your beliefs down the other person’s throat. Do your research about the school you are going to an interview for. Prepare questions for which you did not get the answer. Be observant of your surroundings. Notice what puts you at an advantageous position or at a disadvantageous position. Prepare a portfolio which has lesson plan, opinion of your students, references etc. apart from the usual papers declaring you suitable for the job.
The panels are interested in both what you say and how you say it. Practice it well. The questions would not have ‘explain’, ‘why’ or ‘expand’ after them. It is expected of you to give answers in detail rather than just ‘yes’ or ‘no’. For the sake of clarity, the questions below have these postfixes added. It is alright to think before you answer. You can take a sip of water to calm your nerves. If the question is unclear or you are doubtful if it means what you think it means, do not hesitate to clarify.
The list of Questions for ETE Teacher Interview Questions (2018)
- Before we begin, will you please tell us something about yourself?
- Wow, that is nice. What made you apply for this job?
- What made you apply for this specific post?
- What made you leave your current or earlier job?
- How will you manage challenges at work?
- Do you have any experience working as a teacher or working in a school?
- What made you want to be a teacher?
You need to show that being a teacher is not a backup plan. Here it will be beneficial to talk about your motivation, passion and reason for becoming a teacher. Show enthusiasm while talking about it.
8. What makes you a suitable choice for the position you have applied?
9. In the current world, what problems does a student face? How can teachers help the students overcome these problems?
10. Give us a summary of your behavior management strategy.
11. What do you think is the biggest mistake a teacher usually makes? Why do you think it is so? How will you not commit the same mistake?
12. Why is education important apart from making a career?
13. What would you be doing if not a teacher?
14. What will you do if a student denies cooperating with you for whatever reason?
15. If we do not employ, how will be at a disadvantageous position?
16. What role does a teacher play in a child’s safety?
17. How will you deal with safety of students?
18. What does ‘equal opportunity’ mean to you?
19. As a teacher, what special qualities do you have which you can use to your advantage?
20. Imagine yourself old and wrinkled, marking answers that do not make sense half the time. How does that make you feel?
Refrain from vague answers. Do not diddle-daddle and answer to the point. Makes the answer memorable, hard hitting and impactful. You need to capture your interviewee’s attention.
21. What are your major achievements as a teacher?
22. Is there anything you would live to improve about yourself as a teacher?
23. What kind of expectations do you have from this job?
24. What are your views on current government schemes related to education? Do you think any of them are disadvantageous? Which schemes do you think are advantageous? Is government implementing them well? What makes you think so?
25. Did you enjoy your visit to the school?
26. Tell us about your teaching style in detail.
27. What sorts of problem, according to you, do the teachers face nowadays?
28. What about violence towards teachers?
29. What inspired you to be a teacher?
30. How can you contribute to school?
31. Out of the two: teaching and learning, what is the most important? Why is it so?
32. How will you teach students the subject you are applying for?
33. How will you react to a student asking question out of what you are teaching?
34. How will you react to a student constantly interrupting the class?
35. What is your opinion on the education department of our country?
36. How can we improve the literacy rate of our country?
37. Do you know what ICT is? How will you incorporate it in your class?
ITC stands for information and communication technology.
38. What about violence towards students?
39. How will you deal with bullying outside and inside the campus?
40. What is your opinion on tuitions?
41. Will you give tuitions yourself?
42. How will you deal with a hostile parent?
43. How will you deal with a parent who has regressive views?
44. Do you have any ideas about how to manage classroom behavior and organization? Why is it that you think these ideas will be successful?
45. All students are equal: What is your opinion?
A tricky question. They might be equal otherwise but their learning capabilities vary.
46. How will you motivate your students?
47. What are the guidelines you use to assess your student’s learning capabilities? What will you suggest for them to do better?
48. Why is the subject you have applied for important?
49. How will you use modules in your class? (Where modules refer to smart class and Edu comp etc.)
50. What do you think about homework? Why so?
51. How will you deal with accidents in classrooms?
52. Do you think education system will change in the coming years? Will your skills meet the need of the future?
Your skills should meet the present. That is what your concern should be. So, remember to mold your answer to that need.
53. What qualities should a teacher teaching the said subject should possess? Do you have them? What makes you think so?
54. A student lacks interest in the subject you teach. How will you deal with it? Or how will you make them interested in the subject?
55. What are the issues a teacher of said subject faces? How will you deal with these issues?
56. Is technology assisting or hindering education? Please explain your opinion.
57. Apart from the subject you are applying for, what else can you teach? Do you have any experience teaching those subjects?
58. Do you have any ideas for the betterment of school or student? Is there any reason you think these can help?
59. What do you know about this school?
60. Do you see yourself mingling well with the school staff and administration?
61. What do you think your role will be in the campus?
62. How will your teaching ability help students outside the campus?
63. How will you work with people you do not really like?
64. How do you respond to criticism?
65. How do you react to compliments?
66. What about your college experiences? Can you describe them?
67. And you school? How was school for you?
68. Do you have any experience teaching (the age level you are aiming for)?
69. What are your thoughts or beliefs about teaching?
70. You want to be a teacher. Why do you want to be a teacher when there are so many other jobs?
71. Tell us about your strength and if you could, please do explain why you think it is your strength.
72. What about your weaknesses as a teacher? What makes them your weakness? Is there any way to overcome it?
While answering questions about your weakness do not use the overbearing statement: “I am a perfectionist.” The statement in not only overbearing but also overused and phony. Usually interviewers are just anticipating the moment you will use this in your answer. Try not to get offended and defensive when answer a question such as this. Do not justify your weakness or give excuses. All of it will create a bad impact. Rather stay relevant, to the point and make sure whatever you answer it is not a key factor in deciding if you are applicable to be a teacher or not. It should relate to the job but is not the deciding factor. Say, “I am a creative person. There are thousand of ideas in my mind on how to do a certain thing.” Learn to say truth in the way it hurts the least.
73. Creativity is very important in kids. How do you think you would implement creativity in your classroom? Encourage it?
74. Do you know what is differentiated instruction? If you have ever used it in your lessons? If so how did you use it?
Differentiated instruction means changing or modifying instructions to suit individual requirements. For example, changing the method of teaching to suit the needs of dyslexic students. Usually through modules, group discussion, class activity etc. It acts as a breather from the daily route learning but makes it easier and more fun learning process. It helps build character as well. There are lots and lots of advantage of differentiated learning. A search regarding this topic is suggested.
75. How do you think you will teach students to think far and high?
76. What do you think you will prepare your students for? State exam or standardized exam?
77. What is an ideal classroom to you?
78. What is an ideal school to you?
79. How should an ideal parent be?
80. Are you alright with a parent interfering with the way you teach? What will your reaction be?
81. Why do you want to work with this school? What do you think makes our school different from others?
82. Do you have any suggestion for the improvement of our school?
83. How do you think you can make learning fun and enjoyable? Or you would not?
84. What is your opinion of corporal punishment? Can you explain your thoughts on it?
85. Imagine that you have got the job. You are now teaching a class. On a typical day if someone walks in to your class, what would they observe?
86. What standards do you have to decide a student’s performance in classroom or even in life?
87. What are your political views? What do you think about laws made about education in India?
88. What makes a successful lesson plan? How do you (if you do) prepare your lesson plan? What makes it successful or what improvements do you think it needs?
89. What is your reaction to problem children? How would you react if a student does not come to school, is routinely late in submitting homework as well as coming to class, gets into fight etc.? How would you react to estranged friends who get into huge fight? What about girls who are going through menstruation?
90. What do you think about sex education? Do you think it should be implemented? If so why? How will you implement it?
91. How will you teach students? Will you only use lecture or include other methods of teaching as well?
92. What opinion do you hold when it comes to discipline?
93. How will you implement discipline?
94. Do you have any classroom rules? If so what are they? How will you make the student familiar with and follow it? What will your reaction be towards those who choose not to follow it? What about students who have genuine reasons not to follow it? What would you do if others call you out for partiality? What would you do if parents react harshly?
95. What all daily or weekly routines you will add in your teaching method?
96. How will you meet the need of special students?
97. What is it that you wish to gain by becoming a teacher?
98. What makes you as a teacher different from others? What will you bring to the table?
99. Say, student A hits student B. How will you react? What will you do?
100. A student uses abusive language in your class or speaks in a language other than English (if the school is an English one). What is your reaction?
101. A student is caught stealing. What will you do?
102. A student is complaining about your teaching method or the homework you have given. How will you react?
103. Is there anything else apart from teaching the said subject that you can do? Something which will benefit the students?
104. What about parents? What will you do if a parent complained about your teaching method or assignments?
105. Parents and teachers often clash. How would you react if a parent vs teacher conflict arises?
106. What do you demand from a parent when it comes to education or school?
107. What ‘positive reinforcement’ will you use in your classroom? What makes you think they are positive?
108. If you have to classify yourself as a teacher, how will you classify yourself? Are you a strict teacher, a cool teacher or what? Why do you think so?
109. Is there anyway you can modify behavior of a troubled student?
110. What are your thoughts on the statement: ‘Children are more troubled than adults’.
111. How will you deal with a student you think is depressed or suicidal? What about students who are inflicting self-harm?
112. According to you, what is the biggest problem a teacher faces during his or her term as a teacher?
113. What is the biggest challenge you faced as a teacher? Did you overcome it? If so how?
114. What makes you not want to be a teacher?
115. How can you calm down an angry parent?
116. How will you maintain parent teacher contact?
117. A parent contacts you. They wish to talk to you about their ward’s low grades or performance. How will you react?
118. How can you implement technology in your day to day teaching life?
119. What is your experience with computer?
120. What is your opinion on children using internet?
121. What is your opinion on children using mobile during classes?
122. What do you think team teaching? Will you be willing to get involved in team teaching?
123. What is your opinion on extra-curricular and co-curricular activities?
124. Are you a leader or a follower? Do you have any example of a time you acted as a leader? Why do you think you are a leader and/or a follower? Why is being a leader or a follower better than being a follower or leader?
125. What makes a student gifted?
126. Do you know about Special Education Services?
127. All students have different learning habits. How will you cater to these needs at the same time?
128. What about dyslexic student? How will you cater to their needs while also assisting students with high reading abilities?
129. If you have any experience with teaching, tell us about it?
130. Which age, grade and subject will you love to teach? Explain.
131. Which age, grade and subject you would not really wish to teach? Explain.
132. As a student, what kind of teacher did you wish to have?
133. As a teacher, what kind of teacher did you wish to be?
134. As a teacher, what kind of student do you wish to have?
135. What experience did you gain as a teacher? What did you learn as a teacher?
136. What do you think you learnt about teaching from your student days? Do you think it is still relevant?
137. What do you think is the most satisfying thing about being a teacher?
138. What is the most unsatisfying thing about being a teacher according to you?
139. Up till now what is your most satisfying experience as a teacher?
140. What is your aim as a teacher? What do you wish to gain by becoming a teacher?
141. According to you, what makes a good teacher? Why do you think so?
142. As a teacher what has been the biggest challenge you faced? Why do you think as such? How did you overcome it?
143. Imagine you are stranded on an island. You can only have mobile or books with you. Which will you choose and why? There’s no network, by the way.
Now notice that the answer says book(s). That means more than. And the other option is mobile. Choose mobile in case the latter part of the question is not said. Using internet, you can email someone your coordinates or just call someone using talk time. Even if the latter part of the sentence is said, choose mobile. These days a typical mobile has lot more features than words on a book are.
144. Do you read? What are you reading right now? How will you inoculate reading habits in student?
145. A student confides with you by telling you he or she is a victim of abuse (can be domestic or sexual in nature). He or she also tell you not to tell anyone. How will you react?
146. Do you agree that a teacher learns something from his or her student? What did you learn as a teacher from your student?
147. What do you think of gender neutrality? If you think it is a good thing, how will you implement it in your class?
148. How will you define ‘life long learner’? What will you do promote the idea of a life long learner in your class?
149. What make an ideal student?
150. Will you be a willing to give a hand in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities? If so which ones?
151. What do you wish for in a school principal?
152. How will you communicate with school administrators and staffs?
153. What is your opinion on homosexuality?
154. Will your personal opinion act as a hurdle during duties?
155. Do you have any experience being a councilor?
156. If you have to describe yourself in one sentence, how will you describe yourself?
157. Another variation of the above question. How will you describe yourself in only (number) adjectives?
158. Did you undertake any professional teaching to become a teacher?
159. What makes a ‘teacher’ different from a ‘great teacher’? Do you have those qualities? What makes you think so? What if I say otherwise?
160. As a student, what were you like? Please explain.
161. How will you make a boring lesson interesting?
162. You are explaining something but the students are not getting it. Will you continue teaching as it is or will you do something to help them get it? Just what will you do?
163. Not all students are able to perform well. How will you act with those who are unable to perform well?
164. If a student is unable to speak good English, what will you do?
165. Do you think students can teach other students? Explain.
166. How will you make one student accept another?
167. What are your thoughts on Bullying? How will you make the campus a #NoBullyingZone?
168. How will you resolve conflicts?
169. How will you teach your students conflict resolution?
170. If you had to recommend a book to a student who does not read, what book will it be? Explain why.
171. Another variation of the above question: what TV show will you recommend your student? Explain why.
172. How will you bridge the gap between religion and studies?
173. Do you know about inclusion classroom? How do you feel about working in an inclusion classroom?
An inclusion classroom is a classroom where students with or without disabilities learn together. Essentially, it could be said that it is an antonym of special education classrooms (SEC) where only students with disabilities learn.
174. How will you meet the requirements of a special child?
175. How will you teach students the writing/reading process?
176. Is there any project which you wish to assign to the students? What makes you think so?
177. What do you have that other candidates do not? How will this affect us?
178. Why do you want to work in the education department?
179. Are you flexible? What makes you think so?
180. When you are not teaching, what do you like to do? Are there any particular hobbies you enjoy? What makes it fun or interesting?
181. A student does not have a good handwriting. What do you do?
182. A student can not read properly? How will you help?
183. How was your previous principal?
184. How will you help student develop self-confidence?
185. How will you refrain from bias judgement?
186. Do you have any example of your lesson plan?
187. Do you follow your lesson plan word to word or not?
188. Where do you see yourself (number) from now?
189. Why will you hire yourself?
190. Why should I hire you?
191. What is your biggest motivation?
192. Is there anything which makes you think that the teaching profession is for you?
193. What makes you think that the teaching profession is not for you?
194. What is the part you are most looking forward to as a teacher?
195. Why are you interested in the subject you applied for?
196. Which lesson of yours has been the most successful and which the least? Why do you think so?
197. What characteristics did your favorite teacher had?
198. Why is your degree subject relevant to your reaching?
199. How do you think the mind of children work? How do children learn?
200. Are you prepared to teach students of varied heritage and culture?
201. How will you help students attain their full potential?
202. Is a teacher’s job limited to the classroom or does it extend outside as well?
203. How are you under pressure? How do you deal with stress and pressure?
204. Is there any part of the job that you are looking forward to?
205. What about the part of job which you are not looking forward to at all?
206. How can you make connection between what you are teaching student in the campus to the outside or real world?
207. What about references? Do you have any references? If so who are they and how do you know them?
208. If I call your references now, what do you think they would say about you?
209. How do you think teachers serve the community?
210. What if there were no teachers? How do you think students would learn?
211. How does your teaching meet the required standards?
212. What about noise in class? How do you feel about commotion?
213. How will you manage your classroom?
214. Do you think there has been any change in education then and now? For better or for worse? Why do you think so?
215. How will motivate parents to participate in their children’s education?
216. How do you assess a student’s performance and evaluate it? What makes your method better?
217. How will you motivate students who are disinterested or unwilling to participate in class?
218. What is your opinion on teaching as a team? Why do you hold this sort of opinion?
219. Which part of your portfolio or resume makes you the proudest? Why?
220. What do you think when I say, ‘Challenges and Rewards’?
221. Show us your portfolio, please.
Your teaching portfolio should consist of lesson plan and samples of work you gave to students along with the usual papers.
222. How is education in India different from other countries? If it better then why? If it is worse then why? How can we make it better?
223. What has been the biggest moment for you as a teacher up till now?
224. Are you ready to teach a mixed class? A class which consists of special students as well?
225. Thank you. Do you have any questions for you?
A life hack making the round is asking them back: “Yes. Is there anything in my portfolio which concerns you?” You can also ask questions which remained unanswered after doing your research. Like how many students go to the school, technology, lab etc. Asking questions make it seem as if you are interested and excited to work for them. As long as you do not dominate the interview by asking questions, you will be good to go. Think your questions before hand. Think about what you want to ask before you go for the interview. Like mentioned, it makes you seem genuinely interested and curious. Asking question is not only a good habit in a student but also in a candidate. Just remember to hold your horses when you are asking some questions.
…And there you go! Most of the time if you do these questions, you are set to go. Practice answering these questions in front of a mirror. The key to a successful interview is confidence. Keep your back straight and your answers straight. Do not jump from one answer to answer. Do not add extra, unneeded layers and keep to the point.
