Sample Interview Questions for Teachers

• Why did you decide to become a teacher?
• Have you ever taken care of someone? Did you enjoy it?
• Do you consider yourself a risk taker? (Give an example to back up your answer.)
• Are you a positive and energetic person? (Give an example to back up your answer.)
• If a student said she thought you were the worst teacher she ever had, what would you say?
• If I were your principal and we were setting goals for next year, what would they be?
• What is the last book you read?
• Have you ever considered publishing a book?
• Some people say you should demand respect. Do you agree or disagree?
• Tell me about yourself.
• How would you rank these in importance and why? Planning, discipline, methods, evaluation.
• If a student came to you and said, “None of the other students like me,” what would you tell him or her?
• Are you an empathetic person? Give an example.
• How can you tell that a person is a good listener?
• Are you an objective person? Give an example.
• What do you want to do with your life?
• How do you feel if a student doesn’t meet a deadline?
• It is the first day of class, you are writing something on the board and a paper wad hits you in the back, what would you do? Later the same day, if all the students drop their pencils, what would you do?
• What was the most frustrating thing that happened to you as a student teacher? What was the best thing?
• Do you believe you should build rapport with students? If yes, how?
• How do you give your students recognition? Do you think a student can have too much recognition?
• How do you encourage students to learn? Can a student be forced to learn?
• How do you handle a child who seems gifted, but is a discipline problem?
• How do you feel about computers in the classroom?
• How do you present a new word to a class?
• What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
• What is the role of the principal? Does a conflict exist between your perception of a principal’s role and his/her role as your evaluator?
• Describe your student teaching experience.
• During your student teaching, were you ever involved with a situation at school involving racial tension? If so, how did you handle it?
• How do you establish authority/discipline? What do you do when a discipline problem arises?
• What subjects have you taught?
• Are you patient? Give an example.
• Do you ever feel angry toward your students?
• What will you be doing in five years?
• What is you educational philosophy?
• If you could create the ideal school, what would it be like?
• Do you like to be challenged? (Give an example to back up your answer.)
• What do you like/dislike most about teaching?
• How do you feel about noise in the classroom? How do you handle noise in the classroom?
• How would you handle making a difficult phone call to a parent?

Reprinted with Permission of Virginia Tech Career Services – www.career.vt.edu