| Good news! A local school district has called you and | | | | presented. If you don't ASK, you won't know. |
| invited you for an interview. They were impressed with | | | | 2. Prepare a portfolio that highlights your strengths as a |
| your application, cover letter and resume and they're | | | | teacher. While many candidates will enter the interview |
| looking forward to meeting with you next week. | | | | room empty-handed, those who are ambitious enough |
| Don't sit around while you wait for the day of the | | | | to prepare a professional teaching portfolio beforehand |
| interview. You need to prepare! Here's a list of things | | | | will have an advantage. A good portfolio will contain |
| you can do to get ready for your next teacher | | | | your best lesson plans, positive evaluations, sample |
| interview. | | | | student work, sample parent newsletters, and |
| 1. When a school district calls you to offer you an | | | | photographs of your teaching. At an interview your |
| interview, ASK who will be on the interview panel. If | | | | words will TELL the interview committee that you're |
| you know the names and positions of those on the | | | | an good teacher, but your portfolio can act as physical |
| panel, you will be able to think about how to phrase | | | | PROOF of your teaching excellence. |
| your answers to satisfy the interviewers. For example, | | | | 3. Learn the interview questions beforehand. While |
| if you know there will be a Reading Specialist on the | | | | every interview experience will be unique, the |
| interview committee, then you may want to pay | | | | questions usually are not. Many of the same questions |
| particular attention to strategies for teaching reading. If | | | | are asked at almost every interview you'll attend. |
| you find out a Social Worker will be on the panel, you | | | | They'll be asking about your classroom management. |
| will want to think about ways of dealing with students | | | | They'll ask about parent communication. They'll ask |
| that have challenging social issues at home and school. | | | | about differentiated instruction. And so on. Learn |
| And if there happens to be a Special Education | | | | common teacher interview questions beforehand and |
| teacher on the panel, you can bet on some specific | | | | practice developing appropriate responses that will |
| questions that relate to students with special needs. | | | | impress the panel. If you know most of the questions, |
| The most prepared candidates have a good idea of | | | | and plan your answers ahead of time, you won't be |
| what types of questions will be asked before the | | | | caught off guard. |
| interview. If you know who is on the panel, you can | | | | Good luck with your job search! |
| have a clear picture of what types of questions will be | | | | |