Five Key Teacher Interview Questions and How to Respond

As you approach your interview preparation, there are a few key teacher interview questions that are almost guaranteed. 

In this article, we are breaking down those questions and why they are commonly asked.  We also share tips to nail those responses.

The “tell us about yourself” question is almost always how an interview starts.  It’s a broad question and we only scratch the surface on how to respond in this article.  Read this article for more depth about the “tell us about yourself” interview question.

Other versions of this question:

• Can you share with us a little about your educational background?
• Let’s start by having you talk about why you are interested in our school.
• What in your background would make you a good fit here? 

Why is this question important?

“Tell us about yourself” is a key teacher interview question for several reasons.  It sets the tone for the interview and is supposed to ease the candidate into the interview–although it rarely does.  The question provides valuable insight into the candidate’s personality.  Your answer gives the committee a first impression and a sense of whether the candidate would be a good fit.

How to approach the question:

Be sure to include:

• Your professional experience in education
• If you do not have experience in education, share any professional experience that relates (student teaching, tutoring, leading groups or a team, experience in your content area)

The best answers will explain:

• How your experience aligns with the school’s programs, mission, or goals
• How your experience makes you a good fit for the specific position

What does the panel learn from your response?

• How you will be in front of students (engaging or dull?)
• Your philosophy of education

#2: How do you create a positive and productive learning environment?

This question requires you to touch on your educational philosophy and how you bring that to fruition in a practical way.  It also provides insight into how you define “positive” and “productive”.

Other versions of this question:

• How do you build a classroom environment conducive to learning?  
• How does your classroom culture impact student learning?  
• How do you know when learning is occurring?

Why is this question important?

This is a key question because it combines two important words that characterize a successful classroom: positive and productive.  First, describe what a “positive” learning environment looks like to you and the steps you take to establish it.  Then, go into specifics about the procedures or instructional practices you use to achieve productivity.  

How to approach the question:

Be sure to include:

• What a positive and productive classroom looks like
• Both what you do to establish the culture and what actions you see students take as part of that culture
• The steps you take to maintain this environment throughout the year

The best answers will explain:

• How a positive classroom culture enhances student learning
• How a classroom culture is both between you and the students and among the students 
• How using a variety of instructional strategies enhances the learning environment and appeals to a wide range of learners

What the panel take away from your response:

• What you consider to be a productive classroom environment
• What type of classroom culture you value
• If you lean more toward a structured or looser classroom environment

3. What strategies do you use to maximize student engagement?

Other versions of this question:

• How do you meet the needs of all learners?  
• What types of instructional strategies do you use?  
• How do you engage all students?  
• What does an engaged learner look like?

Why is this question important?

This question is focused on your knowledge of pedagogy, learner profiles, and instructional strategies.  

This gets to the business of teaching and allows you to show your classroom as a place where students are “doing” and you are maximizing instructional time. 

The panel will begin to get a sense of what types of assignments you assign and, to some degree, what sort of thinking students are doing.  (Think: Bloom’s Taxonomy)  They also are ascertaining how you deal with students who are not engaged and what strategies you use to bring them back into the fold.

How to approach the question:

Be sure to include:

• What types of assignments you like to give and why
• What your role is during the class period (Do you focus on direct instruction or are you more of a facilitator and guide?)
• How you address students who are not engaged

The best answers will explain:

• A specific assignment or project that was high in student engagement and why
• How you handle students who are not engaged in class
• Any specific areas of instructional practice that are your strengths and how you apply them (Think: Differentiation techniques, EL strategies, project-based learning, metacognitive strategies)

What the panel take away from your response:

• How knowledgeable you are on pedagogy and best practices
• How aware you are of students who are not engaged and how you address that
• What types of curricular projects excite you

4. How do you handle a student who is continually disruptive?

Other versions of this question:

• How do you address student misbehavior?  
• How do you establish behavioral expectations and what do you do when those expectations are not met?  
• Describe your classroom management philosophy and why it is effective.

Why is this question important?

A question or two related to classroom management is a near-certainty in your interviews.  This scenario-based question requires you to produce a specific example and talk through how you would handle that situation.  It’s not easy, even for veteran teachers. 

This is a key teacher interview question because it’s more specific than simply sharing your classroom management philosophy.  You’ll have to talk through how you would address a real situation that will come up.  

How to approach the question:

Be sure to include:

• What do you do to set student expectations
• How despite all of the teaching and reteaching of expectations, issues will inevitably arise
• A short example of a situation you experienced and the steps you took to address it

The best answers will explain:

• You understand that the behavior  is usually coming from something than the class itself
• That you can show empathy and kindness in the face of a frustrating situation
• That you have a system for handling these situations so that your entire class is not derailed

What the panel take away from your response:

• How you handle difficult situations and how many options you try before calling in the administration
• How you balance the individual student needs with the needs of the rest of the class

5. Walk us through a typical lesson.  

Other versions of this question:

• How do you structure your class time?  
• How do you maximize instructional time?  
• Describe a time a lesson went well/went poorly.  
• What types of instructional strategies do you use most in your class?

Why is this question important?

This is also a situational-based question that asks that you explain what a typical class period looks like and how you use your instructional time.

This may be the only time the panelists get a sense of how you structure your class time.  It moves from the philosophical and your beliefs to the practical of the class period.

How to approach the question:

Be sure to include:

• A typical lesson that has a beginning, middle, and end.  It does not need to be the classic hook, direct teaching, and exit ticket but it should show cohesion.  
• Some form of timing.  (Think: The first five minutes we review homework, I teach a new concept for about 15-20 minutes, students spend the final 10 minutes practicing)
• How you provide opportunities for students to talk to one another and/or opportunities to think through a concept in writing.

The best answers will explain:

• That at some point you are checking for understanding
• That the students have an opportunity to review, learn, and try
• That you give the students multiple opportunities to utilize the new information 
• Any regular practice you have for building class culture–if you do something a certain number of times a week consistently, include that and identify the frequency

What the panel take away from your response

• How you handle timing, transitions, and the structure of your class
• How many different instructional activities you include in a class period
• To some degree this shows your level of organization and your ability to plan within the time frame of the period

Final Thoughts

These key teacher interview questions come up over and over again because they hit different interview categories.   They also reveal different insights to the panel on what you value, your thinking process, to how you handle difficult situations.  

A final tip is to always balance your enjoyment of the students with your enjoyment of your content.  Teachers who are focused too heavily on one or the other will often run into issues.  If you can show a good blend of your knowledge of best teaching practices with a with-it-ness in the classroom and an ability to connect with students, you will stand out in your interview and position yourself well to be called back for the next round.

Amanda Melsby has been a professional educator for 20 years.  She taught English before working as an assistant principal and later as a high school principal.  Amanda holds an Ed.D. in Educational Practice and Leadership and is currently a dean of teaching and learning.