I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

So, since I am an alternate route candidate, it's been very hard for me to even get an interview. I finally got one for Friday. It's for a 5th grade position at a private school.

I have never been on a teaching interview before. What kind of questions can I expect? How can I present myself and my qualifications? I mean, I can say, I am willing to work hard and learn and perhaps being even more motivated since I am new to all this.....help teachers! I really want this.

Thanks

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

no one?

teachers where are you?

I have been having trouble logging on today so maybe everyone else has too...

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Hi Jen,

First, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not an elementary teacher, so I don't know what questions they will ask but I did a google search and got quite a few hits!! I searched on the words: "help with teaching interview" and got some good questions and answers.

Emphasize what you can bring to their school--make sure you display your enthusiasm and your willingness to learn. Also, you have real life experience to offer!

Here are a few links that I thought were good:

Tough interview questions

Teacher interview Especially look at the links on the bottom of this page!!

Here are a lot more links to look through

Best of luck!! If you have any specific questions, please feel free to post here or FM me!

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Jen,
Congrats and good luck!! I'll cross my fingers..

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

thank you NewYawkah and Jozie!

Jozie, any leads for yourself? Did you take the Praxis yet?

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

I'm a high school teacher, so I don't know if I'd be much help. But I did have this saved on my computer from when I was interviewing last year. Good luck!

http://teachingheart.net/teacherinterview.html

Oh, just thought of this. I was a career switcher too, so I got the question "So why do you want to change careers and become a teacher?"

Message edited 7/12/2005 3:00:13 PM.

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Good luck on your interview. I don't know if they will ask you different questions knowing you are an alt. route candidate.

I would be prepared to talk about your background and how it would benefit the school and your class, behavior mangagement, inclusion (maybe), aligning to the standards, preparing your students for the ELA and math assessments (all grades 3-8 get tested from now on, not just 4th and 8th, from what I've heard-I'm speech-lang. so I'm not totally sure), how to handle a struggling student/gifted student, how to involve parents, including multiculturalism, integrating technology, how you'd work with others (i.e. grade level, special ed., etc.).

Try not to act nervous b/c how they feel you connected with them is important. Let them know how you would go about finding out any information you may not know (b/c knowing where to go is half the battle). Dress in a suit and bring a few copies of your resume and any sorts of certifications you may have. It's good to have a copy of references and coursework/continuing ed.

Hope that helps! Let us know how it goes!

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Yea!!!

That's so great - make sure to let us know how it goes.

I've been surfing programs all day on line to see if I can find a Master's program in NJ to take since a lot of the alternate folks are having trouble.

I'm going to take the General Knowledge Praxis soon and I want to go into Special Ed.

You're my role model!!

Good luck!!

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Posted by leighla

Yea!!!

That's so great - make sure to let us know how it goes.

I've been surfing programs all day on line to see if I can find a Master's program in NJ to take since a lot of the alternate folks are having trouble.

I'm going to take the General Knowledge Praxis soon and I want to go into Special Ed.

You're my role model!!

Good luck!!

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

I've been back and forth between Kean, William Patterson and Caldwell College.

I think I'm going to Caldwell because they do a dual Masters in General Education and Special Education.

And they don't require the teaching certification first.

You're right - it is REALLY confusing!!

You'd think they would make it clearer!!

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

my interview got moved to this coming Friday...

I am SO nervous. I have NO experience. I do not have a portfolio and I do not have any recommendations...I mean I could get them from HR related people but no one education -wise....

I am crazy? Should I just go to school first?

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

I would try to find out what the disricts philosophy is on reading and writing i.e. columbia teachers college etc. The philosophy incorporates reading and writing in a workshop environment. (I teach 3rd grade)

I know in my district they look for soomeone who is familiar with balance literacy- that is intertwining reading and writing. (Read Alouds, Independent Reading, Shared Reading, Guided Reading Groups)



* some of the questions they might ask are:

* what would your classroom look like if we walked in OR what would your classroom look like

* how would you handle a difficult parent and or student

* how would you differentiate instruction for a struggling reader..

*what would your day look like (schedule)

*make sure you are familiar with the NYS Standards- expecially ones for 5th grade..

I am trying to think off the top of my head what else but im drawing blank- must be the heat...

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

you are not crazy!! How are you going to know if you are too afraid to try!? You are being very brave and you will do fine on the interview, just be confident. They know you will not have any recs from another teacher or school but you can offer the names or numbers of HR people or of old managers who can vouch for your work ethic and people skills!

I wish you the best of luck!!! Remember, be confident!!! and you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you!

good luck! and let us know how it goes!

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Posted by NewYawkah

you are not crazy!! How are you going to know if you are too afraid to try!? You are being very brave and you will do fine on the interview, just be confident. They know you will not have any recs from another teacher or school but you can offer the names or numbers of HR people or of old managers who can vouch for your work ethic and people skills!

I wish you the best of luck!!! Remember, be confident!!! and you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you!

good luck! and let us know how it goes!

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

This site has some very helpful info. Good luck!

http://www.uni.edu/careercenter/images/Handouts/Interviewing.PDF

Message edited 7/20/2005 8:03:13 PM.

Re: I finally got a teaching interview! I need advice.

Something you will want to be aware of is the NYS S.S. Test for 5th grade (given in November). It covers the 1st-4th grade SS curriculum (much more of 3rd and 4th) in the form of multiple choice questions on the first day of the test. The second day is a Document Based Question (DBQ) essay where the students need to analyze a variety of documents related to a certain topic (e.g. Native Americans, Suffrage, etc), respond to short answer response question, and then use that info. to write the essay (e.g. "How did the Native Americans influence present day customs?").
I hope that makes sense to you -- if not, or you just have other questions, let me know (I've taught 5th grade for the past 3 years).