Teacher Interview Tips: How to Land that Teaching Job

 

 

The school year is drawing to a close and some of you may have decided that the place you are currently employed is not the place you want to be employed when school starts again next year. So, you have decided to hit the pavement and look for another teaching position. If you are one of these educators, there are some things you should do as you prepare for your interview.

Teacher Beware

Be warned. Some principals have confessed to monitoring interviewees from the moment they get out of the car. Why? So they can see if you appear energetic or if you appear disinterested or bored. These principals also intentionally show up a few minutes late in order to see how you will handle the time while you are waiting. So, don’t just go to the interview. Appear excited from the time that you get out of the car until the time that you finish the interview. Bring along some material that you can read while you wait for your interview to begin.

Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

I have been asked over and over again at teaching interviews what is my greatest strength and what do I feel is my weakness. So, don’t be surprised when you are asked this questioned. Think about this before you go to the interview and have an answer readily available. Sell yourself to your interviewer. Highlight all of your accomplishments. However, don’t say that you don’t have any weakness. Principals and interview team members are checking your intergrity. They have already called your former employers and checked your record. Remember everyone has at least one weakness. It is okay to mention one “minor” problem that you might have. However, don’t give your interviewer reasons not to hire you.

The Reason You Left Your Old Job

This is a question is to be expected at any job interview. So, you be prepared to answer.  Be as honest as you can, but as careful as possible. Again, don’t give the interviewer a reason not to hire you. They want a team player so make sure that you don’t bad mouth your boss or co-workers. How do you handle discipline in your classroom?

Test Scores

Test scores rule the teaching world. You can’t escape them if you work in a public school. Be prepared to answer questions about your test scores record. Also, be prepared to discuss how you plan to contribute to increasing the school’s test scores.

Sample Work

Take samples of your students’ work, lesson plans, and other activities with you. Combine this into a portfolio and have it handy at your interview.

Before you head off to that teaching interview, be prepared.

For more tips, read my other article.
http://www.careerpath360.com/index.php/common-teacher-interview-questions-79/

M-STAR Survival Tips for Educators

M-STAR: Some Quick Tips on What You can Do to Survive Your Evaluation

Mississippi Statewide Teacher Appraisal Rubric is the new method of evaluation classroom teachers in Mississippi. M-STAR evaluations include two formal evaluations and at least five walk-through evaluations. This system is designed to help teachers reflect upon their own teaching methods and to provide quick, meaningful feedback. Whether you are new to the classroom or a veteran educators, the new system can be confusing. Instead of constantly worrying about your evaluation, use some of these tips to plan ahead.

Individualized Teaching

M-STAR is all about making the student the focus of learning. One of the main things you will want to do is to individualize your teaching to fit each of your students. Have activities for your visual learners, your kinesthetic learners, and your auditory learners. Have a center where you are stationed to help your struggling learners.

Technology

You can’t escape the computer age. The new teacher evaluation system wants to see you use technology in your classroom. So, incorporate the computer, promethium board, netbooks, or eBooks into your lesson plans. There are tons of computer programs that you can use to do this. You can also have your students take interactive quizzes on line. Make sure that when you are being evaluated that you show your evaluator that you do work with technology.

Print Rich Environment

It doesn’t matter which subject you teach. Having a print rich environment is a must. Create a print rich environment in your classroom by having books, magazines, posters, ankle charts, and other reading material on your subject area readily available and in plain view. You can even opt to section off an area of your room where books and magazines on various topics are displayed. Your students are bound to come across something that they may want to read.

Across the Curriculum

It has been said that no man is an island. Well, teaching is no longer a one man show. Teachers are no longer expected to just teach their own subject area and move on. You are now expected to teach across the curriculum. You must be sure to integrate other subject areas into your lessons. It is also a plus when you hang posters or student work that displays the incorporation of other disciplines.

Make Connection to Real World

Students always want to know what the subject has to do with them or why they have to learn something. So, it is important to make a real world connection. If you are teaching a book, be sure to compare the book to a real life situation or experience that you have had. Then, allow your students to briefly share their experiences that connect with the subject of your lesson.

Explain the Objective

Before you dive into the lesson for the day, explain what you will be teaching. Explain why it is important, and make those real world connections.

Questions Please

The new M-STAR evaluation requires teachers to think about the way they question their students. Instead of asking questions that require simple responses, M-Star encourages educators to ask questions that require students to use their critical thinking skills and creativity.

Safety

As teachers, most of us are more concerned with teaching the lesson than checking out our classroom. Well, we must begin to do a quick evaluation of your classrooms. Check to see if the room is safe for students and yourself. Are there book bags in the aisles? Are there other things that can pose safety hazards? These things must be addressed before your evaluation.

No Down Time

Do not allow any downtime for the students. Activities should flow smoothly. So, plan accordingly.

Make Corrections

Be sure to handle any disciplinary problems in your classroom quickly and promptly. Post classroom rules throughout your room, and make sure that they are visual. Refer to your rules throughout your class.

Procedure

Make sure that you have taught your students classroom procedure. The person doing your evaluation will look for these things as they are observing your class.

M-STAR evaluations can be scary. Know what to expect and plan accordingly.

http://mpbonline.org/News/article/inside_mississippi_teacher-evaluations
http://home.mds.k12.ms.us/docs/rocurement-library/m-star-system-guide.pdf

Rigor in the Classroom

How many times has your principal been in your classroom or wrote on your lesson plans "Increase the rigor in your class"? Well, if you are like me and so many other educators, you want to know what rigor is. I asked for a sound way to do this from several different teachers and administrators. The answer was always vague. So, I did a little research. This article will explain what I found out about rigor and how to actually increase it in your classroom.

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-increase-rigor-classroom-12469766.html