One of TeachHUB.com’s most-popular topics through the years has been getting a teaching job – whether it’s interviewing, interview questions for teachers, or simply preparing a cover letter.
Most of us can still remember the horror that accompanies job interviews and their accompanying interview questions for teachers, and how we answered them. But those questions (and your answers) are worth revisiting, time and again, throughout the course of your teaching career.
With this revisionist mindset in place, today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jordan Catapano, a seasoned English teacher in the Chicago suburbs, takes a look at preparing for, and executing, that elusive job interview.
Jordan’s tips for preparation include:
· Find top-notch examples of assignments, activities, student work, and contributions to the school community.
· Describe our personality, style, accolades, and contributions via a résumé.
· Create a physical or digital portfolio showcasing work.
His tips for the self-interview, also an important component of preparation, include:
· Take one of your “best” methods and find one way you can incorporate this more.
· Examine one weakness you had trouble talking about and do something that you’d be proud to talk about in an interview.
You should also take on a certain amount of self-reflection during the interview preparation process, including remembering success with certain assignments and/or curriculum additions.
In summation, Jordan notes: “Whether on your own or with colleagues, it’s important to continually reflect on who we are and who we’re becoming as educators. One way is to put yourself back in an interview situation, project who it is you’d be as the perfect teacher, and then take small steps towards realizing that vision. Try it out and have fun!”
What questions would you ask yourself if you were considering hiring you? What would you struggle or rejoice to answer?
