A: You might not want to hire me because I’m young and inexperienced. But, please don’t let my youth and inexperience fool you. For example, I assume you are looking for a teacher who will be a positive influence in the lives of students – someone who knows her craft, who can motivate students, and who can solve problems both big and small. I assume you are looking for someone with lots of classroom experience, lots of practical ideas, and lots of background knowledge about learning styles and teaching strategies. I believe I can bring all those attributes to this job. In student teaching I worked closely with the other fifth grade teachers to improve reading scores by 18%. I also was part of a team that initiated a behavior intervention program with the school counselor. And, I helped write a series of inquiry-based thematic units for the science program. I honestly believe you should hire me because I’m a go-getter and I’m intensely passionate about teaching.
This is a question that pops up every so often and one designed to see if the candidate can think quickly on his or her feet. It’s also asked to see if there is any negativity in the candidate’s philosophy. The best way to respond is to turn the question around and, instead of focusing on the negative emphasize the positive instead. Notice how the response above was turned into a positive one – one that focused directly on what the candidate could bring to the school. Specific examples and experiences were used to support her philosophy with a very positive attitude.
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