Why Do You Teach?

Here's a question that often comes up in teacher interviews.  The person asking the question wants to know something about your philosophy, your personality, and your desire to make a significant impact in the lives of students.  It's a golden opportunity for you to separate yourself from the crowd.

Q:  What gives you the greatest pleasure in teaching?

     A:   I call it the “light bulb effect.”  It’s that time in a lesson, a unit, a whole class discussion when a student “gets it” – when that proverbial light bulb goes off over his or her head.  There’s nothing like it in the world!  It’s when that look of recognition crosses a student’s face, when a student exclaims, “Hey, this is really cool!”, or when a student jumps up and down with unmitigated excitement.  There’s a joy in the discovery and there’s an enthusiasm in the voice as students realize that they now understand something they didn’t previously.  That’s what I want to work for with all my students.  I want them all to experience that “light bulb effect” in each and every subject throughout the school year.

            Your answer should underscore your reasons for becoming a teacher.  Your response should be a validation of why you decided to enter this profession and what you will do in order to be one of the best.  Most importantly, there should be passion in your response!