Teacher Interviews - A Review

Dear Friends:
     I just received this review of the Ace Your Teacher Interview book.  I thought you might find it as interesting as I did.

"As a professor in education at the University of Miami, I see how hard my students work to become effective educators.  They have the skills and knowledge and passion—but there is one thing missing –the information and skills needed for preparing for those all-important teacher interviews so they can finally begin their careers."

"Thanks to Dr. Anthony Fredericks’ stellar book, Ace Your Teacher Interview, the angst is over.  Ace Your Teacher Interview contains a wealth of essential information that includes everything an applicant needs to know "before," "during" and "after" the interview.   Written in an inviting, engaging way, readers will be both informed and captivated.  A look at the table of contents will have you hooked--some of my favorite chapters include, “Don’t Mess Up! 43 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make,” “32 Questions to Ask Yourself,” and “The Single-Most Important Question You Must Always Answer!”   A page turner! (Really)"

"Based on a lifetime of experience, Fredericks’ Ace Your Teacher Interview will help candidates learn what they need to do to differentiate themselves from all the others, and have the confidence to address the hard questions.  This book is a must—and the perfect gift for the graduate!"   

Anita Meinbach, Ed.D.

Clinical Associate Professor, University of Miami
Department of Teaching and Learning
Merrick Building, # 222 D

What would you like to change?

Teachers are never "finished products."  They are always a "work in progress."  That goes for those just beginning their teaching career as much as it does for us "old dogs" who've been around for a few years.  I've always maintained that, "The best teachers are those who have as much to learn as they do to teach."

In that vein, here is a question that, in one form or another, often pops up in many interviews.  If you're not prepared for it, it will certainly throw you off.  Be ready for this one - it's a great question and how you answer it says a lot about who you are as a future educator.

     What aspect of your teaching style would you like to change?

     A:   Like many teachers I guess I have a tendency to ask far too many low-level questions.  I learned from my professors that students can become more involved in a topic when they are asked significantly more high-level questions.  “Analyzing,” “Creating,” and “Evaluating” questions provide additional thinking and problem-solving opportunities for students.  I’m working hard to make sure I include more of those kinds of questions in each and every discussion I have with students.

Never try to come across as the “perfect teacher.”  You are just beginning in this profession and the interviewer knows it.  She or he knows that you have some “rough edges” – and she or he wants to know if you are aware of that.  Take the time before the interview to list some of your minor issues or concerns and (specifically) what you are doing to alter or change them.  Show that you are always improving; that you are always trying to be a little bit better than you are.