Why Do You Want to Teach?

What is your educational or teaching philosophy?  This is a question that will come up in every single interview.  You must be prepared to answer it with conviction, determination, and sincerity.  The question may take one of several forms, but it will be asked at some point in the discussion.  This is one query you want to practice several times - it has the potential to make all the difference in the world.  Don't wimp out on this one.

     Why do you want to teach?

     A:   I had a professor in college who always used to say, “To learn is to change.”  That saying has always influenced me simply because I can see all the positive changes that have occurred in my life through education.  I want those changes to be part of what I can share with young people.  I want students to see how education can not only keep us current, but can also keep us growing, and changing, throughout our lives.  It’s not the accumulation of knowledge that is important, it is what we do with that knowledge that keeps change happening, and that keeps us growing.  I want to initiate and fan those flames in my students as much as my teachers have done in me.

Provide some evidence that you have given this question serious consideration.   Make sure a sincere and committed desire to teach comes through loud and clear.  Every principal has heard the all-too-common response, “Because I want to make a difference in kids’ lives.”  Try something new, something that refers to a specific reason or incident in your life that propelled you into education.  This would be a very good opportunity to weave a short anecdote or brief personal story into your response.

Your Greatest Weakness

Here is one of the best questions in any interview – for both the interviewers and the respondent.  Always be ready for this one!  This is not the time to rant about all your imperfections or, even worse, the imperfections of others.  Don’t admit to a weakness in teaching a particular subject, or in classroom management, or disciplining students.  Select one or two personality attributes that are more general than specific.  For example, trying to do too much, being a perfectionist, running out of time, not getting to everything on a “To Do” list.  These are “imperfections” we all have and that we all wrestle with.  This is the only time you don’t want to be too specific.  Select an “innocent” weakness and frame it in positive terms.  Above all, keep your response short and sweet.

     What is your greatest weakness?

     A:   People sometimes tell me that I come up with too many creative ideas.  I’m always trying to think “outside the box” when I design lesson plans, units, or extended projects.  I always want to include more activities and more projects in my lessons and sometimes find myself getting impatient when I don’t have enough time to do them all.  I’m still learning how to be more patient with my creativity.

 

Here's the perfect summer reading assignment!  Everything you need to know about securing the job of your dreams is in this book.  Check it out!

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Professional Growth???

Have you given some thought to what you plan to do after you get your degree?  Please don’t make the fatal mistake of assuming that you have all the education you will ever need to be an effective teacher.  If you go into the interview with that attitude I can promise you that you’ll leave the interview with nothing more than a handshake and a pat on the back.  Here's a question that pops up in almost every interview.  Be ready for it.

  

What are your plans for professional growth?

     A:   I know that good teachers are those who keep learning, who continually add to their knowledge base throughout their teaching career.  I’m equally aware that my education is a continual learning process.  It doesn’t stop just because I’ve graduated and have a teaching certificate.  It means that if I am to provide the best possible education for my students, I need to provide myself with a variety of learning opportunities throughout my career.  To that end, I plan to take several graduate courses with an eye towards getting my Master’s in Reading.  I’m planning on attending several regional and state conferences so that I can begin developing a network of fellow teachers – both experienced and novice.  I’ve recently ordered some new teacher resource books recommended by one of my professors so that I can stay up-to-date on some of the new strategies for reading instruction.  I guess that if I want my students to be good learners, I’m going to have to be a model of good learning myself.

 Hint:  Design your future!  Write it down and plan to insert it somewhere into the conversation.  Trust me, you'll be asked this question and your response will indicate whether you're sufficiently prepared to assume ALL the responsibilities of a professional educator.

Teachers' Biggest Challenge

Be sure you are up to date on the latest educational theories, initiatives, “hot topics,” and issues.  You will, sometime during the interview, be asked about your opinion or your experience in dealing with one of these concerns.  Here's a typical question:

What do you think is the biggest challenge teachers face today?

     A:   Teachers are challenged from all sides – the media, parents, government officials, elected leaders, and communities.  We are in the proverbial spotlight – constantly.  That’s why I think that one of the greatest challenges we face is that of assessment.  That is, are students learning to the best of their potential and are teachers providing their students with the best quality education possible.  Educational initiatives such as “No Child Left Behind” and “Race to the Top” have put educational assessment on the front burner, so to speak, of educational reform.  Are we teaching what we should be teaching and are students achieving as they should be achieving?  During my student teaching experience I was able to fully integrate assessment throughout all my lesson plans – from beginning to end.  For that, I can thank Dr. Cranshaw, who showed me how to effectively integrate assessment throughout any lesson, any unit.  I certainly don’t have all the answers regarding assessment, but I’ve received some excellent training and excellent experiences I can use throughout my career.

 Be sure to demonstrate how you have addressed an element of that issue sometime in your pre-service training.  If you don’t you will be sending a very powerful message to the interviewer that you don’t stay up to date and that you are unaware of what is happening outside the classroom.  This is a mistake you can’t afford to make.

 

How's your job search?  If you're still looking for some answers you might want to check out the following resource:

http://www.brpressbooks.com/teacher-interviews-why-theyre-important/

Why Weren't Your Grades Better?

Let's assume you don't have a 4.0 GPA (I certainly didn't).  You may be worried that your grades will be an impediment to getting a teaching position.  Don't be!  You didn't get to this stage in the hiring process solely because of your GPA.  You got here because of other skills, talents, and qualifications.  As a result, the following question is one often posed during an interview.  How you answer it will reveal a lot about your personality and your educational perspective.

     

Why weren’t your grades better?

A:   I had a great educational experience.  I learned a lot while in college – not only about the art of teaching, but also about myself.  I learned that if you want to succeed you need to devote yourself 100% all the time.  When I first got to college I was overwhelmed by all the requirements, all the responsibilities, and all the activities on and off campus.  I got involved in lots of clubs, lots of organizations, and lots of extra-curricular activities.  As a result, my grades suffered during my first two years.  It was only when I was enrolled in my teacher-preparation courses that I realized that I would need to buckle down and commit myself 100% to my chosen profession.

Whatever you do – don’t make excuses when answering this question.  Always take responsibility for your actions (or inactions).  Don’t try to bluff your way out of this question – the interviewer probably has seen your transcript and knows exactly what your GPA is.  Own up to your mistakes, take responsibility, and show how you have grown as a result.  Never get defensive or place blame.