A New Job/More insight

2010-10-23T00:04:00Z

Hello Fellow Educators,

It has been a very busy 4 years since my last major blogging event. So much has happened and I have so much information to share. I am now able to help teachers from an administrative perspective. Since I wrote the book, I have been promoted to an administrator, first elementary and now high school. I am going to blog more and tell you about what we look for and how to tell if you are next in line to be fired.

I am going to have a newsletter to teachers, educators, counselor to help you in your day-to-day lives.

I wish you the best and happy teaching.

Interviewing... What to expect

2007-03-14T16:53:00Z

Many of you new and recent graduates and teachers are interested in landing that perfect job. Here's some great interview questions to go over and help you succeed.

Here's the website for the questions are listed below. Practice, practice, practice makes you feel more confident and knowledgeable about the career you are entering. Feel free to print these questions and come up with academic level answers.

http://www.udel.edu/CSC

SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR TEACHERS

Professional Experiences

1. What is your philosophy of education?

2. Describe your student teaching experience(s). What are some of the most significant things you

learned from your cooperating teacher(s)? What did you like/dislike?

3. What is your knowledge of and experience with standards-based education?

4. What experience have you had with students from culturally diverse backgrounds?

5. When did you first become interested in teaching?

6. What opportunities have you had to bring multicultural education into your classroom?

7. Describe your experience(s) working in an urban setting.

8. How well has your college/university prepared you for the field of teaching?

Instructional Skills

1. Describe the teaching techniques or strategies that are most effective for you.

2. How would you include cooperative learning in your classroom?

3. How do you meet the wide range of skills and needs commonly present in a non-ability grouped

classroom?

4. What do you include when you write objectives?

5. How do you assess your students to determine how well they are learning? (formally and informally)

6. What techniques do you use to keep students actively involved during a lesson?

7. Describe different student learning styles or modalities of students and how you adjust lessons to

benefit those differing styles.

8. Do you feel that the teacher should be responsible for developing objectives or should they be

provided in the curriculum?

9. How do you deal with the unmotivated student?

10. Is drill and practice important? How and when would you use it?

11. What would you do if 50% of the class did poorly on a test?

12. How do you increase the chances that students will understand what you are teaching?

Technology/Computer Skills

1. How would you incorporate technology in your classroom?

2. What are your computer skills? What software have you used for instructional or classroom

management purposes?

3. How are students allowed to use technology in your classroom?

Classroom Discipline

1. Describe your philosophy regarding discipline.

2. What techniques would you use to handle discipline problems that may arise in your classroom?

3. What was the most challenging discipline problem you've encountered and how did you handle it?

Were you prepared to handle this situation? In hindsight, would you have handled this situation any

differently?

4. What kind of rules do you have in your classroom? How are they established?

5. How would you create and promote a safe atmosphere in your classroom?

Classroom Management

1. What is your classroom management plan/style? What are your goals?

2. Describe what you consider to be the model classroom. What would a typical day look like in this

classroom?

3. Share three interesting techniques used in your classroom.

4. When students say they want their teacher to be fair, what do you think they mean?

5. A student tells his teacher that he forgot to bring his paper, which he had written the night before.

The teacher says, "I understand. I sometimes forget things like that too." How do you evaluate the

way this teacher responded to the student?

Knowledge of Content/Materials

1. What kinds of materials have you used to assess pupil strengths and/or weaknesses?

2. What kinds of tests do you like to give?

3. Are there any materials you have used that you find are especially effective for slow learners or

bright students?

4. What coursework have you taken that has made you especially suited for this position?

5. What kind of materials and supplies would you need to do your best job?

6. How do you stay current in your field?

7. What curricular changes do you hope to see over the next few years?

Planning Skills

1. What do you include in your daily lesson plans? How closely do you follow your plans?

2. What are some of the considerations you make when planning your lessons? How do you plan a

unit?

3. How much homework will you assign? How do you know how long it will take your students?

4. How do you feel when you do not meet a deadline? What do you do when students do not meet

their deadlines?

Relationships with Administration, Staff, Parents, and Students

1. Describe an outstanding teacher. What makes this educator outstanding?

2. What does "teamwork" mean to you? Give an example.

3. What should a principal expect from teachers? What should teachers expect from their principal?

4. How would your students describe you as a teacher?

5. How do you approach parent/teacher conferences?

6. What do you feel is important to know about your students? How do you gather this information?

7. Describe your approach with a parent who is upset with you - - and you know you are right.

8. How can you get students to be excited about learning?

9. Describe your use of paraprofessional aides and/or parent volunteers in your classroom.

10. How do you develop self-esteem in your students?

11. How do you keep parents informed about the daily/weekly progress of their son/daughter? What

vehicles do you use to communicate with parents?

12. What kind of people do you find it difficult to work with and why?

13. Do you want students to like you? Why or why not?

14. What do you value most in a child?

Personal Qualities

1. Why have you selected teaching as a profession?

2. What are your career goals, short term and long term?

3. What makes you an effective teacher?

4. Describe yourself with three adjectives and explain why they were chosen.

5. What distinguishes you from other candidates?

6. Describe your fears of being a teacher.

7. If I were to contact your references what do you think they'd say about you?

8. Would you describe yourself as a team player or an individual achiever?

9. What is your most successful accomplishment?

10. Tell me whom you would like to emulate. Why?

Miscellaneous

1. What activities would you like to become involved in within our school, district, or community?

2. Why do you want to work in our school system? What would you bring to us?

3. Tell me about yourself.

4. Describe your thoughts about student and teacher accountability.

5. What professional development topics interest you?

6. Why should we hire you over the two other finalists who have comparable qualifications?

Teacher having a hard time

2006-12-17T03:41:00Z

I just answered a new teacher who was having a horrible time at school. (Read what's going on in the questions and answer section on the homepage.)

Okay here's why I'm so surprised. Principals have to be teachers first (in most states) before than can become a principal. So why are they so rude, disrespectful, and unprofessional with teachers? I can't answer that, but what I can say is that the cycle has to be broken.

This new teacher says that she is "petrified" to have her principal or ap walk into her classroom again. She is a new teacher without a mentor or support. Why is this? Teachers, especially new teachers need all the support they can handle.

It is almost impossible to function when you are so scared that you can't even think what to do next.

Principals should know this, Right?! I hope this new teachers is able to grow into a teacher that can change lives. How can she do this if she is petrified?

One thing the teacher can do is to become overly prepared (we talk about this in the book) in order to be more at ease.

I didn't care who walked into my classroom, because I was over prepared and my lesson had several different strategies I could use. I think it's key to know a way out of a lesson that is going down hill.

I do hope this new teacher and many other new teachers get the support they need to continue in a very noble profession.

Teacher's Survival Blog

A New Job/More insight

Interviewing... What to expect

Teacher having a hard time