22/04/2023
Teaching interviews, what’s good, what’s bad?
We all know that the standard teaching interview format is a ridiculous way of trying to find out who, out of a group of up to 10 people, is the best teacher. How does answering four questions let the panel know you are the best at standing in front of a class of 15-year-olds to teach them Shakespeare, Newtons laws or plate tectonics, that you are the best at supporting the students pastorally or that you have a good handle on classroom management? Well we all know that answering those four questions doesn’t really reflect what you are like as a teacher, but you must go through this process to get the job that allows you to be the best teacher.
What’s bad?
More times than I care to remember I have seen people who I know are great teachers, regress at interview and essentially self-destruct. They aren’t prepared enough, they don’t mention key words, are overlooked, and fall by the wayside compared to other candidates who know what to say.
What’s good?
The vast majority of teacher interviews follow the same format and questions are repeated time after time so can be predicted and prepared for. You can be the person who hits those key words and edges in front of the other candidates.
