Impressive Questions to Ask In Your Teacher Interview

Preparing some thoughtful questions to ask in a teacher interview can show you have the foresight to consider your future environment and role. You take care of your work and exhibit strong organizational and planning skills. It communicates a continued interest in the position you seek and reveals a passion for your work.

You have limited time with the interviewer and your opportunity to ask questions is even more scarce. The questions you ask will show the interviewer your values as an instructor and demonstrate how you will fit in with the campus culture. Your verbal communication skills are on full display during an interview and illustrate how effectively you will communicate with colleagues, students, and campus leadership. The answers the interviewer provides will help you understand if the job is a good fit for your ideals and lifestyle.

The following questions to ask in a teacher interview can reveal to the interview committee or principal your values and expectations. They show how well you understand your role as an educator and the value you place on authentic relationships with colleagues and students. Consider asking your interviewer some following questions.

What leadership opportunities are available for instructors at this school?

This is a good question to ask if you seek to be in a leadership position in the future. It positions you in the mind of the interviewer as someone with leadership potential and goals. This question also communicates your intention to remain working on that campus for a longer time and shows you are ready to invest your efforts and guide the campus towards success.

Does the district or school have any programs that support continuing education efforts for teachers, and what are they?

Surfacing this question establishes your commitment to the art of teaching and that you strive to be the best. Your eagerness to improve shows you have a growth mindset and seek quality professional development opportunities to support your students and learning.

How often are teachers directed to leave the classroom for professional development?

Asking this question reveals that you expect district and campus leadership to support you in your professional development efforts, but that you place a high value on classroom instruction time. You reveal that you are planning ahead because you want to provide the best for students in your classroom.

What is the best thing about working at this school?

You can consider asking this question if you are unfamiliar with the neighborhood, campus, or general student population at the school. It shows your interest in the overall campus culture and that you are considering how you fit into the school culture. Phrasing your question in a positive light reveals you are an optimistic individual. It gives the interviewer an opportunity to share some strengths of the school and personalizes a very formal experience.

What is the student to teacher ratio within a typical classroom?

At first glance this may seem like a very standard question to ask but the answer will reveal how well-staffed the school is. It will also tell you the type of workload you can expect daily. Teacher to student ratios within the classroom has a powerful influence on student performance and impact the classroom atmosphere. The answer to this is an indicator also of the type of resources that may be available for classroom instruction.

Larger classes can mean you may struggle with finding an adequate amount of instructional manipulatives, while a smaller student to teacher ratio will give you the opportunity to plan more group activities where students can practice their interpersonal skills. The smaller classroom allows for more thoughtful class discussions where you can build stronger bonds with your students.

How involved are parents and community members with the school, and what community outreach efforts are in place?

You can consider asking this question if you are interested in seeking out community support or establishing strong bonds with parents in order to help student growth and support overall well-being. Teachers are student advocates and when you bring up this question you indicate your understanding that teachers and parents must work in tandem to help students achieve their educational goals.

An emphasis on community involvement at a campus indicates how welcoming school leadership is to the surrounding neighborhood and can give you an insight into the level of parental support you can expect from parents and guardians.

What in-school structures do you have in place to support struggling students?

Schools at all levels and states strive to provide students with a strong support foundation in case they begin to show signs of struggle in their studies. Teachers are most successful in helping students succeed when they have the help of the school administration. The built-in school structures and procedures to facilitate classroom instruction and student success illustrate the extent to which administrators are willing to go to support teacher efforts.

What is the teacher evaluation process and how frequently is teacher performance feedback provided?

An inquiry into the evaluation process shows your readiness to perform your duties and your eagerness to improve your skills. Most states have a standardized process to measure teacher performance that includes a number of elements such as an evaluation of lesson plan delivery and classroom management skills. Other aspects that are often considered in educator evaluations are the instructor’s parent outreach efforts, campus involvement, and student performance on district and state examinations.

Additional questions to consider asking in your teacher interview

Here is a selection of more questions to review so you can create your own unique set of questions that reveals your teaching style and values.

• Is there an established or required curriculum at this campus?
• What role do teachers play in adjusting lesson plans and creating benchmark assessments?
• Does the school provide resources to help the teacher?
• Is there an established mentor program to help teachers that are new to the profession or campus acclimate?
• What learning management system does the campus use to facilitate learning for students when they are off-campus?
• How has the school improved its efforts to ensure safety for all individuals on campus?
• What are some traditions the school has and what role do they play in student morale?
• Are there any school-wide efforts or initiatives to help build a positive student to teacher rapport?
• How often and for how long do teachers meet to plan lessons and evaluate student progress?
• What is the process for planning a field trip for students and what paperwork is needed?
• Are there any district-wide efforts to educate students on the negative effects of bullying?
• What is the school doing for senior students to help them prepare for the transition into college?
• How does the school support students in the lower grades to gain and practice their interpersonal skills?
• Is there a student to student mentor program to support student achievement?
• What positive reinforcements does the school use to motivate students to do well in their academics?
• If there is a disagreement between a teacher and a student and his or her parents, what are the steps administration takes to handle the situation?
• Can you describe the central characteristics of the typical student on campus?
• How are the kindergarten students supported in their transition to school?
• What forms of extracurricular activities are available to students, and what qualifications are needed for an adult to sponsor or coach?
• What is the policy on campus visitors and what methods are used to ensure student safety?
• Are there opportunities for teachers to contribute more hours in tutoring or other support for students?
• Does the school host a community night or present an annual pageant for community members?
• What are the characteristics of the ideal candidate for this position?
• What aspects of the school are you looking to build upon in the following years, and what role do you see faculty playing in those efforts?

An interview is a give and take and a good opportunity to understand the requirements of the job and expectations of the future employer. Check here to discover real interview questions asked for thousands of job titles.