If you’re an educator, you likely know a thing or two about planning.
Before walking into a classroom, you create a lesson plan and the materials to support it, and you enter the right mindset to engage your students.
Preparing for a job interview for a teaching position isn’t much different. You have to enter into a confident headspace, arrive prepared with copies of your cover letter and resume, and practice presenting information to your interviewer.
As you perform mock interviews in front of the mirror, perfect the responses you’ll give on the big day. While you can’t foresee precisely what the interviewer will ask, you can prepare by studying common teacher interview questions and nailing your answers ahead of time.
15 teacher interview questions and answers
Teaching is both a job and a vocation. You likely work in the classroom because you enjoy helping students reach their full potential — and chances are, you already have the skills to match that passion.
Preparing your answers to common questions before a job interview can help you feel confident in the moment and explain yourself in the most accurate and productive way possible. If you aren’t sure where to start, working with a teacher career coach can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and pinpoint areas to highlight.
Use your job interview to exemplify that care and show potential employers what you can do. Answer honestly about what drove you to this field and tell stories about experiences that built your background. And practice the following 15 typical interview questions for teachers to channel that motivation and sense of vocation into solid answers.
1. “Why did you decide to be a teacher?”
This teaching interview question makes the top of the list because even if the interviewer doesn’t ask you outright, your answer should be evident throughout the conversation. Your passion for teaching should be one of the first things they notice about you.
If they do ask you this question, respond honestly. Tell your unique background story that describes why you came to teaching. Perhaps you had a teacher who changed your life and you wanted to do the same for others. Maybe you observed a need for a particular learning methodology in your district and knew you could make a difference by implementing it.
Make your answer as substantive as possible, avoiding empty statements like “I’m good at teaching” or “I enjoy working with children.” This is an opportunity to explain not only what makes you unique, but what makes you an asset.
2. “How would you describe your teaching style?”
The person interviewing cares about education and students’ futures, just like you do. They want to ensure you’re self-aware enough to describe your teaching style and how exactly it can help students learn. This question allows you to explain your approach and align it with the school’s values.
Preparing well for this question means researching the school’s teaching philosophies and determining how your skills and teaching experience support them. You might find it helpful to write a mission statement that describes who you are, what you do, and why — like an elevator pitch about yourself as a teacher. You can then pull on those points when answering this question.
3. “How do you handle stress?”
Burnout leading to anxiety and depression is an issue for teachers worldwide, according to a 2022 review from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Interviewers want to ensure you have a plan for taking care of your mental health in this high-stress role.
Show your interviewer that you take a conscientious approach to stress management. Describe your support system and what you do in your free time — like exercising, journaling, or meditating — to ground yourself.
This behavioral interview question provides an excellent opportunity to use the STAR method, which stands for situation, task, action, and result. When you respond to a question following this structure, you state the issue, your role, and the actions you took to resolve the problem. You can use this method to describe a stressful work moment and what you did to manage your emotional response in a healthy way.
4. “Could you describe a past or potential lesson plan?”
This question may seem overwhelming, but if the interviewer asks it, don’t panic. If you’re a teacher with extensive experience, think back to one of your most compelling or successful classes and briefly describe the assignment, materials, and pedagogical goals.
If you’re a new educator, describe a class you’d like to give. Use this question as an opportunity to highlight your skills and creativity. Perhaps you’re strong in the arts and use hands-on, visual methods to explain math concepts to early learners. Give an example that showcases both your strengths and your ideologies.
5. “How do you motivate students?”
To answer this question, start by remarking that motivation looks different for all students. No one method will inspire a whole group, and it’s important to pay attention to everyone’s individual needs to achieve goals.
Then, go deeper. Discuss how you learn your students’ preferences, strengths, and weaknesses, and devise teaching methods to help them on an individual level. It’s also a good idea to drive your message home with anecdotes if you have them.
You could talk about a reward system you implemented or how you empowered a struggling student. You might also provide examples of how you’ve adapted to changes, like new educational settings or remote learning challenges, and learned how to motivate students in shifting circumstances.
6. “How do you continue to learn?”
This is an essential question to ask a teacher in an interview because administrators want staff dedicated to lifelong self-learning and professional development. Throughout your career, you should challenge yourself to implement new methodologies and meet changing standards.
Demonstrate your dedication to bettering your practice by talking about classes you’ve taken, conferences you’ve attended, and books you’ve read. You can also describe any future educational plans, like someday earning a specialized certificate for a certain subject.
7. “How do you accept and implement feedback?”
Teachers are constantly subject to feedback — from administrators observing a class, parents taking note of their children’s progress, and students navigating lessons on a day-to-day basis. Implementing these constructive tips makes you a better educator, but doing so is often easier said than done. Use this interview question as an opportunity to talk about how you’ve grown from advice in the past.
Share an example that shows a change you’ve made, even if this means admitting you had something to improve. Using the STAR method, cite the issue that someone pointed out and explain how you corrected it. Here’s an example: “My students weren’t connecting with a text I assigned for extracurricular reading, so I surveyed the group about topics that would interest them more for upcoming homework. By doing so, I was able to encourage reading consistency and improve students’ enjoyment.”
8. “What’s your experience with diversity and inclusion in the classroom?”
The U.S. Census says that the 2020 population was much more diverse than 2010s, and the numbers will only continue to increase into the 2060s. Educational environments will continue to host more and more students from diverse backgrounds and with different learning styles, and teachers help make these settings feel safe and inclusive for all.
School districts that value diversity and inclusivity want to ensure that teachers work hard to dismantle prejudice and support every student. Express your willingness to promote inclusive policies, and describe ways you’ve previously helped students learn about different kinds of individuals. This could include reading books from authors with diverse backgrounds or even encouraging students to give presentations about their own experiences.
9. “What would you do to include a student with learning differences?”
In the 2021–22 school year, 15% of public school students received some kind of accommodation for a disability or learning difference. And the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that, in 2020, 95% of students with disabilities attended regular schools.
As a teacher, you’ll certainly encounter students with differing needs, and preparing for those moments will help you support them as best you can. Whether you’re practicing your answers for special education teacher interview questions or more general queries, this one is important to keep in mind.
Answer this question by providing an example of a lesson plan you modified to support a diverse group of learners, or talking about a hypothetical scenario of what you’d do if you noticed a student was struggling. And in the same vein, explain how you encourage an environment of understanding in which everyone respects others’ learning styles.
10. “What’s your favorite subject to teach and why?”
While high school and even middle school teachers may stick to one subject matter, elementary educators often teach several. If interviewing for a multi-subject role, demonstrate your niche knowledge by highlighting your transferable skills. You could say that your degree in chemistry makes you an excellent science teacher, or that you use your art skills to encourage creative thinking in your students.
Answer this elementary teacher interview question with an anecdote. Feature a creative lesson plan in a specific subject or a time you were able to help a student overcome a challenge using your unique skills. And if you’re interviewing for a subject-specific role, this is the perfect opportunity to explain why you’re the right candidate for it.
11. “Why do you want to work at this school?”
Your interviewer wants to ensure that you’re a good fit for this institution above any other. This question requires some extra prep work — you should already have a good idea of what the school values or specializes in. Before the interview, do some research on the school. If you’re able, try speaking to current faculty to get a good sense of what makes it unique.
Impress the interviewer by citing specifics about the school you’re applying for. Explain that you want to work there because of one of its stand-out characteristics, like its focus on hands-on learning or its state-of-the-art athletic amenities.
12. “Why should we hire you?”
“Why should we hire you?” is a staple in interviews for many industries, including education. It’s a broad question, and answering it can be unnerving because of its high stakes. This is an invitation for you to coherently argue why they should bring you on.
Stick to an easy-to-follow storyline. Instead of listing all of your skills and personality traits or regurgitating your resume, talk about what most inspires you about this learning environment and how you could add to it. If the school strongly focuses on community and you are a consummate volunteer, explain how you can pass on your values and experiences helping others to students.
13. “How do you build relationships with parents and guardians?”
Parents and guardians are an essential part of students’ educational lives. They help with homework, make important observations about behaviors and learning styles, and motivate their children. Interviewers want to know not only how you interact with parents and guardians, but team up with them to consider a student’s individual needs.
Answer this question with specific examples of how you establish and maintain parent relationships. You could cite frequent check-ins, surveys you use to learn more about your students from their parents, and the ways you incorporate families into activities like presentations or extracurriculars.
14. “How do you collaborate with other school staff to support students?”
Teachers are hardly sole operators. They form part of a group of educators, staff, and administrators responsible for teaching and caring for students. Everyone on the team must implement the same policies and initiatives, ensure student wellness, and observe signs that a child might need additional support.
Describe a time when you learned more about a student by collaborating with a team member. Perhaps an art teacher shared that one of your students was particularly gifted at drawing, and you encouraged this student to foster creativity in other areas, like asking them to illustrate their English homework. Or maybe you were able to help mediate a tense meeting about policy changes between the educators on your team.
15. “What questions do you have for me?”
Many interviews land on this question, and it’s one you should never dismiss — even if you aren’t sure what to ask. This question allows you to learn more about your future employer. An educational environment that’s a good fit can positively impact teacher wellness and happiness, so use this question to determine whether this school is a place where you could thrive.
Consider asking the interviewer about their first-hand experience working in the environment and learning what others enjoy about the place. You could also ask how the school measures teacher success to better understand what the administration considers excellent performance. This is also a good opportunity to learn about a day in the life of a teacher at this school, including schedules and breaks.
Make a good first impression
Teacher interview questions facilitate a fruitful conversation that discovers whether this work environment is a good fit for you. It’s your chance to explain your passions, your educational background, and the skills you bring to the table — and find out whether your values match the school’s.
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