| Are you nervous about your next | | | | there. |
| interview for a teaching job? Don't be! | | | | 7. Be sure your educator vocabulary is |
| Just remember these 10 secrets to a | | | | up-to-date. |
| perfect interview! | | | | Be sure you're familiar with educational |
| 1. Have a teaching portfolio that is | | | | jargon and teaching acronyms. All of |
| filled with lesson plans and student | | | | those big vocabulary words you learned |
| work samples. | | | | in college may come back to haunt you at |
| I know it takes a great deal of time to | | | | the interview. If you're asked about |
| assemble a teaching portfolio, but your | | | | differentiated instruction, IEPs, |
| hard work will pay off. Instead of just | | | | Everyday Math, NCLB, or ELL students, |
| telling them you're a great teacher, you | | | | you don't want to be the candidate that |
| can use your portfolio to show | | | | responds with, "Huh?" |
| interviewers the exciting lessons you've | | | | 8. Use lots of specific examples when |
| used to teach children in the past. | | | | you discuss your teaching experiences. |
| 2. Practice sample interview questions | | | | Want to seem like an experienced |
| before you go to the interview. | | | | professional? Whenever an interviewer |
| Interview questions aren't usually | | | | asks you how you would do something, |
| unique. In fact, the same questions will | | | | tell them how you have already been |
| be asked at almost every interview. Do a | | | | doing it. If you use words like, "I |
| google search to find common teacher | | | | would like to..." or "I might try to..." |
| interview questions and practice your | | | | or "I could...", then you will seem |
| responses beforehand. | | | | inexperienced. Instead, say things like, |
| 3. Be sure you dress professionally. | | | | "When I was student teaching, I..." or |
| You'd be surprised at how much your | | | | "When I taught __, I would..." or "One |
| clothing matters. If you dress to | | | | thing I always do is..." This will help |
| casually, the interviewers may not | | | | to emphasize and highlight your |
| believe that you're taking the interview | | | | experience. |
| seriously enough. | | | | 9. Prepare a good question to ask at the |
| 4. Make eye contact with all of the | | | | end of the interview.our questions |
| interviewers at the table, not just the | | | | should be complimentary to the school |
| principal. | | | | and open-ended. Try to prepare a |
| I've sat in on many interview committees | | | | question that will require the |
| and have noticed that many candidates | | | | interviewer to think, rather than just |
| look directly at the principal and seem | | | | provide you with a one-word answer. |
| to ignore the rest of the panel. Be sure | | | | Thoughtful questions will leave a |
| you make eye contact with everyone at | | | | lasting impression. |
| the table. | | | | 10. Don't forget to mail your thank you |
| 5. Project a friendly, bubbly, positive, | | | | letter right away! |
| and outgoing personality. | | | | Whether you send a greeting card or a |
| Interview committees are looking for | | | | formal business letter, be sure you |
| friendly people to be on their staff. | | | | thank the interviewers for meeting with |
| While your teaching credentials are | | | | you. You letter should express your |
| important, you need to remember that the | | | | appreciation, compliment the school |
| interview committee is also looking for | | | | environment, and invite the interviewers |
| someone with a positive person that is | | | | to contact you again. |
| easy to get along with. If they can see | | | | There's a good eBook about teaching jobs |
| your glowing personality shine through, | | | | that may be able to help you. |
| they are more likely to want you at | | | | "Guide to Getting the Teaching Job of |
| their school. | | | | Your Dreams" features: |
| 6. Research the school district | | | | - Best ways to find job openings... even |
| beforehand. | | | | the ones that aren't advertised |
| Visit the district's website to find out | | | | - Tips for writing cover letters and |
| their philosophy of education. Also, | | | | resumes |
| research information about the types of | | | | - More helpful tips for mastering the |
| students that you will be teaching, the | | | | art of teacher interviews |
| community, and the subjects being taught | | | | - 50 common interview questions.... |