As many of you know I teach a course on classroom management at Manatee Community College as part of their Alternative Certification Program…

At the end of each semester (2 now) we hold a teacher interview discussion panel.

The panel is made up of myself and four administrators (1 elementary, 2 middle school, and 1 high school).

We each spend about 15-20 minutes talking (and answering questions), giving our insight into how to get the interview, what questions will be asked, and how to answer them…

I can’t help, but think what an advantage these students have…they actually get to pick the brains of administrators in their own county prior to go on any interviews!

I thought I would share some of what the administrators discussed yesterday morning:
(This is right from the horse’s mouth)

• Definitely hand-deliver your resume. They may very well interview you on the spot. Two of the administrators admitted that they let their secretaries know if they are in need of a certain position and if someone comes in to drop of their resume they should be contacted immediately.

• If you are subbing to get your foot in the door remember…everyday is a job interview…dress the part, become part of the school community, and make contacts!

• Make as many contacts as you can. A phone call from a teacher or another administrator…even if they don’t know them…will often get you the interview.

• Research the school and the district!!! The administrators want to know that you have done your homework. You should know everything you possibly can about that school/district. Know the mission statement and any major current initiatives that are underway in the district.

• Research the people conducting the interview. Just as much as they want a quality teacher they want someone that they can work well with…they are looking for a relationship…a good fit!

• They will Google you! Therefore, make sure to Google yourself and see what comes up.

• Get rid of your MySpace account.

• Have a professional email address…Don’t make silly mistakes like having an email such as sexylove69@aol.

• Even the high school administrators want to know how you will get parents involved. The high school admin expects you to call home to parents also!

• Be prepared to explain how you cover something that you are NOT interested in. Many teachers prepare for the question, “Take me through one of your favorite lessons”, but these admins always ask, “How would you teach something that you do not want to cover but must.” This is a great question, because the reality is you will not enjoy teaching every part of your curriculum.

Following the discussion panel we split up into break-out sessions for another hour or so based on grade level where we discussed the most common questions and how to answer them.

This really was a great experience for everyone involved…hope you can take something away from my brief overview of the day.

Take care,
Adam

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If you’re serious about getting a teaching job and want an unfair advantage over the competition then read Your Basic Guide to Acing ANY Teacher Interview @ http://www.TeacherInterviewTips.com/

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