preschool teacher interview questions: 36 Preschool Teacher Interview Questions (Plus Answers)

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    2023-04-30T14:16:43+00:00

    preschool teacher interview questions: 36 Preschool Teacher Interview Questions (Plus Answers)

    Introduction

    You’ve landed the interview, and you are ready to show off your skills and experience. You have prepared for this moment for weeks, maybe even months. Now that you’re here, it is time to shine!

    Tell me about yourself.

    Tell me about yourself.

    This is a question that every interviewer asks and it’s important to have an answer prepared. You don’t want your first impression to be “I don’t know what to say.” Your answer should include:

    • Your name, age and experience as an educator
    • Why you want to teach preschool (or kindergarten)
    • Why you are leaving your current job (if applicable) * What motivates you in teaching children? Is it their energy? Their curiosity? The way they learn through play? Or something else altogether?

    What are your strengths?

    When you are asked to list your strengths, it’s important to be genuine and not worry about being modest or too humble. You want them to know that you are capable and confident–but not arrogant or cocky.

    When answering this question in an interview setting, focus on how the strength will benefit their business/classroom environment. For example:

    • My ability to work well with others is one of my greatest strengths because I’m able to build strong relationships with students and staff members alike which leads me into being able to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas/thoughts/concerns (etc).

    What are your weaknesses?

    • Be honest. You can’t fool the interviewer and it’s best not to try.
    • Don’t say you have none. This will make the interviewer think that you are not a good candidate for this job or that there is something wrong with your work ethic, which could lead them down an uncomfortable path of questioning your character and ability as an employee.
    • Don’t say that you are too hard on yourself. This answer would also be seen as problematic by most interviewers because it implies that there is something wrong with your personality or attitude–both of which are important qualities in any preschool teacher!
    • Avoid saying anything along the lines of being “a perfectionist” or being “a workaholic.” These answers aren’t necessarily bad ones per se; however, they do paint a picture of someone who might get stressed out easily (which isn’t good) and/or someone who may need help balancing their personal life outside of work hours (which isn’t great either).

    Why do you want to teach preschool?

    • Why do you want to teach preschool?
    • What is your favorite thing about working with children?
    • How do you make learning fun for young learners?

    Why are you leaving your current job?

    The interviewer will want to know why you left your previous job, and they’ll be looking for the following:

    • You were unhappy with the situation. If you were truly miserable at work, it’s okay to say so! Just make sure that you frame your answer in a positive way. For example: “I learned that I don’t like working in an environment where there isn’t enough room for me to grow professionally.” Or, “My manager didn’t seem interested in helping me develop new skills or take on more responsibilities.” If possible, try not to use negative words like “bad” or “unfair” when describing your former employer–it doesn’t leave much room for interpretation and could make the interviewer think less of them (even if they weren’t at fault).
    • Your new boss is awesome! You should mention how excited and grateful you are about this opportunity because it gives them insight into who YOU are as a person–and it shows that even though things didn’t go well before this point, now things HAVE changed thanks entirely due YOUR efforts 🙂

    How would you handle a child who was upset or unhappy with their day?

    • Listen to the child.
    • Try to understand the child’s feelings and concerns, even if they aren’t always easy to hear.
    • If possible, try to help the child feel better about their day by offering suggestions for improvement or making them laugh (or both).

    How would you handle a situation where a student is fighting with another student or being mean to another student?

    • Tell the student to stop.
    • If it continues, tell them to go to time out.
    • If they still don’t stop, call their parent and let him/her know what happened and that you need assistance with disciplining your student (if he or she doesn’t pick up).

    If the parent isn’t available, call your principal and ask for help with disciplining your student (if he or she doesn’t pick up).

    If this continues after all of these steps have been taken and the child is still being disrespectful or mean towards another child(ren), then ask one of his/her classmates if they would like some extra time working on an activity together so that everyone has something fun to do while waiting for Mommy/Daddy/Auntie Sue’s arrival!

    How do you establish expectations for children and maintain discipline in the classroom?

    The way you establish expectations for children and maintain discipline in the classroom depends on your philosophy. There are many different approaches to teaching, and this question is a great opportunity for you to talk about what works best for you.

    You may choose to use positive reinforcement (such as stickers) or a reward system, like “star of the week” or “student of the week.” You could also use a time out system if necessary; however, it should only be used as a last resort because it doesn’t teach kids how to behave properly in class.

    Have you ever had to deal with an irate parent before? How did you handle it?

    • Have you ever had to deal with an irate parent before? How did you handle it?
    • What’s the best way to keep calm in a situation where a parent is angry at you or your school.

    Takeaway:

    • Communication is key. The ability to communicate effectively with kids, parents and other teachers is essential for a successful preschool teacher.
    • Listen carefully. You should also be able to listen well–not only because it’s polite but also because it can help you learn about your students’ needs and interests better than any book or training course ever could.
    • Empathy goes a long way in this job! Teachers who are good with kids have an innate understanding of how they think or feel at any given moment; this helps them guide their students through difficult situations without making things worse by saying something unfortunate or getting upset themselves (which would only make matters worse).
    • Problem solving skills are very important too–because no matter how much planning goes into each day’s activities there will always be some unexpected challenges along the way!

    Conclusion

    Now that we’ve covered the basics of preschool teacher interview questions, what do you think? Are you ready to go out there and ace your next interview? We hope so! And remember: there are no wrong answers! You just need to be honest about what makes sense for your life right now.

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