| Interview Techniques | | | | |
| | | | ·       Planning from the |
| Â | | | | curriculum documents or school plan with |
| | | | cross-linking if possible. E.g. use Health to |
| Programme Outline: | | | | teach Maths graph work. |
| | | | |
| ·       Your CV | | | | ·       Your objectives and |
| | | | how to cater for slower children. |
| ·       Your Appearance | | | | |
| | | | ·       The activities to |
| ·       Your Panel of | | | | achieve these. Make them exciting - Science |
| Interviewers | | | | |
| | | | ·       The outcomes that |
| ·       Your Personality | | | | occurred |
| | | | |
| ·       Your Curriculum | | | | ·       How the children |
| Knowledge | | | | recorded their work |
| | | | |
| ·       Your Answers to | | | | ·       How you assessed |
| Questions | | | | it. Formative and summative |
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| ·       Your Contribution | | | | ·       Any follow-up |
| to the Corporate Life of the School | | | | lessons needed. |
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| ·       Your Final | | | | 1. This is where your enthusiasm becomes |
| Questions | | | | really important. |
| | | | |
| ·       Your List of | | | | 2. If you are not asked to go through a |
| "Don'ts" | | | | lesson you have already taken then they |
| | | | should ask how you would plan a lesson. Go |
| ·       Your Reaction to | | | | through the steps outlined above. Have one |
| the Phone Call | | | | ready and off by heart. |
| | | | |
| Â | | | | 3. If you are asked for your strengths, |
| | | | hesitate slightly and rattle off all the |
| Your CV:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â | | | | curriculum areas you can think of. Current |
| | | | popular ones are: Dance and Drama; ICT |
| Â | | | | experience; Health. While these are powerful |
| | | | remember - |
| 1. Work hard on this because it gets you to | | | | |
| the interview. | | | | 4. Maths, Science, English are the basics we |
| | | | absolutely have to be skilled at. |
| 2. Use quality paper with spiral binding if | | | | |
| you can because it lies flat when they are | | | | 5. Never, ever say you have a weakness. If |
| sorting them. Remember your CV could be one | | | | you have to say something, then say - " I |
| of hundreds! And it has to stand out. | | | | have attended courses or private tuition to |
| | | | strengthen my expertise in clay modelling or |
| 3. Use photos with you working with a group | | | | lifesaving skills. Never a curriculum area. |
| of children. | | | | |
| | | | 6. Try to learn the strands of all the major |
| 4. Personal information needs to be succinct | | | | curriculum areas. |
| but salient. | | | | |
| | | | Your Answers to Questions:Â Â Â Â Â Â |
| 5. We will discuss your final College of | | | | Â Â Â |
| Education report in detail. | | | | |
| | | | Â |
| Â | | | | |
| | | | 1. How will you establish the daily routines |
| Your Appearance:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â | | | | within your classroom? |
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| Â | | | | 2. What discipline strategy will you use and |
| | | | how will you introduce it to the children? |
| 1. Be comfortable with your clothes so you | | | | |
| don't fidget. | | | | 3. How will you establish a safe learning |
| | | | environment/atmosphere? |
| 2. It is better to slightly overdress than | | | | |
| under-dress, but certainly not flamboyant. | | | | 4. What is the difference between "formative" |
| Males shirts tucked in! | | | | and "summative" assessment? |
| | | | |
| 3. Be well groomed. Shoes clean. Ladies not | | | | 5. How will you create a challenging, vibrant |
| too much makeup. | | | | classroom? |
| | | | |
| 4. Carry yourself upright and confident | | | | 6. How will you identify and cater for the |
| especially if you are a tall female. Be proud | | | | range of abilities in your classroom? |
| of your height. | | | | |
| | | | 7. How will you address the Treaty of |
| 5. Wear a genuine smile; use a firm, no | | | | Waitangi requirements within your classroom? |
| nonsense handshake. | | | | |
| | | | 8. You have just been given your first class |
| 6. If you have to wait in the foyer tell the | | | | outside the Hall. Tell us what you would do |
| receptionist what a neat and tidy school they | | | | from there until playtime. Give us as many |
| have etc. | | | | details as you can. |
| | | | |
| Â | | | | 9. Sometimes the first question asked by a |
| | | | non-teaching person would be: "Why did you |
| Â | | | | take up teaching?" or "What is it about |
| | | | teaching that you like?" It's meant to relax |
| Your Panel of Interviewers:      | | | | you! BUT these are really hard to answer |
|    | | | | if you are not prepared. If it's the first |
| | | | question you need to get it right. The rest |
| Â Â Â Â | | | | of the interview hinges on it! |
| | | | |
| 1. Shake all their hands and say a smiling | | | | 10. If asked about travelling any distance to |
| "Good morning!" | | | | work every day don't give them the impression |
| | | | it's an imposition or a hurdle of any kind. |
| 2. Try to seat yourself so that you are at | | | | Get the job first! |
| the apex and not in the middle where you have | | | | |
| to swivel when answering questions. | | | | 11. Some simple-minded person may even ask, |
| | | | "Why should we employ you at our school?" No |
| 3. The Principal will probably ask questions | | | | matter how dopey you think the question is |
| about your strengths to see if you have | | | | (if it's asked by a Board member, they will |
| anything to offer the school. He will know | | | | think it's clever) be prepared to give all |
| the school deficiencies. | | | | your strengths and your personality |
| | | | attributes. E.g. enthusiasm, open-mindedness, |
| 4.    The Staff rep. or Deputy | | | | quick learner, passionate about teaching. |
| Principal will ask Curriculum/Management | | | | |
| questions to see how well you can control | | | | Â |
| teach. | | | | |
| | | | Your Contribution to the Corporate Life of |
| 1. The Board of Trustees Rep. will ask about | | | | the School: |
| your hobbies etc and perhaps how you would | | | | |
| fit in with other staff, or even travel and | | | | Â |
| accommodation. | | | | |
| | | | 1. Teamwork will feature in their minds. I |
| 2. Concentrate on the Principal and Deputy | | | | enjoy working with others on activities for |
| Principal as they will have the most sway in | | | | children. |
| the debrief after you have gone! | | | | |
| | | | 2. Are there any sporting skills you can |
| 3. When first answering the question look at | | | | bring to our school? |
| the person who asked it and then to the | | | | |
| others when you have nearly finished. | | | | 3. Dance and Drama skills will always be |
| | | | welcome - Choir or Major Productions. Did you |
| 4. If you muck up a question and start | | | | have any acting parts in your schooling? |
| digging a hole it's best to just stop and | | | | |
| say, "Gee I made a mess of that! Sorry!" with | | | | 4. Are you artistic or have a flair for |
| a laugh. "Did you mean……?" and | | | | displaying children's work. |
| start again. They will appreciate that you | | | | |
| can make mistakes and admit them without | | | | 5. Can you play the piano or the guitar, or |
| trying to wriggle out of the question. | | | | could you even take the recorder. |
| | | | |
| 5. Every panellist will be watching your | | | | 6. Professional ethics can be a hot topic. I |
| reactions; so take your time and answer with | | | | will discuss this with you. |
| confidence because often there isn't a | | | | |
| 'right' or 'wrong' answer. They just want to | | | | 7. What will you do at lunchtime? Don't say, |
| hear you express yourself. What they are | | | | "Eat my lunch." It will go down like a lead |
| doing is summing up whether they want you | | | | balloon!!!!! |
| teaching their kids! An enthusiastic, caring | | | | |
| teacher with a personality. | | | | Â |
| | | | |
| 6. Sit yourself comfortably but don't slouch. | | | | Your Final Questions for Them:Â Â Â Â Â |
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| Â | | | | |
| | | | Â |
| Your Personality:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â | | | | |
| | | | 1. Always have at least two sensible |
| Â | | | | questions for them to answer. Just remember |
| | | | not to antagonise them with any difficult |
| 1. In the Real Estate business it's | | | | questions. They may interpret it as being |
| "Location! Location! Location!" In interviews | | | | aggressive. |
| for teachers it would have to be: " | | | | |
| Enthusiasm! Enthusiasm! Enthusiasm!" This is | | | | 2. If I prove myself, is it possible this |
| what will get you the position. | | | | "fixed term position" could lead to a |
| | | | permanent one next year? |
| 2. Your CV got you to the interview so now | | | | |
| it's up to you to stand up and say, "Pick me! | | | | 3. Is there an Induction Folder for staff so |
| I'm the one for the job!" | | | | that I can be aware of school policies and |
| | | | routines? |
| 3. Your enthusiasm should be passionate. Let | | | | |
| it show. Let it all hang out! You have | | | | 4. If I win the position would it be ok if I |
| nothing to lose, yet!!! Give them what | | | | visit the school a couple of weeks early to |
| they want to hear. "I've always wanted to be | | | | get to know the staff and the layout of the |
| a teacher. I love working with children. | | | | buildings and resources? |
| Teaching has such a lot of rewards. I love it | | | | |
| when children smile when you praise them." | | | | Â |
| Seriously though, you need to be an actor if | | | | |
| your are ever going to be a successful | | | | Â |
| teacher. Use your hands, your eyes and your | | | | |
| voice - sell yourself - no one else will. The | | | | A List of Don'ts:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â |
| Deputy Principal will recognise this spark. | | | | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â |
| | | | |
| 4. You have to strike a delicate balance | | | | Â |
| between firm yet fair. | | | | |
| | | | 1. Don't be flippant or try too much humour. |
| Â | | | | |
| | | | 2. Don't prattle on |
| Â | | | | |
| | | | 3. Don't theorise too much. It's boring. |
| Your Curriculum Knowledge: | | | | |
| | | | 4. Don't criticise any other school or |
| Â | | | | associate you had in the past. |
| | | | |
| 1. This is where the Principal and Deputy | | | | 5. Don't not be available for that important |
| Principal will be paying particular | | | | phone call! |
| attention. | | | | |
| | | | 6. If you really want the position accept |
| 2.    Have prepared a successful | | | | straight away with obvious delight. It makes |
| lesson you have taken (or would like to | | | | them feel good because they then have the |
| take). Don't hesitate - make it seem like you | | | | unenviable job of ringing all the |
| have hundreds of them. From a folder bring | | | | non-appointed applicants. |
| out your whole lesson: | | | | |