Why do you want to teach at this school?

I’ve spent a lot of time researching schools within this district and I’m very impressed with what you offer here. Between an award-winning teaching staff and a district that is very involved, your school has a teacher-to-student ratio that I think really allows for personalized education. Smaller classroom sizes, like the ones you maintain here, make it possible for me to give each child the one-on-one attention they deserve. On top of that, your after-school science program is exciting to me and I would hope, should I get hired here, that I might be able to become involved in that as well.

What frustrates you the most in a classroom?

 I have to admit, I get frustrated by the kids who think they’re too cool for school and who float through their day doing as little as possible, and the teachers who play into that attitude. Rather than turn that frustration into anger or simply ignore them and wait for a slacker to drift through a year in my class, I turn that frustration into a challenge for both the student and myself. Most of the time those kids are too cool because of challenges they’re facing outside of school and their attitude is a way for them to protect themselves. Sometimes all they need is to know someone else believes in them. By giving them a little extra attention and encouragement, I’ve seen some of the ‘coolest kids’ turn into students who are focused, driven and ready to turn themselves around.

What is your teaching philosophy?

 I believe that the best learning opportunities are the ones that the students come up with themselves. For that reason, I spend every lunch hour on the playground with my students and make myself available for them to ask me “playground-pop-quiz” questions. These questions have ranged from everything from how is the ice cream we had at lunch made to explore the lifecycle of the mosquitos we found in a piece of playground equipment. I love challenging the students to try to stump me and as a result, they go out of their way to explore the environment around them, making learning fun and exciting.

Why do you want to work here?

I wanted to move to an institution like this that prioritizes good teaching practice and dedicated pastoral care of students. I believe I can offer this because of [x and y examples of experience from your previous career].

What makes you different from the other candidates?

What are your plans for research?

‘in the next year, I will be finishing up the revisions on my manuscript for x book which is due for publication on x date. I have several other projects on the go that I wish to pursue after that [give details]; if my funding applications to the x and y grant bodies are successful I should be able to see those projects to publication by [give date].’

What courses could you offer to teach?

‘I would be happy to contribute to some of the existing courses you run, such as x and y but I also have a few ideas of my own that I feel would appeal to students in the x year of their education. [Describe the course] I feel that it would fit into your curriculum particularly well because it complements your other courses in x field but is unique because it covers an earlier time period or uses different resources [examples].

How would you contribute to the administration of the department?

‘I look forward to having the opportunity to fully contributing to the life of the department. I have a special interest in the area of admissions/ exams/head of year etc’. I had some experience in this role at my last institution and realized that I have the skills necessary to do it well [name them] and actually implemented changes to their policy on x. However, I realize the need for flexibility here and would happily take on the challenge of any administration role that would suit my level of expertise.

What according to you are the important qualities required of a professor?

Good professors always exhibit some characteristics which make them a mentor or an inspiration for their students. They always try to bring the best out of you. They encourage and motivate their students and always create a better learning environment for them.

What qualities of their professors do students appreciate the most?

i.) Subject knowledge.
ii.) Approachable
iii.) Personal interest in their performance.
iv.) Honesty and Character
v.) Dynamisms

Why did you choose to be a professor?

As a professor, you need to have a passion for learning and also expert-level knowledge. Professors have a chance to shape their student's future. They influence the students in their daily life.

If a student criticizes you in the class, what would you do?

In such a case, I try to see what the student is trying to say rather than his tone. The tone may agitate me back. I ask him for the facts for his argument. Based on the content of his criticism I discuss the matter with him. From my experience, I have seen that, this usually softens them down and then we try to sort it out in an understanding environment.
However, there are some students who argue unreasonably. I prefer not to get into argument with them and ask them to see the senior authorities."
Again, every teacher has a different way of dealing with these pupils. If your strategy is different than the one proposed here, you can talk about it.

How would you ensure active participation from students in your class?