I have an interview set up for next week for a PreK position. It has been years since I taught PreK and I have only taught in a daycare setting whereas this interview is for a public school. Does anyone have any advice or any questions that I should be prepared for? :thanks:
Brush up on emergent curriculum, developmentally appropriate practice, and be prepared to discuss how children learn. (You might discuss Piaget, hands on, etc.)
-Be enthusiastic and sit up straight with both feet on the ground. -Lay off the PERSONAL stories, unless they ask for one or two. -Talking about children you taught b4 negatively is a NO! NO! -Play the "YOU TREAT ALL CHILDREN EQUALLY" card. -Have some SARS; Situations, Actions, and Results, in your pocket that you can share with the interviewers. These are some SITUATIONS that you have encountered in your previous workplaces. What ACTIONS did you take in order to combat these, and what were the positive RESULTS and how did they improve your work atmosphere, etc. -Is POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT a BIGGIE in your book? -Children learn through PLAY and you will see that this is a PRIORITY and PAPERWORK will not be pushed on the children, unless it is part of the curriculum. -Have a Management System that you can share with them, in case they ask about how you would manage your class. -If you ever resort to TIME OUT; it is a minute per year. Sometimes children who are placed in time out are forgotten and they sit there forever. I've witnessed it so many times and it's just WRONG. -REDIRECTION is the answer instead of TIME OUT all the time. -How would you handle a disruptive and disrespectful child? -Have a solid handshake, before the interview and afterwards. -Ask the interviewers for clarification of questions. -Dress nicely and comfortably. -Smile AND... -Last, but not the least, DON'T LET THEM SEE YOU SWEAT! Good luck, Rebel1
Rebel1 & Old teacher are right on task. I interviewed for a prek position 9 years ago and I was asked about how I would handle an discipline problem in my classroom, my method of teaching young students, how I would feel about cleaning up a bathroom accident, why I wanted to teach this age group. The first two I answered using specific teaching theories (Piaget, Maslow). Good Luck.
...and do remember that time out is not being used too much anymore. You need to concentrate on the motives behind misbehavior.
Thank you all for your great advice! Keep it coming if you think of anything... even if it seems insignificant or common sense. I really appreciate all of the help! I will keep you posted on how it goes!
See what you can find out from the district website- read newsletters, poke around and see if there are any classroom websites that are well-used. I'm guessing the district focuses more on state learning standards than the daycare center, and probably also involves more assessment.
If you happen to have any pictures that show your "kids" at work/play...that would be a + Take care, be cool and you'll breeze right through it. oh; and don't forget the eye contact!
You guys are great! All of the suggestions and encouragement make me feel great! I do have to admit that I am just a bit nervous... Keep your fingers crossed for me!
So how did it go? Let us know what questions they asked so we can refer other pre-k job hunters to this thread.
I did not get the job. It was a short interview, but I thought it went really well. Oh well...it was good practice. I was asked... tell us a little about yourself if they were to walk into my classroom, what would they see? do I feel comfortable working with children with special needs/ have I ever worked with children with special needs how do I feel about working with a team how I communicate with parents
Longhorn; so sorry to hear that THIS job didn't come through. But, you're right, the interview was good practice. Keep on applying, the job you want is out there.
I have a pre-K interview on Thursday. I just graduated so this is my first interview for a teaching position. What is a good answer to what they would see if they walked into my classroom? I always wonder because it would depend on when they came in. Should I talk about what would be going on during center time or when we are doing a small group lesson? I really don't know and could use some help.
