Job interviews are exciting and terrifying. Interviewing for a kindergarten teaching job offers a unique experience as it is different from a regular teaching position. Interviewers are looking for candidates that have solid teaching skills and reasonable knowledge regarding early childhood development. The learning needs of young children are different from adults.
Preparing for the interview is the best way to enhance the chances of getting hired. If you go into the interview completely clueless then you will not be able to provide satisfactory answers.
If you have an interview for a teaching position, this article on teacher interview questions will be very helpful.
General Kindergarten Teacher Interview Questions
General questions allow introducing yourself to the interviewer. They help in giving hiring managers an understanding of candidates’ personalities, backgrounds, and interests.
Expect these questions:
- Kindly share your educational background.
- What are your professional aspirations for the next five years?
- Do you have a favorite children’s book?
- Describe yourself in five words.
- What are your interests outside the classroom?
- Describe your one weakness and what are you doing to overcome it.
- Share your biggest strengths.
- Do you have a favorite subject that you love to teach?
- Why did you choose the profession of teaching?
- What is your favorite film and book?
Kindergarten teacher interview questions about experience and background
These questions are part of the interviews because they help assess the goals, skills, and expertise of the interviewees.
- What is your favorite thing about becoming a kindergarten teacher?
- Do you have experience teaching this particular age group?
- What do you appreciate most about teaching this age group?
- Do you prefer organizing a personal curriculum?
- Can you explain your teaching style?
- What is the biggest teaching challenge faced by kindergarten teachers?
- What is your biggest accomplishment in teaching at kindergarten?
- What is your strategy for motivating students and keeping them active?
- What makes an exceptional kindergarten teacher?
Deep Questions
The deeper questions during an interview allow interviewers to take a look at the history and teaching experience.
- Do you have experience teaching this age group?
- Have you managed to identify learning disabilities in your students and how did you handle them?
- What is your method for encouraging creativity among kindergarten students?
- What should we expect if we sit in one of your classes?
- How do you help students that find it hard to keep up?
- Have you come across troubled students and how did you handle them?
- What is your professional experience particularly in education roles?
- How do you deal with different degrees of learning capabilities?
- Do you prefer to use arts and crafts a lot in your class?
- When do you prefer to involve parents to address consistent behavioral issues?
- What makes you a good hire?
Sample Questions and Answers
Preparing for common kindergarten teacher interview questions is the best way to give a confident interview. It is not possible to know for sure the question you will get but some common ones are likely to be a part of the interview.
What is your favorite thing about working with children?
Working with children requires commitment so it is a common question. The interviewer wants to know if the candidate is genuinely interested in the position or not. The answers to kindergarten teacher interview questions must showcase the level of passion you have for the job.
Example
“Children are much more imaginative than adults. They are curious about everything and they are like sponges and can learn a lot. I enjoy the pure joy in the eyes of the child when they experience something new. I like challenging children as kids this age are interested in new things and look at the universe with wonder.”
What is the most challenging aspect of teaching at kindergarten?
Keeping children engaged is not easy as they are easily distracted. They are easily amazed because most things are new to them. Young children also display different degrees of behavioral issues and their learning process can be challenging.
Example
“Kindergarten teachers have a lot of responsibilities. Apart from teaching new things, they are also responsible for identifying learning difficulties and other issues. In my previous job whenever I came across a child with a learning disability, I made sure I paid extra attention and spent more time with them. I would keep an eye on that particular child after giving them tasks so I could offer better guidance whenever required. Slow learning can be a little frustrating but when the child manages to complete the task all the hard work is worth it.”
Why are you going to be a good addition to the institute?
A candidate may not be fit for the organization even though they have all the required skills and qualifications. The learning institutes consider other attributes while hiring people. They have a specific status quo or environment and they want to hire people that can fit in with the institute’s culture. The best answer to the question consists of significant research on the institute and familiarity with its culture and goals.
Example
“When I found out about the position, my first step was to know more about the institute. I checked your website and realized that it was the perfect fit for me. The forward-thinking of the institute was in sync with the values of childhood education that I hold dear. I am confident that I will be a valuable addition to the institute as I have several modern ideas to offer.”
What is the impact of the teacher’s personality on the success of children attending kindergarten?
The overall personality of the teacher plays a crucial role in the quality of education children receive. The interviewer wants to assess your character and demeanor to make sure you have the potential to be a good kindergarten teacher. Make sure you describe your personality in the classroom to impress the interviewer.
Example
“The personality of the teacher has a profound impact on the learning process. Young children have a short attention span and talking in monotone is not going to help in keeping them attentive and engaged. I have an outgoing and positive personality, but in the classroom, I prefer putting on a bit of character. I get involved in what I am teaching and to hold their attention I make an effort to act larger than life. It makes the lessons fun for me and the children.”
Are you going to use technology in the classroom?
Some institutes find technology highly useful in the classroom. The interviewer wants to get your general opinion about technology and ways you can incorporate it into teaching. While answering remember that the technical skill and knowledge of young kids is pretty basic.
Example
“I was attracted to the job in your institute because of its forward-thinking and love for modern teaching techniques and tools. It is not always easy to introduce young kids to technology but they adapt quickly. They are amazed by the technology and are eager to learn which helps.
I have used a digital whiteboard before. It allowed me to write on the wall without doing any real damage. The kids loved it and were excited to get a turn to write on the wall. Learning programs in computers are great teaching tools and with rapid advances in technology, it is necessary to get introduced to its functions at a young age.”
Sam Najar, MBA
MBA from the Australian Institute of business. Over a decade working for IBM Australia and Oracle Europe and the Middle East. Worked on Artificial Intelligence technology for many years and believes that technology can help everyone better understand his/her personality and find the job they deserve.
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