Through a racing heart and sweaty palms, you’re finally near the end of the interview! Deep breath in. The last question:
“Do you have any questions for me?”
You know it’s proper etiquette to have at least 1-2 questions to ask at the end of your teaching interview. This question is an opportunity to really show your interest in the school. Your question can be broad but holds incredible insight. For example: how would you describe the culture in the school? But it can also be specific to the school and its initiatives, accolades, etc. For example: what are some of the goals you have for the school/district this year?
In this blog post, we’ll talk about questions to ask at the end of your teaching interview and what to consider in the responses. We’ve even thrown in a bonus section on what NOT to ask!
If you’re just starting to start your job search, check out this blog post:
5 Don’t-Skip Tasks to Ease Your Search for Teacher Jobs
Have you started your interview search? Download your copy of the Roadmap to Interview Success! I’m giving you details on:
- Setting up your resume and cover letter
- Researching districts and school
- Preparing for interview questions
- And more!
Now, let’s talk about interview questions!
End of Interview Questions
When we ask questions at the end of your teaching interview, we’re showing the interviewer
- how much you prepared for the interview
- your passion for education and becoming a teacher
- a commitment to helping students achieve their educational goals
Your questions should focus on the school/district, not on you as the candidate.
There are 5 buckets of questions to ask at the end of your teaching interview:
- job-related questions
- growth-related questions
- student- and classroom-related questions
- school-related questions
- community-related questions
Let’s check out some suggested questions for each of those categories!
Questions to Ask At the End of the Interview
Job-related Questions
These questions should revolve around the position but be careful not to ask questions you already know the answers to.
- If unknown, ask about the length of the position. Is it a leave replacement, or is it a one-year contract? Is there an opportunity for long-term, tenure-track position?
- Get a pulse on the longevity of working with the district. Will you need to apply again next school year?
- What is the best thing about working at this school?
- Hopefully, this question provides a genuine depiction of what they love about being at the school itself. Is it the opportunity to connect and build relationships? Is it the growth-centered opportunities teachers are awarded? This will give you a little peek into the school culture.
- How has the school improved its efforts to ensure safety for all individuals on campus?
- Safety continues to be a conversation in education. If you are passionate about this topic, ask the school about their efforts to ensure safety.
Growth-related Questions
Growth-related questions provide insight into how schools and districts support their teachers. This support can vary from technology equipment to building culture to mentoring for new teachers. Here are three possible questions:
- What opportunities does this school offer for professional development and growth? Or does the district or school have any programs that support continuing education efforts for teachers, and what are they?
- PD opportunities demonstrate that the school/district is invested in the continuous learning of its educators.
- Do you have a mentoring program for new teachers?
- Navigating the first few years of teaching can be overwhelming and simultaneously invigorating. Learn about the district or school’s point of view on retention and support of teachers.
- What kinds of staff development activities did the entire faculty participate in this past year?
- Listen to the staff development activities that were of priority in the past school year! Is it important to you if the school/district is keeping abreast of educational trends?
Student-related and Classroom-related Questions
Student-related and classroom-related questions are a good perspective into what your day-to-day life will be like!
- What is the teacher-to-student ratio?
- The teacher-to-student ratio reflects the teacher’s workload. Before going into the interview, you should know the maximum number of students allowed in a classroom.
- Is there an established or required curriculum?
- If it’s a curriculum you are familiar with, you can reply with a quick note on what you really like about the curriculum.
- Do teachers participate in curriculum review and change? How frequently does this happen?
- This question lets you know whether teachers have a voice in school considerations and decisions.
- How do teachers and administrators solve problems and respond to student needs collaboratively?
- The answer to this question will tell you more about what supports, tools, and resources are available from the school (and even the community). It takes a village, so ask this question to know more about the village you’re applying to!
- What in-school structures do you have in place to support struggling students?
- Again, this question will grant you more information regarding MTSS, behavioral and academic supports, etc. The interviewer should be able to share any protocols and services offered by the school to students.
School-related Questions
School-related questions dig deeper into the school’s mission and philosophy. Ask about the goals achieved by the school and district, challenges facing the school and/or district, etc.
- What type of school discipline plan do you have in place?
- This question can give you a heads-up on what discipline plan is used and how the administration follows that in appropriate situations. A more specific, direct question could be: If I followed all the classroom management practices and discipline procedures and kept thorough documentation… notified the parents, and held a conference with them about my concerns… yet the student still continues the behavior of disrupting the learning environment of other students… what support can I expect from the administration?
- What is the culture of this school?
- How do teachers and administrators solve problems and respond to student needs collaboratively?
- What leadership opportunities are available for instructors at this school?
These next two are my personal favorites:
- What are some of the goals you have for the school and/or district this year?
- Where does the district and school’s annual focus lie? Instruction? Safety? Assessment and Data? Learn more about what topics the district and schools are prioritizing.
- What do you think the school’s greatest strengths are? Do you feel that there are areas in your school that need improvement? If so, what are they?
- Nowhere and no one is perfect. But we have strengths and weaknesses – so does the school and/or district. This question tells you if THEY have an honest view of where they excel and where they have shortcomings. And how deep they go into the response will potentially tell you how much they are looking to improve those weaknesses.
Community-related Questions
Community-related questions should revolve around parent/guardian involvement and local support. These answers will yield information as to whether community organizations (i.e., stores, businesses, programs) partner with the school, families, and students.
- How do parents and guardians participate in the school community?
- What opportunities are parents given to volunteer or visit for school and class events?
My #1 Question I Always Ask
Before the conversation closes, I always ask “Is there anything that you are still wondering or are curious about that I may not have fully answered?” This question always takes the interviewer a moment. This question is my go-to because it gives you another opportunity to answer a key question better than your initial response. (Sometimes it takes a minute to shake off those nerves!) It also shows the interviewer that you want to ensure you’ve covered all your bases, leaving a positive impression.
What Questions Should You Not Ask in an Interview
As promised, I’m going to keep it simple with a basic list of questions you should NOT ask at your teacher interview! If the question can fall into one of these buckets, don’t do it! Don’t ask!
- Questions regarding information you already have about the role
- Questions that can be researched on the school or district’s website
- Questions about time off/vacation or salary
- Questions about moving to an out-of-classroom role
Here are some other reads that you might find interesting:
- 5 Don’t Skip Tasks to Ease Your Seach for Teacher Jobs
- 11 Questions You’ll Be Asked at a Teaching Interview
- How to Nail that Teacher Interview
- Tips for Teaching Interviews
If you’re looking for how to start the interview process, including researching where you want to work and how to set up your resume and cover letter, don’t forget to download the Roadmap to Interview Success!
Seasoned teachers: Sound out in the comments. What is your go-to question at the end of an interview?
Future teachers or New teachers: Which question will YOU ask from this list? Let us know in the comments!
