30 Frequently Asked Interview Questions for Teachers In Nigeria

December 30, 2023 · 15 min read

Interview Questions for Teachers In Nigeria

If you have a new teaching job interview coming up, you might be feeling a range of emotions. You’re probably excited about the opportunity, but also nervous about the process. You might be wondering how to handle the interview questions for teachers that you will face. How can you impress your interviewers and land your dream job?

The key to acing your interview is to prepare well in advance. By doing some research and practicing your answers, you can boost your confidence and performance.

In this article, we’ll reveal some of the most common interview questions and answers for teachers, and how to answer them effectively.

Most Common Teacher Interview Questions and Answers
FAQs
Conclusion
References
Recommendations

Most Common Teacher Interview Questions and Answers

#1. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

Share your honest motivation and stories that show your dedication to student learning and growth.

#2. How do you cope with stress?

Mention your hobbies, family/friends, and other sources of support. Ask the interviewer how they promote teacher well-being in their district.

#3. What is your teaching philosophy?

Write and practice your teaching mission statement that reflects your passion, goals, and methods as a teacher.

Explain how you balance academic and SEL needs of your students. Give examples of how you teach the core SEL competencies.

#5. How do you use technology in the classroom?

Show your enthusiasm and skills for using technology with students. Describe how you handled remote teaching and learning. Share what technology tools you used or learned.

#6. How do you manage your classroom?

Share your experience and examples of effective classroom management, whether you are a new or a seasoned teacher.

Align your approach with the school district’s vision and values on how to create a positive and productive learning environment. If you don’t know much about the school’s policies, ask the interviewer to tell you more.

#7. What are your thoughts on classroom observations and walk-throughs?

Don’t be too quick to answer this question. It’s okay to admit that observations make you nervous, but most administrators prefer teachers who are open to feedback and collaboration. This is an opportunity to show how proud you are of the learning activities you design and implement in your classroom, and how eager you are to share them with students’ parents and administration, even if you feel some anxiety when being observed by other adults.

#8. How have students changed after COVID-19?

How have you adapted to these changes in your classroom? These are recent and common teacher interview questions, so be prepared to answer them. If you are a new teacher, you can say that you don’t have a point of reference to compare, but you have developed a classroom management plan that suits the needs of today’s students. If you are a veteran teacher, be honest about the challenges you have faced with your students after COVID-19. Many educators have reported negative impacts on students’ emotional, behavioral, and mental well-being. Explain how you have responded to these issues positively and proactively. No school district wants to hire a teacher who is going to give up on their students and say, “These kids just don’t listen anymore!” Show them that you are committed to helping your students achieve your high expectations.

#9. How did you like/dislike working remotely?

If you were teaching or studying during the pandemic, you will likely be asked about how you coped with the difficulties of working remotely. Be honest. If you disliked teaching via Zoom and were eager to return to in-person instruction, you can say so. But you may also want to mention how you learned to use technology to engage different learners. If you enjoyed teaching from home, but are applying for an in-person position, you may want to emphasize that while you liked the convenience of being at home, you love connecting with your students face-to-face more.

#10. How does trauma affect student learning? How do you handle this in your classroom?

These are hard questions. As we learn more about how trauma influences learning, educators need to be aware of it and how to deal with it in their classrooms. If you have received training on this topic, this is a good chance to show your knowledge.

If not, take some time to learn more about how trauma can affect not only students but also the people who work with them. This will help you feel more confident discussing this issue when it comes up.

#11. How do you promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in your classroom and school?

These are tough but common questions in teacher interviews. Many school districts expect incoming educators to be willing to have hard conversations and create anti-racist curricula and policies.

In more conservative districts, interviewers might look for teachers who are not “too progressive” for their parents. Be honest. If you value anti-racist policies and DEI initiatives, you should know that before you join a district.

#12. How do you involve parents in their children’s education?

The home-school connection is crucial but challenging. Administrators want teachers to communicate well with parents.

They also want you to be a “publicist” for the school, highlighting its culture, strengths, and values. So, give concrete examples. Tell how parents will help in your classroom and how you’ll keep in touch, giving updates on both good and bad events.

It’s also good to share how you’ll provide resources to parents when students need help.

#13. How do you check for understanding while teaching?

It’s not enough to plan a good lesson, you need to make sure students are following. Describe how your instruction will meet students’ needs. Will you use tech tools for assessments? Or use exit slips to summarize what they’ve learned? Do you have a quick-check method, like thumbs-up/thumbs-down, to scan for understanding?

#14. How do you measure students’ progress?

This is an opportunity to show your lesson plans and your methods for monitoring students’ social, academic, and physical growth. Describe the types of quizzes you use because they show students’ strengths and weaknesses. Explain how you use oral reports, group projects, and seat work to identify who’s behind and who’s ahead. And mention how you communicate with your students to find out what they need to succeed.

#15. What do you think about grades?

Grading and assessment are hot topics in education. While some want to go back to traditional grading after the pandemic, others want to change our grading systems. No matter what you think about this issue, it’s a good idea to know how the district you are applying to handles grades. You can (and should!) share how you prefer standards-based grading over traditional methods, but also say that you can and will follow district guidelines and believe you can assess student learning in this way.

#16. Why do you want to teach at this school?

Do your research before your interview. Search everything you can about the school. What programs and activities do they offer? What culture and values do they foster? Check their social media to see what they celebrate. Ask your colleagues what they know about the school.

The purpose of this research? You need to see if this school suits you. If it does, show your enthusiasm by telling how you would join their amazing programs.

#17. What is the biggest challenge for teachers today?

There are many challenges: remote learning, hybrid learning, diversity and inclusion, social-emotional learning, parent engagement, etc. Think about your school, district, city, and state. What problem is most urgent, and what can you do as a teacher to solve it?

#18. How would you deal with a parent who questions your teaching methods/curriculum/classroom management?

Even if the district supports you against parent complaints, they may ask how you would handle such situations. This is a chance to show how you stay calm under pressure. Explain how you prefer to call rather than email upset parents, or how you would share angry emails with your supervisor, to keep everyone informed. This shows that you are a calm and proactive educator.

#19. How can you help a student with an IEP?

Today’s classrooms need teachers who can meet each child’s unique needs, especially those with disabilities. It’s also a legal requirement to meet the needs of students with IEPs (and 504 plans). Districts want to hear that you know and follow the law.

Even if you don’t have much experience with special needs students, learn about the process and the terms. Give some examples of how you can adjust your instruction to support their needs.

#20. How would you handle a situation where you think a student doesn’t need all the accommodations in their IEP?

This is a tricky question. Remember that special education paperwork is legally binding. If an IEP says that a student gets extra time, preferential seating, or any other special instruction, they must get it, or the district is breaking the law.

An administrator or principal who asks this question wants to know that you respect the student’s IEP and won’t ignore it. Make sure you say that you understand that.

To make your answer stronger, say that part of your job as a teacher is to monitor the student’s performance and inform the student’s case manager (or whoever writes their IEP) if you think they don’t need certain support or if they need more. This shows that you understand how the IEP works and that you are part of the student’s support team.

#21. How do you challenge advanced or bored students?

School leaders want concrete answers and evidence of how you differentiate. Maybe you prepare students for academic competitions after they master the standard. Maybe you give more complex poetry or math options for your classes. Whatever it is, show that you care about engaging all students, even those who will ace the test.

#22. How do you motivate reluctant learners?

Teaching in an age of TikTok, Snapchat, and other distractions makes this question relevant and essential.

How will you keep students interested? Give specific examples of incentives, lessons, or relationships that keep students on task. A story of how a previous student (keep it private) became passionate about your subject because of you would also boost your credibility.

#23. How did you deal with a difficult student?

This question goes beyond reluctant learners. It covers any discipline issues you ever faced. As a teacher, you need to manage the classroom and create a safe space for all. Think about your strategies and successes with difficult students.

#24. How did you fix a mistake you made with a student?

This is a tough but important question. Your interviewer wants you to be honest but careful. Choose an anecdote where you made a mistake and then corrected it.

Think about a situation where you improved your actions. Explain your initial and final decisions, your reflection and change, and the outcome.

Being new often means becoming a coach. If you’re not athletic, you can still stand out by sponsoring a science club, yearbook, or academic team. You can also share a unique skill, like knitting or creative writing, and offer to teach it to students.

#26. What three words would your peers, administrators, or students use to describe you?

This is a tricky question that can catch you off-guard. Think of some thoughtful words that describe yourself. Don’t just say what you think your boss wants to hear, like smart or hardworking.

Also, consider traits that show you are a team player and a role model. Some examples are empathetic, creative, caring, or cooperative.

#27. What do you feel you can contribute to our school’s PLC for your subject?

You can’t work in isolation anymore, you need to join a professional learning community. Be ready to talk about topics like common planning, benchmarks, and data analysis. This is a good time to show your strengths.

Whether you excel in making high-level assessment questions or have many student-centered activities for your subject, tell the interviewers what you can offer and learn from your peers.

#28. Which component of your résumé are you most proud of and why?

Don’t be shy about your achievements, show your value. Did you win a grant for classroom materials? Tell how it helped your students.

Did you get an award for teaching excellence? Explain how it made you grow.

If you’re a new graduate, you can still boast: Describe your student-teaching experience and how it prepared you for this job.

Small things, like professional memberships, can also show your interest in staying current on education research and development.

#29. What are you learning right now?

Successful teachers always seek professional development opportunities. Share a PD book, a TED talk, or something new about your subject that you’ve been learning. Show your interviewers that you’re curious and eager to learn new things.

#30. Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

This is a common question that you should be ready to answer. Many districts want teachers who are committed to staying in the classroom.

If you have other aspirations, like becoming a principal or a specialist, you can say that. But you should also say that your main goal is to be the best teacher you can be and see what opportunities come up later.

FAQs

How do you introduce yourself in a teaching interview?

Hello, my name is (name). I have completed my graduation from (University name). My goal every day is to have a positive impact on young people. Therefore, I am highly motivated to apply for the position of Teacher in your school.

How do I prepare for a teaching interview in Nigeria?

In a teacher interview, employers may ask both content-area and general teaching questions. Employers are not only interested in your specific answers but also your communication skills and approachability. Be sure to prepare all necessary documents and review the school’s mission statement before your interview.

What makes you unique as a teacher?

All teachers have their unique mixture of qualities. It is this individuality that ultimately makes a teacher special. Each teacher is different, but nearly every great teacher has some fusion of the essential qualities of passion, inspiration, humor, respect, and resourcefulness.

What is your weakness as a teacher?

So as a recap, the four answers that you can give when being asked, what your greatest weaknesses, are, I focus too much on the details, I’ve got a hard time saying no sometimes, I’ve had trouble asking for help in the past, and I have a hard time letting go of a project.

What can you bring to the role?

Think about: your enthusiasm for the profession and the employer and your desire to make your mark. your personal qualities, such as your drive and willingness to learn. the skills the employer seeks and how you have demonstrated them in the past – your answer should show why you would be competent in the job.

Conclusion

As a teacher, you need to be prepared for various interview questions that test your knowledge, skills, and personality. These questions cover topics such as classroom management, curriculum, assessment, diversity, technology, and professional development.

By answering them confidently and honestly, you can show your potential employers that you are the right candidate for the job.

References

Weareteachers.com – 30 Interview Questions Every Teacher Must Be Able To Answer (Plus 5 To Ask!)
Zippia.com – 30 COMMON TEACHER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (WITH EXAMPLE ANSWERS)