Online Teaching

You might be asked outright about your teaching philosophy, or the question might be, "Why did you decide to become a teacher?" Make a brief statement about what you believe about how students learn. Project a focus that is optimistic. For example, you might say something like, "I believe all students can learn when presented with subject matter appropriate to their level by a teacher who cares, is patient and helps to boost self-esteem". Don't say you chose teaching as a profession because the hours are short and the holidays are long, even if you are only joking. It is best to avoid humor in your answers. A good answer would describe past experiences you had where you taught successfully, and how rewarding you found the experience.

Expect questions about your teaching strategies. You might be asked how you would reach individual students if the class was a heterogeneous group of varying abilities and backgrounds. A good answer will describe the differences between a Socratic, question and answer style and small-group cooperative methods. Explain how you structure student groups carefully to play to the individual student's strengths. Describe how you provide material that is challenging but manageable. Your answer should demonstrate an awareness that lessons should be divided into segments with a variety of listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. Tell the interviewers how you provide ongoing assessment and prompt feedback to keep students informed about how well the class is learning and to help students monitor their progress.

focus on discipline methods are often worded as scenario questions. Expect to be asked how you would handle a student who is constantly disruptive or rude in class. Your answer should reflect patience, but also clear expectations of student behavior. Know what you would or would not tolerate, and what the consequences would be. Your answer should show that you are firm but supportive. Explain how you would start with a subtle approach such as moving closer to the disruptive student or glancing in her direction. Make it clear that if the student did not correct her behavior immediately, you would ask to speak with her after class, make a call to her parents, and contact the guidance counselors to determine whether there are any extenuating circumstances. Indicate that you would involve the office as a last resort. Most principals don't want teachers who believe sending a disruptive student to the office is the only effective disciplinary strategy.

This is the fundamental question! They will be looking for evidence that teaching is your first choice career and not something you are going for because you couldn't get in to what you really wanted to do.

Teaching is a tough job and the PGCE also demands resilience and determination, so the selectors are looking for evidence of strong motivation which will keep you going when things get tough. Remember that there may be several applicants per place and they will take the best all-round candidates.

Your answer should stress that you are aware of the demands on teachers - perhaps giving examples from the time you spent in school as an observer, but give evidence of the things in teaching that you would find satisfying - e.g. when you helped out at a youth club and you were able to bring out a particularly reticent adolescent. Try to give your answers from the heart - show some enthusiasm!

For primary teacher training, school experience is crucial. You may be asked to describe the school and asked to comment on what interested or surprised you.

You should make sure that you have spent a few days helping out in a school before your interview. For secondary teaching courses this experience is not so essential, partly because the competition for places is less great, and partly because such experience is more difficult to arrange.

You should approach schools several months before you would like to spend time with them as they may have to take up references. Of course, the easiest school to get a placement may be your old school. Experience can either be for a number of consecutive days or perhaps for one morning or afternoon per week over a number of weeks.

If you haven't spent time in a school try to emphasize anything else you have done with children or in a teaching role such as youth clubs, playschemes, Sunday school helper, drama activities, Scout or Guide leader.

Teaching is a tough job and selectors won't choose you if you tell them how wonderful you would find teaching with no appreciation of the negatives. Teachers complain about bureaucracy and paperwork, badly behaved pupils, Government interference and lack of resources.

You need show that you are aware of these issues - the best way is to talk to teachers about them, but still have a positive, if pragmatic, view of the teaching profession. Talking about a current classroom where you have spent some time will add weight to your arguments.

Give an example of a difficulty. This could be the idea that new initiatives introduced by government appear to undermine or conflict with the previous initiatives. This is a common complaint among teachers. Show in your answer that while you might find it difficult you would nonetheless do your best to continue with the best interests of the children in mind. In other words you will get over the difficulties whatever they may be.

This is a crucial ability and of course a successful teacher will be able to manage groups of pupils by the carrot, only needing to resort to the (metaphorical!) "stick" as a last resort.

Good organizational skills, self confidence, a robust personality - able to take criticism, maturity, presence, a sense of self confidence and a sense of humor are the qualities that will help you to manage a class without too much conflict.

Give some examples, if you can, of related situations you have experienced. Have you been involved in any other types of group work that could be described as similar? How do you know you will be able to manage/discipline unless you have already tried it? What kind of presence you have and how loud your voice is could be important.

Selectors will be looking for someone who shows ideas and creativity, trying to interact and stimulate, rather than just talking at the class. This is a chance for you to show your enthusiasm for teaching.

They won't expect your ideas to be polished, but you could mention games, wall charts, projects and case studies, role playing, splitting up into small groups - whatever might be appropriate for your subject. You could also talk about the transition from a literary to a screen-based culture for many young people and how you would react to this. You may have been able to glean ideas from the time you spent helping in a school or from discussions with teachers.

Your answer could include how you would canvass advice from your colleagues on what to do in these circumstances. Perhaps they have taught the particular class in question and can make some suggestions.

A similar question you could be asked is about the resources you could use to teach your subject.

They will be looking for evidence that you want to contribute to the school as a whole rather than being a teacher who leaves each day as soon as school finishes. A simple "Yes" answer won't do here.

Talk about areas in which you could get involved. These could include musical events, drama, sports teams, computer systems, fund raising, crafts, trips abroad and many others. Great skill would not be needed, just enthusiasm, but if you can give evidence of involvement in any of these areas it may go in your favor.

Clubs and societies at university could be mentioned, especially if you have taken on an organizational or management role. Also, if you have a particular ability, such as you are a good swimmer, tuba player, tap dancer etc, then you should declare it. It could be the means by which you add that little bit extra to a school and are able to get the attention and interest of the pupils.

Here they are testing whether you have done your research - if you had no views or knowledge of this, it might call into question your commitment - bear in mind that most courses will have many more applicants than places to choose from.

All they will be looking for will be an ability to talk intelligently on the subject for a few minutes. They will not mind which side of the argument your views fall on as long as you can appreciate both the positive and negative points - don't be didactic!

Similar questions might cover the pros and cons of grant maintained schools, how would you deal with a disruptive pupil or other issues in teaching. Simply make sure you've read around the subject a little and talked to teachers about these issues. A good starting point is the Education Guardian on Tuesdays, and the Times Educational Supplement. These questions might be asked as part of a group interview.

The PGCE is an intensive course - burning the midnight oil preparing for your next days teaching practice. Selectors will want to know that you are aware of this and have the commitment and stamina to cope.

Perhaps you have already undergone such a demanding course. If so you should describe it now and in detail. If you have had experience of working and studying at the same time then you should certainly bring that up. Part of the intensity is the act of juggling the study elements of the course with the practical elements during teaching practice.

If you have previous experience of work, or perhaps a hobby or interest, in which a lot of preparation was demanded this would also be relevant. Any teacher will tell you that a successful day's teaching results from the hard graft put into preparing it the day or week before. And the bottom line is that if you can cope with the intensity of the teacher training course you are very likely to be able to cope with the demands of teaching proper.

You could ask questions about where your teaching placements would be and how these would be chosen, or about how you are assessed on the course. The best questions to ask are those that you really would like to know the answer to, rather than those you can find in books on interview skills. If you research the company well enough, you will find a number of questions naturally arising that you wish to be answered.

You should, though, concentrate on questions that show your interest in, and motivation to do, the job itself, rather than the rewards it will bring. So, for example, you should ask about training and career progression in preference to pay and pensions!

Other questions you might like to ask include:

★ "How are practical and academic assessments weighted on the course?"

★ "How are previous students doing now?"

★ "What plans do you have to cover the Literacy Hour initiative?"

★ "What sort of curriculum and teaching resources do you provide?"

The interviewers will be looking to see that you appreciate the strengths of different courses and have made an informed decision. For example, Birmingham schools will have substantial ethnic minority populations, so courses there may be looking for an understanding of multi-cultural issues and how this would effect your teaching of your subject. Read the prospectus carefully before your interview.

If you know the area well mention how this could benefit you by allowing you to settle in quickly on the course

If the institution has a good reputation then feel free to give this as a reason. Beware focusing on the quality of the institution more than the qualities you yourself will be bringing. Use any opportunity you get to demonstrate your own strengths. As the question is "Why are you applying..?" you could answer that you feel this particular institution will give you the best opportunity to develop your strengths and qualities.

Talk honestly about a teacher you liked at school or perhaps one at university, or during your period of observation in the classroom - try to analyze what qualities made them successful. They will be looking for evidence of enthusiasm for teaching in your reply.

Qualities could include using a variety of different teaching methods, being able to hold the attention of the class, ability to enthuse, energy, resilience, empathy, subject knowledge and making children think rather than being told. Here they will not be looking for a specific answer.

A government recruitment campaign for teaching was very much along these lines. In it celebrities described what they liked most about their favorite teacher. The single attribute of caring for their pupils is one that is often missed in these circumstances. In order to teach effectively it is vital that a teacher enjoys the company of young people and wants to make a positive contribution to their well-being.

You need to show how your degree course relates to the National Curriculum. This is relatively easy if you have done a relevant degree, but if you are applying for primary with a non-National Curriculum degree in psychology, for example, you need in this case to carefully relate the elements in your psychology degree to the elements in the primary curriculum.

Similar questions might ask you what you think you would be teaching in your specialist area, or about areas of your subject in which you feel weak.

You must concentrate on the positive. You should be prepared to dissect your degree up into the appropriate component parts and show evidence of particularly English, Maths and Science if you are applying to Primary teacher training or your chosen subject area if Secondary.

1. What is your philosophy of education?

2. Describe your student teaching experience(s). What are some of the most significant things you learned from your cooperating teacher(s)? What did you like/dislike?

3. What is your knowledge of and experience with standards-based education?

4. What experience have you had with students from culturally diverse backgrounds?

5. When did you first become interested in teaching?

6. What opportunities have you had to bring multicultural education into your classroom?

7. Describe your experience(s) working in an urban setting.

8. How well has your college/university prepared you for the field of teaching?

1. Describe the teaching techniques or strategies that are most effective for you.

2. How would you include cooperative learning in your classroom?

3. How do you meet the wide range of skills and needs commonly present in a non-ability grouped classroom?

4. What do you include when you write objectives?

5. How do you assess your students to determine how well they are learning? (formally and informally)

6. What techniques do you use to keep students actively involved during a lesson?

7. Describe different student learning styles or modalities of students and how you adjust lessons to benefit those differing styles.

8. Do you feel that the teacher should be responsible for developing objectives or should they be provided in the curriculum?

9. How do you deal with the unmotivated student?

10. Is drill and practice important? How and when would you use it?

11. What would you do if 50% of the class did poorly on a test?

12. How do you increase the chances that students will understand what you are teaching?