Science teachers often develop lesson plans and use hands-on experiments and compelling lectures to teach pupils about various scientific disciplines. If you’re looking for a job as a Science teacher, understanding how to answer interview questions will help you progress in the recruiting process. In this post, you will come across some typical interview questions for teachers and some solutions to help you come across as a professional and competent applicant.Let’s know Science Teacher Interview Questions.
Some general questions
These are just some general questions you might come across while sitting for an interview, along with the sample answers. Generally, these questions are about you. Sometimes, it could be questions that may seem personal or about your past experiences.
- Do you have any experience in the field of teaching?
Ans: Yes, I do. I have taught toddlers for a few years, after which I went on to teach classes 1-10 Science. And I have been teaching them for five years.
- Why do you want to be a Science teacher?
Ans: Science has always been my first love, and to think that I may inculcate my knowledge into something that may benefit others excites me. It gives me immense pleasure just to imagine someone growing up to love the subject of Science because I taught perfectly and instigated their love towards it.
- Do you love kids?
Ans: Absolutely! I have my own kids at home, and nothing is more precious than going back after the end of a hectic day just to see their little faces glow up with happiness upon seeing me.
- Do you have any hobbies not related to Science?
Ans: Yes. I love cooking and experimenting with new items. Other than that, I would call dancing my stressbuster. I even go to dancing classes one day per week.
- What would you say are your three main advantages?
Ans: My three main advantages would be my listening skills, my speaking skills, and my understanding skills. And I think these three are vital in any job or in maintaining any relationships. You always have to listen and understand to know what is going on. After that, you obviously have to communicate effectively.
- What drove you towards Science?
Ans: As a child, I was mesmerized by gadgets. I used to fix all the electrical appliances in my home, and somehow I knew how to go about that. This particular habit made me lean towards Science and learn more. Apart from that, I was always interested in the concept of parallel universes. To think that maybe there is another me somewhere used to make me so excited.
- Is there something you do not like regarding yourself?
Ans: As a human, I think that we all have our drawbacks, and mine would be that I am quite stubborn. Once I set my mind on something, I make sure to achieve it. It can be seen as an advantage or strength at times, but it sure has its disadvantages which cannot be seen easily.
- Who do you look up to?
Ans: If there is someone whom I idolize, that would most definitely be my parents. I had seen them sacrificing for me when I was a kid, and I want to make them proud. They have never left an opportunity to make me feel happy and special. There is not a single instance that I can think of when they have made me feel alone. My parents have always been the guiding light of my life.
- What are your qualifications?
Ans: I have graduated from both school and college, and I have double masters in both Chemistry and Physics honors. Apart from that, I have worked as an assistant professor in the Physics Department at ABC college. I have even written a lot of research papers that have been used in University lectures. There have been a lot of trophies awarded to me for my exceptional performance in the field of Science.
Some questions regarding your teaching
These types of questions will focus on your methods and how you handle the students you teach. Following are some examples of questions you might be asked, along with a few sample answers to help you prepare your own.
- What would you do if a child refused to obey you?
Ans: I think this is a problem that every teacher faces at least once a day. There will always be some child ready to create some sort of mischief. I will personally talk with the concerned child after class and make him/her understand that what they were doing is wrong. I will try to build a good rapport with them so that they pay heed to my words. I also believe that for a child to listen to you, you have to be their best friend. You have to make them believe that they can trust you, and only then will you get through to them.
- What are your teaching methods?
Ans: I start explaining a chapter in my own words while trying to give them real-life examples so that the class stays interesting and not boring. After that, I let them ask any doubts they might have encountered and end the class by giving them some sort of homework to complete. Sometimes, I even take tests at random just to see whether they are coping up with the syllabus. This helps me analyze which students are lagging, and I tend to pay extra time and attention to them.
- Have you encountered any difficult situations?
Ans: I would say that every day is a challenge when you teach a whole classroom full of kids. But, I have never looked at it as a problem. In fact, I love this challenge. Playing such a big part in shaping someone’s life is an honor. But yes, there was one instance that was quite difficult for me to handle. This was a few years back when I was teaching nursery kids. There was a child who used to come from a disturbed family, and as a result, used to create a lot of commotion in the class. He was what we call a bully. I personally took an interest in him and used to counsel him after classes. There were times when I had to give him punishments in order to make him realize his wrongdoings. But luckily, after a few sessions, he seemed to get better, and I was the only teacher he used to confide in about his problems. This made my job a whole lot easier, and I was able to direct him on the right path.
- Did you ever use any sort of technology while you were teaching?
Ans: I have frequently used mobile phones to show them pictures or illustrations of something that might be a bit difficult for kids to imagine on their own. There might have been some diagrams or maybe a picture of a monkey or bear, which the children were not able to imagine. Showing those pictures in front of the class made the whole lecture interesting and engaging for everyone involved.
- How is it that you encourage your pupils to be interested in your subject?
Ans: I have seen students who hate the subject of Science, and I have been fortunate enough to make some of them love it after some time. I make the classes interesting by diverting from the main topic sometimes and going into much more intriguing related topics. These topics might be the concept of the existence of a parallel universe or the Big Bang Theory. Students become enraptured by these topics and want to know more, and it is then that I tell them that the only way they might be able to discover more about this subject is by studying Science. This makes them hold on to the subject, and eventually, they learn to love it.
Some specific questions
In every interview, people come across a set of questions that are common for their arena. Similarly, when you sit in an interview for a position of a Science teacher in a reputed school, you will also be asked to answer these types of occupation specific questions. Below are some examples of such queries, with a few sample answers attached to them to help you get a concept of how you might answer.
- Why do you want to teach?
Ans: When I was in college, a friend of mine struggled to understand one concept of Biology, which was quite easy for me. And I offered to help her with it. When the results came out, she had scored perfect marks, and seeing this made me feel very satisfied. I wanted to feel that satisfaction again, and that is why I want to become a teacher. Plus, I think that teaching is a noble profession.
- What is your approach to educating children?
Ans: My teaching style is to make basic scientific disciplines like physical science, biology, and chemistry enjoyable and interesting. I accomplish this via games, quizzes, and activities that encourage young people to collaborate as a group and showcase their talents while also pushing students to ask queries and build a thorough grasp of the topics.
- So how would you accommodate varied able to learn patterns in your pupils?
Ans: I have been teaching for quite some years and understand that some students learn in a lot of unique ways. Before I start a new topic, I make sure to ask them about how they want me to proceed. That can include various activities like lectures or quizzes, or projects. After a few classes, I evaluate their performances to see whether they can grasp the concepts, and accordingly, I change my teaching pattern.
- Why is it that you want to teach this subject at this particular school?
Ans: I have heard a lot about this school, and all of them were positive reviews. I have seen the way that you are abiding by in teaching these young minds, and I am in awe of that. I have been searching for a school where I will be able to use different and innovative ideas to teach students so that the classes are never boring and they would pay attention. If I am able to teach at this school, I will take this opportunity to cultivate the young minds of the students and collaborate with like-minded teachers.
- How do you check the progress of your students?
Ans: I pay close attention to all my students to see whether they are listening attentively to my words or not. If I see someone not cooperating with me, I talk to them after my class ends. Sometimes I ask them questions about the topic I have just taught in class to see whether they can understand it or not. That way, I am sure whether they were listening and had grasped the concept or not.
- Do you see yourself teaching students at this school in the next five years of your life?
Ans: Nobody knows what will happen in the future, but nothing would please me more than to be in this same school and continue to inculcate my knowledge into newer and younger minds.
Some added tips for your aid
Let the interview panel be sure that you are a strong applicant. Make sure that you shake their hands when you walk in and greet them formally. You could also be a bit brave and crack some jokes here and then.
You should make sure to let them know that you love teaching children and that you will be able to handle a class full of mysterious kids. The interview panel will mainly want to know how you handle kids and your basic teaching methods. They will not want an applicant who is rowdy or short-tempered. They will always want someone who is polite and humble and has lots of patience because that is one thing which is completely necessary when you are teaching a class full of children.
One of the main tips is to be calm and confident about yourself. If you think that you can ace this interview, you will most definitely do so. But if you have doubts regarding yourself or your knowledge, you might end up not impressing the interview panel. These types of interviews are relatively easy and you will easily qualify if you do not stutter and answer confidently.
Conclusion
These were some examples of questions that may be asked in a Science teacher interview. The contender has to be sure of what they are applying for. They should have adequate knowledge about the subject they want to teach and have prior experience to prove it and have a strong resume to support their statements.
