Education is the most vital aspect of the life of a student. The primary responsibility of providing education to a young kid or adult lies on the shoulders of a teacher. A teacher is one of the most respectable and widely recognized professions in the world but lacks in critical assessment of their self-teaching skills, which can have a negative impact on the career as well as future of a young student. This is the primary reason why, schools and similar educational institutions hire a literacy or institutional coach, whose primary responsibility is to guide teachers and get the best out of them.
Best 21 Interview Questions To Study
1) What Are Your Views On Modern Education Affected Through Latest Technology?
This question tests your viewpoints and mindset on the use of latest technology.
Sample Answer
One must always move with time. With the advent of technology, it is highly advisable that everyone should use them in order to provide innovative and engaging classroom sessions. Technology not only helps in providing effective learning but also helps in promoting the interests of students towards education. Being a literacy coach, I always highly rate such modern innovations and even motivate teachers as well as students, to teach and learn using them.
2) What Is The One Thing, You Would Like To Tell To A Primary Teacher?
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of your profession.
Sample Answer
A primary teacher is young and most probably at the nascent stage of one’s career. It is necessary to guide them so as to handle young kids properly. The one thing, I would like to tell them, would be, that you must remain patient, calm, and composed at every point in your career. Kids are not that mature and are always playful in nature. In order to become an effective primary teacher, he or she must endure patience and handle every situation in the most serene and tranquil manner. Getting frustrated or yelling in irritation, is simply unacceptable.
3) Define A Young Adult?
This is a tricky question and would test your knowledge and grip on the various aspects of pedagogy.
Sample Answer
A young adult is most probably at such a stage in life, during which, there are lots of hormonal changes as well as psychological effects which make them a fragile material. He or she has to perform excellently in his or her academics and at the same time, has to maintain a balance between education and fun. Most young adults are unable to properly balance this phase of life and that is where the role of teachers and mentors comes in. A young adult must be handled with patience and care.
4) What Is Your Understanding Of Setting A Curriculum?
This question tests your knowledge about the practical working procedures.
Sample Answer
The level of education that a student gets and the efficiency with which a teacher teaches depends upon the curriculum. It is highly critical and important to understand the need and requirement to have an exhaustive knowledge of the curriculum. Post this, it must be designed in a manner, so that a student is able to obtain a working knowledge of the same, depending upon the class and age. It should incorporate tough topics as well as easy topics at the same time.
5) How Interested Are You In Counselling?
This question tests your knowledge of the manner/procedure you counsel students as well as teachers.
Sample Answer
Counseling is the core duty of a literacy coach. Be it a student or a teacher, I am always ready to counsel them, with all my passion and zeal. For this, I always first start with an active listening session, during which I give them an option to speak and express themselves. Post this, I always frame a few questions from their conversation and try to plug the primary issues. This way, I am able to use my speech fluently and teach them the vital aspects of life, while counseling them.
6) What Is The One Thing That You Would Always Incorporate In An Educator Training Module?
Being a literacy coach you are always required to educate and evolve the teachers/educators. For this, you must prepare a training module. This question tests your knowledge and awareness of the same.
Sample Answer
It is common for literacy coaches to prepare effective and engaging modules for teachers and educators. The one thing, I would always use is the procedure, using which, an educator can improve his conversational skills while delivering a lecture. For this, he or she must have an exceptional grip on the core subjects with extended knowledge and expertise. Further, he or she must be fluent in speech and have expert knowledge of at least one language.
7) How Effective Are You In Taking Instructions?
This is a common interview question, through which an interviewer wants to know your perception towards following orders and guidelines.
Sample Answer
Obeying the rules and instructions is something that I have always valued in my life. I am a strict believer, that if you follow the set guidelines religiously, you are bound to succeed. Be assured, I will always follow the instructions given to me by my senior and would never undervalue them at any point in my tenure.
8) How Can Teachers Be Creative While Teaching?
This question tests your knowledge of the practical working procedures.
Sample Answer
Creativity is the biggest issue and hurdle in delivering effective lectures. If a teacher is not creative, he or she would deliver a boring and monotonous classroom session. In order to overcome this, efforts must be laid on using more graphics, charts, and pictures along with using smart class monitors. If possible, tough and detailed concepts must be taught after preparing 3-D diagrams, so as to enable better understanding.
9) Why Should We Hire You?
This is a common interview question, using which an interviewer wants to know your attitude and perception towards yourself.
Sample Answer
Being a hardworking and quick learner person, with more than 5 years of experience in a similar field with a prestigious educational institution, I consider myself fit and apt for this vacancy. Further, I have developed effective communication skills and fluent speech, through which I can deliver quality training sessions to teachers as well as students. If hired, I can prove to be an asset to the organization.
10) Rate Your Interpretation Skills On A Scale Of 1 to 5.
Being a literacy coach you would have to interpret the data collected from students as well as teachers’ assessments. This question tests and evaluates your interpretation skills.
Sample Answer
I am completely aware of the relevance of this question. I can assure you that, I am fully aware of the usage of the various interpretation tools, like bar graphs, charts, and diagrams. I, with full confidence, want to give myself a rating of 4.8.
11) What Is Your Biggest Strength?
This question tests the level of understanding of your own. It is highly recommendable that you answer this question, after a careful analysis of the self and if possible write your major strengths on a piece of paper.
Sample Answer
In my humble opinion, my ability to make informed decisions in times of distress and utter disturbances contributes to my biggest strength. I am a detail-oriented and meticulous individual, who always makes decisions after collecting a lot of relevant information. Though it is painstaking and time-consuming, I end up making decisions that are always positive and helps me in a bigger way.
12) When can You Start?
This is a common interview question, wherein an interviewer through this question asks whether or not you can start immediately. Sometimes an employer prefers instant starters. This question in no way guarantees your selection and you are advised to keep calm as well as control your excitement.
Sample Answer
- For Freshers/Unemployed Individuals: Since I am not working anywhere and have no previous obligations or commitments to fulfill, I confirm that I can start on an immediate basis.
- For Employed Individuals: Being in employment currently, I would like to take some time. If I am selected for this job, I would immediately serve a notice to my current employer. There is a period of 14 days, after which I would receive my relieving letter. Post which, I would like to add 2 days of buffer, and thus, I can confirm you (___mention the date of your joining____) as my date of joining.
13) What Advice Would You Extend To A Lethargic Teacher?
Teachers at some point in their career become lethargic and are not able to deliver good performances. This question tests your ability to handle some practical working procedures.
Sample Answer
By the term lethargic teacher, I believe you are most probably referring to someone who does not has the same level of interest in delivering high-quality lectures, as he or she had at the time of joining. At first, I would like to suggest, they have a few paid leaves and enjoy that time with your family and friends. Post this, if they are still not up to the mark, the only advice I would like to extend them would be, get serious for your work and give me those targets in a time-bound manner, otherwise, your performance would be monitored by a team of the flying squad and if it does not improve, we will be forced to remove you from the position.
14) What Is The Latest Book That You Have Read?
Being a literacy coach, you ought to be interested in literature. It is a common interview question, judging your intellectual ability and interests in literature. It is highly advised that you mention the name of a book, that teaches and guides you positively, instead of mentioning any romantic or love-based novel.
Sample Answer
Being a vivid reader, I am always surrounded by books on various topics and concepts, that contribute positively to my mental health and views. Recently, I have read (___mention the name of your book____), which has made me a more positive person. Such is its impact on my personality, that I always now look on the bright side of life and take informed decisions which are correct and return me a fruitful result.
15) What Is Your Salary Expectation?
This is a common interview question, wherein an interviewer wants to know your preferred salary bracket. This question must be answered after conducting serious and diligent research in relation to salaries offered to similar professionals in a similar field. A random or inappropriate figure, either too high or too low, can seriously deplete your selection chances.
Sample Answer
Sir, I have conducted thorough research and have based my salary expectations on the same. I believe anything between (___mention your preferred salary bracket____), would be an optimal salary, which has the ability to satisfy me as well my expectations.
16) What Do You Mean By Unconventional Teaching Methods?
This question tests your knowledge about the practical terminologies related to your profession.
Sample Answer
If I talk about conventional teaching methodologies, the first thing that comes into my mind is a black and white book and a blackboard with chalk, using which a teacher explains the concepts to its students. But technology has ruined this completely. With technology, we can easily replace the book with a tablet, and blackboard with a digital smart board capable of even playing digital and three-dimensional videos. Using such modern equipment is unconventional in my humble opinion.
17) How Patient Are You?
In order to get the best out of teachers, you are expected to show patience as well as calmness in your operations. Hence, answer this question positively.
Sample Answer
Sir, I assure you that I am a very patient and tolerant individual with enhanced capabilities of coaching and teaching someone. I understand the relevance of this question completely. When you pinpoint the errors or deficiencies in an individual, they tend to get aggressive and frustrated. That is when, your ability to remain calm, composed as well as being patient comes into play.
18) How Will You Handle A Teacher Against Learning New Teaching Methodologies?
This is a question related to practical job related issues and problems.
Sample Answer
The education sector is constantly evolving with new methods and technologies appearing almost every day with a common objective of improving the current educational efficiency. It is very important for teachers to evolve themselves and adapt to these new developments. If a teacher is opposed to learning, then in my opinion it is a bad habit that promotes obscurantism. I will certainly counsel such a teacher personally and if issues still persist, I would be forced to make an official complaint to the director.
19) What Motivates You To Work?
This is a common interview question which evaluates your primary reason that motivates you to work.
Sample Answer
The motivational factors are different for different individuals and largely depend upon the circumstances and situations prevailing in one’s own personal life. For me, the biggest motivational factor is money, as I am the sole earner in my family of five. Further, I also desire to work in order to enhance my personal skills and attributes which will also help me in career advancement and shaping my future nicely.
20) Why You Chose Us?
This is a common interview question, that allows an organization to assess your level of seriousness and commitment towards the organization.
Sample Answer
Being a prominent educational institution with more than 5,000 students and 1,000 teachers and allied staff, there is a big name of your institute in the market. The level of expertise and modern technology this institute possesses is exceptional and I believe will help me in my all-around development by enhancing my skills and abilities. Further, having such a big name in my resume, will not only improve the value of my resume but will also help me in getting better employment opportunities at a better pay package.
21) Do You Have Any Questions For Us?
This is most probably the last question of an interview session, through which an interviewer wants to know if you have any doubts and issues with the organization, its working procedures, job profile, and duties to be performed. Skipping this question is strictly prohibited from our side, as this would simply deem that either you are not serious about the organization or underprepared for the interview session. Your questions could be based on the following:
- What are the work timings?
- Is there a provision for an overtime allowance?
- What are the various health benefits offered by the organization?
- How do you calculate leave compensation allowance?
- How many paid leaves are allowed in a year?
Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (for Literacy Coach interviews):
References
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