Kindergarten Teacher Interview Questions

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Kindergarten teachers have to be aware of the most recent teaching updates. What methods do you use to stay current on best practices in teaching? See answer
Kindergarten teachers need to know about the families of their kids just as much as they know about teaching. What family information should you know? See answer
You may need to deal with difficult parents in your job as a kindergarten teacher. What approaches do you use to resolve conflicts with parents? See answer
Different children learn at different paces. How do you structure your classroom to make sure every child is moving forward? See answer
You have a disruptive student who frequently gets upset and halts classroom activities. What steps do you take to resolve the situation? See answer
You may need to help both children and parents for entry into kindergarten. What steps do you take to help everyone with these preparations?
How do you promote a positive and encouraging environment and address issues like bullying? What examples can you provide from your previous experiences as a kindergarten teacher?
Can you walk me through how you structure a typical day with lesson plans or activities for your kindergarten students?
Have you ever had a student in your class with food allergies or disabilities? If so, how did you accommodate them to ensure they had a safe environment to learn?
What creative techniques do you use to teach your students about hygiene? What examples can you provide from your previous experience?
What are your favorite children’s books? Are there any you like to use to teach students about a particular subject or life skill?
Have you ever worked with an assistant teacher or another role to manage large volumes of students? If so, how did you collaborate with them?
Do you have experience working with different software programs to manage lesson plan schedules or create assignment sheets?

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6 Kindergarten Teacher Interview Questions and Answers

Q:

Kindergarten teachers have to be aware of the most recent teaching updates. What methods do you use to stay current on best practices in teaching?

A:

Best practices and methodologies in teaching can change rapidly. It’s important that your new kindergarten teacher is able to keep up with these changes. Kindergarten teachers also need to implement new teaching practices effectively in a way that works for all of the kids under their care. Answers to this question will help you determine how organized they are and their adaptability.

What to look for in an answer:

Specific ways the kindergarten teachers stays current
How the teacher implements best practices
Ways they adapt to student needs

Example:

“I have a variety of online professional resources at my disposal. I also receive automatic updates with new stories or developments in kindergarten teaching.

Q:

You may need to help both children and parents prepare for entry into kindergarten. What steps do you take to help everyone with these preparations?

A:

The transition to kindergarten can be a difficult one for both parents and the kids in your charge. Part of the job of a kindergarten teacher is to make this process as painless as possible for everyone involved. You can use this question to get an idea of your prospective kindergarten teacher’s ability to soothe parents, their kids and keep everything positive.

What to look for in an answer:

Strategies the teacher uses to welcome kids
Examples to reassure parents and kids
Ability to deal with anxious kids away from home for the first time

Example:

“I always show the parents around and let them have a clear picture of what we will do. I try to make the kids feel like the classroom is home away from home.

Q:

Kindergarten teachers need to know about the families of their kids just as much as they know about teaching. What family information should you know?

A:

Diverse family backgrounds mean that a group of children can have very different personalities and needs. A good kindergarten teacher takes this into account and is able to adapt to each child’s individual needs to some degree. This question helps you establish how much the prospective teacher thinks about different childhood backgrounds and what strategies they use to make each child feel welcome.

What to look for in an answer:

Analytical skills relating to child psychology
Ability to relate to kids from diverse backgrounds
Steps to foster inclusion for everyone

Example:

“I take the time to get to know each of the kids in my care. Doing this helps me better understand their needs and how to meet them.

Q:

You may need to deal with difficult parents in your job as a kindergarten teacher. What approaches do you use to resolve conflicts with parents?

A:

Situations at a kindergarten can be unpredictable sometimes. These situations can result in irate parents that are mad at the kindergarten teacher. You need to know that your prospective hire has the necessary skills to defuse situations with angry parents calmly and reach a conclusion that works for them. The kindergarten teacher should be able to maintain a professional air throughout everything.

What to look for in an answer:

Good communication skills
Ability to maintain a calm, professional poise
Open-mindedness when talking with the parents

Example:

“I try to empathize with the parents. I work with them to reach the heart of the issue. I don’t get angry at them.

Q:

Different children learn at different paces. How do you structure your classroom to make sure every child is moving forward?

A:

Because children have different backgrounds, each one may have different academic needs. Your prospective hire should be able to adapt to each child in the classroom and teach not only in a group setting but offer individual attention when needed. Answers to this question can help you determine the specific processes your teacher might use to make sure no child gets academically left behind.

What to look for in an answer:

Methods to include all children in group learning
Knowledge of different learning styles
Understanding of the importance of individualized attention when needed

Example:

“I keep track of which child seems lost or is falling behind. Then I provide group work while giving specific attention to that child.

Q:

You have a disruptive student who frequently gets upset and halts classroom activities. What steps do you take to resolve the situation?

A:

Kindergarten teachers work with a variety of students on a daily basis. Most of their students are still in the early development stages and may become upset as a way to address problems they experience rather than talking about how they feel. This question allows interviewers to determine a candidate's previous experience as a kindergarten teacher and their strategies for handling upset students.

A candidate's answer should emphasize:

Verbal communication skills
Compassion for all students
Creative mindset

Here is one example of a quality candidate answer:

Example:

"The first thing I would do is help them calm down. This could be as simple as providing them with a different activity or giving them time to do something they enjoyed. If the disruptions continued, I would call their parents and let them know of their child's change in behavior."

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