Preschool Teacher Interview Questions

The goal for a successful interview for a Preschool Teacher is to demonstrate expertise in early childhood education, showcase strong communication skills with young children and their parents, and provide examples of creating a positive and inclusive learning environment.

Situational interview questions

• Imagine you have a student who has trouble following directions during circle time. How would you approach this situation and work with the student to help them improve their behavior?
• You notice that one of your students is struggling with socialization and making friends in class. How would you facilitate opportunities for this student to connect with their peers and improve their social skills?
• There is a student in your class who is having difficulty understanding basic math concepts. How would you modify your teaching approach to help them better comprehend the material and succeed in the classroom?
• One of your students struggles with transitions from one activity to the next. How might you structure your lesson plans to help ease the transition for this student and reduce disruptive behavior?
• Imagine a scenario where a student in your class continually has conflicts with other students. How would you help this student identify and understand conflict and provide them with tools to manage and resolve disagreements in a healthy way?

Soft skills interview questions

• Can you tell us about a time when you needed to use your patience and understanding to help a young child who was struggling with a task or behavior?
• How do you encourage positive communication and cooperation among your students, and how do you handle conflicts that may arise?
• Have you ever had to adapt your teaching approach to meet the individual needs and learning styles of different students? Can you give an example?
• Can you discuss the importance of empathy in working with young children and how you incorporate this value into your teaching practices?
• How do you prioritize building relationships with both students and their families, and what steps do you take to maintain open and effective lines of communication with them?

Role-specific interview questions

• Can you give an example of a creative activity that you would facilitate to introduce technology to preschoolers?
• How do you incorporate hands-on and inquiry-based activities into your lesson plans to promote a child-centered learning environment?
• Can you share your methods of assessing the developmental milestones of each child, and how do you track their progress?
• Can you describe a time when you had to differentiate instruction for a student with special needs in your classroom?
• How do you encourage parental involvement in their child’s learning and development, and what strategies have you found to be effective?

STAR interview questions

1. Can you describe a situation where a student was struggling with a concept in your classroom?

Situation: One of my students was struggling with understanding shapes and colors.

Task: My responsibility was to find a way to help them learn and understand the concept better.

Action: I created hands-on activities and games to help teach the concept of shapes and colors. I incorporated songs and stories to make lessons more engaging for the student.

Result: The student’s understanding of shapes and colors improved, and they were able to participate in class activities with greater confidence.

2. Tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult parent-teacher conference.

Situation: I had a parent-teacher conference with a parent who had concerns about their child’s progress.

Task: My responsibility was to effectively communicate the child’s progress and address the parent’s concerns.

Action: I actively listened to the parent’s concerns and demonstrated empathy. I shared specific examples of their child’s progress and provided a plan to help the child improve in the areas of concern.

Result: The meeting ended on a positive note, and the parent expressed gratitude for the clear communication and plan of action.

3. Can you share a situation where you had to handle a behavioral issue with a student in your classroom?

Situation: One of my students was having behavioral issues during class.

Task: My responsibility was to address the behavior and find a solution for the student to better participate in class.

Action: I established clear expectations and consequences for the behavior. I also communicated with the student’s parents to discuss ways to address the issue both in the classroom and at home.

Result: With consistent communication and clear expectations, the student’s behavior improved, and their participation in class increased.

4. Tell me about a time when you had to adjust your teaching style to meet the needs of a student.

Situation: I had a student in my classroom who struggled with ADHD and struggled to focus during lessons.

Task: My responsibility was to find ways to engage and help the student learn effectively.

Action: I tried different teaching strategies such as incorporating physical movement and reducing visual distractions. I also worked with the student’s parents to discuss ways to create a consistent routine at home to help improve focus.

Result: The student’s engagement levels and focus improved, and they had greater success in the classroom.

5. Can you describe a time when you had to handle a conflict between students in your classroom?

Situation: Two students in my class were involved in a conflict during class.

Task: My responsibility was to address the conflict and help the students resolve the issue effectively.

Action: I approached the situation with empathy and listened to both sides of the story. I worked with both students to find a resolution that satisfied both parties and encouraged positive behavior moving forward.

Result: The conflict was resolved, and both students were able to continue participating in class without further incident.