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Interview tips

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  • 09-09-2007 2:37pm
    #1
    lukin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭


    Hi, I've got an interview coming up for a teaching job. It's with a College of Further Education (ITEC approved). The post is IT-related, something to do with Computer Networking & Maintenance I think.
    It's a new position, I don't even know if I want to get the job but if I did I would be confident that I am qualified as I have an honours degree in IT.
    I am not too sure what kind of questions I will be asked in the interview but a usual one that interviewees get asked for teaching posts is about discipline.
    I don't think it will be 12-18 year olds I would be teaching as I think a College of Further Education's students are those who do a course to gain entry to a third level college?
    If that is the case I don't think they will ask me about discipline as it shouldn't be a problem with people over 18 but then again they might ask it. I'd just like to know what kind of things I could be asked.
    Appreciate any replies, thanks.


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    #2
    Lawdie
    Registered Users Posts: 863 ✭✭✭Lawdie


    Questions I'd ask

    Why do you want this position?
    What teaching experience do you have?
    How did you build or support previous syllabus?
    How do you cater for different learning styles?
    What challenges have you overcome in previous training roles?
    Give examples of handling difficult situations?
    How did you handle students who failed to co operate?
    What have been your successes?
    How have you previously approached planning a curriculum?
    Whats more important exam results or learning? and explain?
    Tell me about a time you have been criticised?
    What would be your next ideal role?

    There a few off the cuff. A good interviewer will focus on previous real experiences and delve into them.

    Best of luck in the interview.


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    #3
    lukin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭lukin


    Thanks Lawdie, I could handle most of those questions except for these ones:
    Lawdie wrote:
    Questions I'd ask

    What teaching experience do you have?

    None
    Lawdie wrote:
    How did you build or support previous syllabus?

    I've never taught before.
    Lawdie wrote:
    How do you cater for different learning styles?

    Probably waffle on about how some students are not as quick to pick things up than others so I would have to be conscious of that.
    Lawdie wrote:
    Give examples of handling difficult situations?

    I'd have to ask what they meant by "difficult situations".
    Lawdie wrote:
    How did you handle students who failed to co operate?

    Again, I've never taught so I would say that I would try and use my sense of humour to get them to co-operate.
    Lawdie wrote:
    How have you previously approached planning a curriculum?

    I've never taught before so I would say I'd take the same approach as the lecturer's who taught me in college, except I'd do it in my own way.
    Lawdie wrote:
    Whats more important exam results or learning? and explain?

    Dunno about that, you have to pass the exams to get the qualification but you also have to learn.
    Lawdie wrote:
    What would be your next ideal role?

    Pfft, dunno, Principal? The Principal will be interviewing me so it's probably better not to say that!


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    #4
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    lukin wrote:
    None
    I've never taught before.

    Oh dear. Have you ever trained anyone, a new employee to a company, given grinds to a first year, anything?
    lukin wrote:
    Probably waffle on about how some students are not as quick to pick things up than others so I would have to be conscious of that.

    Oh dear, oh dear. Waffle will get you nowhere. One trick I use for students that are not as quick (I hate the term slower), is to have practical work that will cover the syllabus, plus extra work that will cover more than is in the sullabus - give this to the more advanced students while you assist the less quick.

    Golden rule - don't have any student with nothing to do. Plan ahead.
    lukin wrote:
    I'd have to ask what they meant by "difficult situations".
    Rowdy students, students undermining you, students trying to catch you out.
    lukin wrote:
    Again, I've never taught so I would say that I would try and use my sense of humour to get them to co-operate.

    Sense of humour will only get you so far. You need to be able to assert your authority too.
    lukin wrote:
    I've never taught before so I would say I'd take the same approach as the lecturer's who taught me in college, except I'd do it in my own way.

    Which is?
    lukin wrote:
    Dunno about that, you have to pass the exams to get the qualification but you also have to learn.

    A cynic would say exams. I am cynical. ;)


  • Options
    #5
    lukin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭lukin


    Cheers for that Tom, I'll let ye know how it goes.


  • Options
    #6
    Lawdie
    Registered Users Posts: 863 ✭✭✭Lawdie


    tom dunne wrote:
    O


    A cynic would say exams. I am cynical. ;)


    William Farish was just lazy Tom, not cynical :o


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    #7
    JasperMcEwan
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭JasperMcEwan


    You probably already had your interview and I hope that it all went well. Just a few quick comments. You don't appear to know much about the job or the school. These should be researched. If it's a college of FE, is it VEC. Info is available online. It's more likely to comprise of VTOS and FETAC students (PLC) rather than students preparing for Uni. I may well have 12 - 18 year olds. Some FE colleges do especially in the cities CDVEC for eg. I've taught for 20 years, 16 of them with the CDVEC in an FE college. Having an honours degree doesn't mean you can do the job. Experience is crucial. Even giving grinds is better than nothing. I'm afraid to say if you answer the way you're suggesting, you won't get the job. Find out about the different learning styles. Research different disipline methods. Research the school and the organisation if it's a VEC. Know more about the job you'll be expected to do.

    Best of luck
    Jasper


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    #8
    lukin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭lukin


    JasperMcEwan wrote:
    You probably already had your interview and I hope that it all went well. Just a few quick comments. You don't appear to know much about the job or the school. These should be researched. If it's a college of FE, is it VEC. Info is available online. It's more likely to comprise of VTOS and FETAC students (PLC) rather than students preparing for Uni. I may well have 12 - 18 year olds. Some FE colleges do especially in the cities CDVEC for eg. I've taught for 20 years, 16 of them with the CDVEC in an FE college. Having an honours degree doesn't mean you can do the job. Experience is crucial. Even giving grinds is better than nothing. I'm afraid to say if you answer the way you're suggesting, you won't get the job. Find out about the different learning styles. Research different disipline methods. Research the school and the organisation if it's a VEC. Know more about the job you'll be expected to do.

    Best of luck
    Jasper

    I didn't get the job. I'm not too disappointed as it's not really the career path I want to follow. I probably wasn't enthusiastic enough about it.
    The interviewers didn't help though. Talk about a personality disorder...


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