What to Bring to an Interview & Printable Checklist with 12 Crucial Items; What to Bring to an Interview & Printable Checklist with 12 Crucial Items. Tell us about the conflict you had, and what you did to reconcile the conflict. Ask for a copy of a job description for the principal/assistant principal. Review local newspapers to find out the latest issues. Another tricky question, especially if the school principal sits in the hiring committee…. You should talk positively about your previous experience. The Principal/Assistant Principal Interview I went to a workshop this weekend for Principal Interview Tips and Advice. You can speak about a conflict you had with your boss, with another teacher, or with a school counselor. Did you supervise any school event in the past? Example answer: “My primary goal during parent conferences is to let the parent know that we are on the same team. Every impression in an interview process matters. If you are empathetic and willing to listen, students will often surprise you and remind you why you originally decided to teach. Job candidates are tested using a set of assistant principal interview questions. School principal, a specialized HR committee, or a local Department of Education–one of these bodies will typically lead an interview with you. Explain the lessons you learned at your last place, and how they helped you to become a better assistant principal. School administrators might also ask you to provide examples of how you influenced teachers and students in the past. There’s a difference in feeling capable at a job and feeling that you thrive in it. Also, most new teachers do not have lesson plans they can recycle from previous years, so many first-year teachers spend nights and weekends working on their curriculum, besides grading their student’s tests and assignments. The interviewer wants to know that you will be engaged and passionate about your role as assistant principal. Odds are, you wouldn’t leave the house without it anyway, but make sure to bring your phone with you so you can enter the directions to your interview location, especially if you’ve never been there before. To make the best possible impression, you'll want to prepare; this will involve having an inventory of necessary things to bring to the interview. One of the most important responsibilities of an assistant principal is meeting with parents. To your interview bring a pen, 3 copies of your resume, and a list of references. Optionally, take a folder or portfolio, pack of chewing gum, and a list of question to the interviewer. I would also like to maintain an efficient and transparent path of communication between the administration, the teachers and the parents.”. When interviewing assistant principal candidates, consider the most important questions to ask. To make the best possible impression, you'll want to prepare; this will involve having an inventory of necessary things to bring to the interview. I taught there for six years before I was offered the opportunity to teach science at Griffith High School. Preparing for the many school administrator or assistant principal interview questions that you may be asked is probably the most overlooked phase of securing a new principal or any other education leadership position. Top materials for job interviews: In this document, you can refer to materials for a principal interview such as: principal situational interview, principal behavioral interview, principal interview thank you letter… Other useful materials for a successful principal interview: 1. Say that you think about getting a job of an assistant principal (that is your focus right now), because you feel qualified for this position, and ready to do an excellent job. Also prepare for phone and video interviews, and learn to recognize the signs that an interview went well. Show us that you respect the opinion of other professionals (regardless of their position), that you admit that you can be wrong, that you try to approach each conflict in a constructive way, and that you do your best to ensure that the situation won’t have a negative impact on your relationship with your colleagues. You and the principal represent the school, and in many districts, you will be the person parents interact with when their child is facing disciplinary issues or is falling behind in their classwork. If you are not sure about your answers, or experience anxiety, check my eBook, the Assistant Principal Interview Guide. You can also praise them for something–excellent study programs, the reputation of their institution, their contribution to the local community, results their students achieved in regional and national competitions, great working environment, etc. Even if this is your first job interview as an assistant principal, you should be able to cite an example in your teaching career when you helped another teacher improve their lesson plans or approach to a certain topic. When you interview for a top-tier office assistant, you need to bring your best interview skills. If you want some interview tips check out Interview Hacks: Teach Abroad Edition. These Principal interview questions bring together a snapshot of what to look for in candidates with a sample of great interview questions. You can actually talk about experience from the position of a teacher, or basically from any other position. Example answer: “I have been teaching for the last fourteen years. Assistant Principal interview questions – School principal, a specialized HR committee, or a local Department of Education will lead the interview with you. You’ve landed that coveted teacher interview. We actually got in an argument during the interview and I thought that I would have no chance to get the job. There is so much to learn and getting used to classroom management takes practice. By working together, we were able to gain some information about his home-life that helped explain his disinterest in academics. In this case, it is good to mention the challenges, but to show some understanding for the situation, and basically talk about the topic in a neutral way, not blaming anyone for the situation. ", Conducting and supervising parent conferences, Coordinate the use of school facilities for community events, Working with teachers to improve curriculum and teaching methods, Ordering equipment and supplies for the office and classroom, Maintaining the integrity of records and student files, Supervising the school grounds during the school day, Responding to emails from staff and parents. Describe a conflict you had with one of your colleagues. Elaborate on it saying that you will try to help the team of administrators to maintain the current level, and their excellent reputation in the district, and that you will focus on improving some minor details of the education process–which can always be improved. 11. Therefore, if you apply for a job at a good school–one that is managed well, you can simply say that you do not see any areas for major improvement. Be sure to thank the committee for the time and opportunity to interview. Assistant principals who develop lasting, trusting relationships with their staff build on a foundation created by doing their job and doing it well. If there are suggestions, you would like to make, frame your criticism as constructive and present is respectfully. Explain the lessons you learned at your last place, and how they helped you to become a better assistant principal. At what point in the day do you have the most energy? Tell them that you have researched a lot about their school, that you understand the challenges they face, and believe you can help them to achieve their goals. When interviewing for this position, the answers that you give are extremely important. Look at this list of leadership styles and decide which best describes you. It would also be helpful to provide an example of a time when you helped a student improve their grades or overcome an emotional problem. When answering a question, look at all members of the interview committee, not just the person who asked the question. 10. Talking to other teachers who have had similar experiences can remind you that you are not alone.”. And if you have never done this job before? They may be assigned a specific grade level or group. What are your optimal work … Try to learn something about their values, their philosophy of teaching, the study programs they offer. To convince others that you are that leader, you must dress and act like a principal and appear calm, collected and confident. Interview Questions Answers for Principal and School Teacher. This is a good time to share some of your professional goals. Know about what to wear, how to prepare and what to say in a job interview. Now comes the task of impressing the school district interviewers. When preparing for this question, reach back to your own experiences as a first-year teacher and ask yourself what advice might have been helpful to you. The information will help you to connect with them on a personal level. "What you choose reflects what you think is important," she points out. In this article, we will look at some typical interview questions and examples of good answers. Discuss any organizational experience you have had managing teams, planning events or working in administration. You should never underestimate this aspect in your interview…. Everyone thinks it is easy until they enter an interview room in front of a panel of educators who are judging every move and every word. Thank you for checking it out, and good luck in your interview! Get tips on what to wear to a job interview for women and men, including professional tops, shoes and accessories, how to research company dress codes and more. These conversations can be emotional for both the parents and student, so it is important to show that you can handle any situation with maturity and tact. Think back to meetings you had with parents when you were a teacher or in your previous administrative positions. Do you see any areas for improvement? 50 Assistant Principal Interview Questions 2021 Updates. * Updated in January 2020, now sold directly on InterviewPenguin.com. A superintendent or administrator might ask you to describe your ideal high school or middle school. If you have experience as a teacher, you know that the first year of any teacher’s career is the most difficult. You should research about the school, and about the interviewers (if you know their names). This is a tricky question, because your criticism can touch someone in the hiring committee–they may take it personally. Personal preferences play a role in every interview. Mention any experience you may have had interacting with kids in another role. Alternatively you can continue your preparation reading another post on InterviewPenguin.com: Recruitment Consultant and Interview Coach from Philadelphia, Glen had worked as a school principal for fifteen years, before he started his career in recruitment consulting and interview coaching. Why do you think you're qualified to be a teaching assistant? I also find positive reinforcement to be the best method for achieving lasting results. The essential requirements for hiring your Assistant Principal were likely decided by a committee, based on existing data, with state and district goals in mind. Since meeting with parents is one of an assistant principal’s most important jobs, candidates should be expected to discuss this topic at length. The information on this site is provided as a courtesy. Your goal is to successfully mediate difficult situations and make sure all parties’ needs are met. Second intention is to see if you think only about your own career, or if your goals are somehow related to the goals of their educational institution. That means you have to prepare for the interview like your business depends on it — because it could. The more familiar you are with the work environment, the job description and the goals of the school, the better you will answer the interviewer’s questions. The way you discipline students directly relates to your leadership style, so having some self-awareness and examining any incidents where you had to manage conflict in your career will help you prepare to answer this question. Multiple brilliant answers to forty difficult interview questions for vice principals will make your life much easier on a big day. Question G1 : How would you describe an excellent teacher? How would you conduct parent conferences? Sometimes they need an assistant principal for a short time, and sometimes they prefer to hire someone who’d stay long. I come from a family of educators both of my grandparents were educators, my aunt, my mother, and if I go back 5 generations they were educators as well. Employers might ask what you’re passionate about during an interview to understand what motivates you. Roberta Kirschbaum, principal of the Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge … How would you proceed? It is the assistant principal’s job to create a safe and productive learning environment for all involved. When interviewing for this position, the answers that you give are extremely important. You will have to deal with many behavioral questions, and convince them that you can bring some value to the school. If you aren’t sure how you’d answer the questions, or experience anxiety before your interview, have a look at the latest edition of my eBook, the Assistant Principal Interview Guide. Jump to section: Introduction; Operational and Situational questions; Assistant Principal Interview Questions. On what criteria do you judge your success as a principal? You will have to answer tough behavioral (situational) questions, and convince the panel of interviewers about the value you’d bring to their educational institution as an AP. An interview portfolio consists of six main parts: an introduction, a professional background summary, STAR behavioral examples, awards and recommendations, sample solution(s), and a closing page. This Assistant Principal interview profile brings together a snapshot of what to look for in candidates with a balanced sample of suitable interview questions. The position of assistant principal can be a high-pressure job and also has high visibility. I was able to arrange for another student, a friend of his, to tutor him during his lunch hour and his grades improved drastically. Unfortunately, there will be many times you won't be able to show your portfolio, but it will make an impression if you bring your teaching portfolio to the interview. Great answers to forty difficult interview questions you may get in your interview will help you to calm down, and deliver your best on the big day. Remember: your role as an assistant principal is not to always side with teachers or students. Our experts advise you to bring three essentials to a winning interview: a show-and-tell portfolio, letters of recommendation that burst with specifics, and a can-do attitude. Conflicts belong to every workplace. These conversations can be delicate and need to be handled with sensitivity. Use this as your checklist: What to Bring to an Interview 1. Have you ever thought of becoming a school principal? A lot of the kids were from low-income households and many of the teachers had issues with violence in their classrooms. These include skills you practice in your daily life, like your interpersonal skills. Tell the interviewers about the things you achieved while working at some other school (in terms of tangible results). A teaching assistant is a subordinate position that requires applicants to work well with their immediate supervisors and children. 15 Job Interviewing Tips; 24-hour Interview Countdown: How to Prepare for an Interview; 10 Best Job Interview Tips for Jobseekers ; What Is Your Approach to Student Discipline? If you are interviewing for an assistant principal position, there are some common questions you will want to answer well. The position of assistant principal can be a high-pressure job and also has high visibility. You can tell the committee that you are ready to work independently, but at the same time understand the importance of teamwork, and unity of school leaders, and hope to meet the school principal on a regular basis, to consult your ideas and decisions you plan to make. Here are the questions that will reveal whether your work styles will mesh. List your previous teaching positions and any unique responsibilities that you had. Assistant principals have to lead both students and teachers and should understand their own strengths and weaknesses. Establishing your ethos on campus comes in a variety of ways (and happens differently in each unique situation). When we talk about jobs in education, and in education administration, the personal preferences of the hiring committee members can play a significant role. The interview for an assistant principal position also evaluates your soft skills. If you know someone in the school district, call and ask them about the job, challenges, etc. You should choose a situation with a happy ending, meaning a situation when you reconciled the conflict. Assistant principals are often responsible for organizing and supervising various school events. This is an important question for any school administrator. You can say that you are open to do all kind of activates, including sports, art, hiking, etc. Be succinct and thorough. I coordinated a meeting with two of his other teachers to discuss his performance. I explain that I want their child to succeed and that I am willing to do whatever I can to make sure they are safe and are performing to the best of their ability. Assistant principals are an important addition to any school’s administration team. You’ve prepared and hopefully passed your comprehensive exams, your portfolio is complete and your studying for the SLLA exam. Learn about the student population, the school's past performance and their goals for the future. Try to talk about goals you can achieve together at the school…. The interviewers need to buy a leader. When preparing for an interview for an administrative office position, one of the details you want to pay close attention to is your attire.What you wear may affect your chances of being hired, as well as your potential for advancement within the company. What can you say about the experience? Example answer: “I would like to have a positive impact on the lives of every student I am responsible for. They may even be looking for a replacement of soon-to-retire principal, or have other goals on their mind. In most school districts, assistant or vice principals are in charge of disciplining students, so as part of this question, you might also be expected to talk about your disciplinary style. While the questions will differ slightly from one school to another, and they depend also on the interviewing panel (the experience and expectations of each member), you can count to hear at least some of the following questions in your interview: Tell them that you want to achieve something–not for you and your career, but for them, and for their students. But really, this is the time to show the interview panel what you have to bring to the classroom and the school community. The Best Way to Answer Interview Questions About a Demotion. 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