Preparing for an Interview

Useful Language & 5 Topics to Consider

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“The will to succeed is important, but what’s more important is the will to prepare”

Preparing for an interview is a daunting experience. Where to begin? What topics to research? What language to use

Throughout this blogpost, I am going to walk you through some useful tips and tricks around the areas of language and popular topics to consider. Remember, you are a highly qualified individual and an interview is an opportunity to showcase YOU! I am going to show you how.

Language is the reflection of ourselves. It is an exact reflection of the character, knowledge and growth of its speakers

Positive language is vitally important throughout an interview. An interview board want to appoint someone who is positive, expressive, informed and happy. A positive teacher, using positive language has a tremendous impact on a school community. Positive attitudes in the classroom are fundamental to promoting positive mental health in the classroom, as well as building the self-esteem and confidence of the children in that classroom. A positive teacher is also significant in developing staff morale and a satisfactory staff dynamic in a school.

Examples of positive language to be used throughout an interview:

  • I was fortunate to….
  • I thoroughly enjoyed….
  • I love teaching
  • I was inspired by….
  • The initiative was very beneficial to the children
  • It may have been challenging but it was worthwhile as the children benefitted greatly
  • I am passionate about….
  • I have an appreciation for…..

Buzzwords are a useful tool to utilise throughout an interview. Buzzwords aid in presenting a candidate as someone who is passionate about teaching, knowledgeable in the area of current research and committed to continuous professional development.

Here are some examples of useful buzzwords

Pssstt…..find 30 Interview Buzzwords and what they mean here: https://mash.ie/product/30-interview-buzzwords-what-they-mean/

5 Topics to Consider when Preparing for Interview

  1. Know who you are and what your strengths, qualities and talents are

This seems like an obvious one, but is often one of the first questions asked in an interview and can challenge candidates.

The main reason for this is because it is a question that we often refer to as being “easy! I know everything about myself and what I am going to say”. It is only when you begin to say it out loud that this answer is difficult to structure as some information about yourself will not be relevant while other information is significant. It is one of the most important questions as if it is not answered well, can unsettle a candidate.

  • Promoting Positive Mental Health

Now, more than ever, promoting positive mental health is fundamental to teaching and learning in our schools. Holistic education is a comprehensive approach to teaching which supports positive mental health in our schools. This is where educators seek to address the emotional, social, ethical and academic needs of the students in an integrated learning format. It is important to be clear on ways in which you plan for holistic education in your classroom and therefore, promote positive mental health within your classroom and beyond.

  • Research the school and know what they value most

Knowing and referring to the achievements, values and priorities of a school is very important in an interview. An example of this may be that the school community are passionate about promoting positive mental health throughout the school. Can you add to this? What would you like to add? Have you engaged in any initiatives or programmes previous to this interview such as The Amber Flag Initiative with Pieta House? It is crucial that you make reference to the research you have done on the school and how you can be of help in further developing some initiatives and ideas.

  • Mandatory Policies

Mandatory policies are fundamental to the safe operation of any organisation, but particularly a school. Mandatory policies are policies which are among the most important documents in a school’s building. These include, but are not limited to-

  • Child Protection
  • Health & Safety
  • Anti-Bullying
  • Code of Discipline

Research these policies on the school’s website and refer to them throughout your interview.

  • The Continuum of Support

The Department of Education has set out the Continuum of Support framework to assist schools in identifying and responding to students’ needs. The framework recognises that special educational needs occur along a continuum, ranging from mild to severe. The Continuum of Support is a problem solving model of assessment and intervention that enables schools to gather and analyse data, as well as to plan and review the progress of individual students. It is important to research this framework. The resource pack is available here: https://www.sess.ie/sites/default/files/inlinefiles/neps_special_needs_resource_pack.pdf

The Primary Teacher Interview Consultancy– How can we help?

The Primary Teacher Interview Consultancy was established to help teachers, at any stage of their career, in any educational setting, engage in interview preparation and guidance, to realise and achieve their full potential. The consultancy has many consultation plans which cater for those at any level of experience and self-confidence within the area of teaching interviews. We delve into all relevant topics, current research, legislation, policies and circulars. We provide for well-structured answers and a high standard of vocabulary and language, also known as ‘buzzwords’. All consultations include a copy of our ‘Sample Questions Booklet’. We are here to support you, through guidance consultations and mock interviews, to ensure that you achieve your goals. All mash.ie followers receive a 10% discount when quoting ‘mash.ie’ on booking, before the 1st of July 2021.

Follow us on Instagram for lots of tips & sample questions- @teacherinterviewireland

Email us at primaryteacherinterview@gmail.com to make an enquiry/ booking