Becoming a special education teacher requires a passion for helping children with disabilities as well as solid leadership, teamwork and organization skills. Great credentials, educational background and/or experience will usually get someone an interview. However, it is also wise to be prepared for what to expect at a special education job interview, including knowing what interview questions will be asked.
As most people know, interview questions don’t usually have just one right answer. Many interviewers are looking for how an answer is presented – poise, confidence and verbal skills are also very important. Knowing the audience is key, as well. Answers one might give to a school principal might be slightly different than answers to the same questions asked by a peer teacher. Either way, it is good to anticipate the interview questions ahead of time.
Successful Interview Tips
The most critical way to guarantee a successful interview is preparation. Going to an interview without knowing the subject of interest, or without intimately knowing the institution or school where the position is being offered will put the interviewee at an immediate disadvantage. Prepare for a special needs job interview by reviewing the job requirements and previous academic experience. Then learn about the hiring institution by doing the research.
During the interview, the special needs job candidate will have the opportunity to talk about what he or she has accomplished and why this particular position is interesting. This is the moment when the interviewee will be able to highlight strengths. Ahead of time, make lists of the best prior accomplishments, and the most impressive professional qualities.
Finally, practice answering interview questions and important points to bring up during the interview. This can be done anywhere, but an interviewee may want to practice at least once in the mirror. Practicing verbal presentation skills in the mirror will help a person to see and modify (if necessary) facial expressions and posture.
Example Interview Questions for a Special Needs Job
Start by reviewing the following possible special needs job interview questions. Think about how to answer each question and then practice those answers aloud.
- What areas of special education are you most interested in and why?
- List the major challenges of modern special education.
- Give an example of how you would use organization skills in a special education job.
- Define the meaning of “teamwork” in the special education field.
- How would you utilize and assess a paraprofessional effectively in the classroom?
- Why is flexibility so important for a special education teacher?
- How do you insure that your teaching skills and special education knowledge are both kept up to date?
- Describe the main points of an IEP.
- How would you manage paperwork and documentation demands while teaching, including recording the information necessary for each student’s IEP, evaluation report and NOREP?
- What is a reevaluation report?
- What issues might arise that would require you to contact parents of a special education student?
- Describe how you would determine and provide the appropriate individualized instruction to students with disabilities.
- How will you respond to individuals who might be negative or discouraging within your job, for example a regular classroom teacher who does not follow the IEP guidelines for a particular student?
- What is “Response to Intervention” and how would this model be used within the special needs classroom?
- How can a special education teacher integrate e-Learning solutions into their teaching?
- What assistive devices and technologies have you worked with or are familiar with in the classroom setting?
- How can a single teacher diversify her teaching style to reach a wide array of special needs?
- What is your philosophy on inclusion classrooms versus segregated special needs classrooms?
Once a teacher is familiar with the many aspects of special education, he or she will be able to better prepare and practice for the coming interview. Knowing what questions might be asked, along with good preparation and practice, will insure a more confident and successful interview experience for the special needs teacher.
Karen Plumley - Karen Plumley is a writer specializing in parenting and education. She works for Parenting NH and the Hippo, NH's most widely read ...
