Teaching Assistant Interview Questions
Tell me about yourself. Answ- I am an excited new teacher with a bachelor's degree in
early childhood education. I am currently working on getting my Master's in Language
and Literacy in hopes to be the best teacher I can be. I have worked with children for 10
years from babysitting to preschools to student teaching. I am very excited for the
opportunity to get into a classroom .
What is the importance of an instructional assistant? Answ- An instructional assistant
deals with the nitty gritty of the day-to-day needs of a classroom. They can help grade,
file papers, make copies, clean and organize the classroom, lead transition periods and
assist in small group instruction or assist when the teacher needs to step out.
Essentially, instructional assistant's are there so a teacher can focus their time on the
student's and their needs instead of miscellaneous tasks.
What are your strengths? Answ- I am patient with children and tedious tasks, I am
flexible in that if the lesson needs to change abruptly or a child suddenly gets sick I can
be quick on my feet to adapt, and I am organized. I have worked as a GA for the past
year organizing research documents and contacting professors for data collection.
What are your weaknesses? Answ- I really value organization, so sometimes big
messes and chaos in a classroom can stress me out, but I have learned this is
preventable through strong classroom management. Also I am a recent graduate so I
have less experience than some in the classroom, however, this will allow me to learn
the way you want this job done and build on that foundation.
If a child hits you what do you do? Answ- I have the child speak with me in private
about the behavior. It's important to see what the underlying issue may be, if there is
one. I would restate that the behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable in our
classroom. If the child has a behavior log I will log it in there and also communicate this
information to the teacher as the parents will need to be notified.
What methods of evaluation and assessment would you use for your students? Answ-
I am a big proponent of anecdotal records, kidwatching, portfolios and informal
assessment. I feel these methods are the most authentic especially in a kindergarten
classroom. It is important to have a variety of assessment methods so you can get a
holistic picture of what the student's are capable of.
What is the most difficult aspect of being an instructional assistant? Answ- Overall I
think being an IA is an enjoyable job, but likely in assessment times it can be a bit
hectic. Assisting in classroom management when the schedule is off can be tricky as
well.
Tell me about yourself. Answ- I am an excited new teacher with a bachelor's degree in
early childhood education. I am currently working on getting my Master's in Language
and Literacy in hopes to be the best teacher I can be. I have worked with children for 10
years from babysitting to preschools to student teaching. I am very excited for the
opportunity to get into a classroom .
What is the importance of an instructional assistant? Answ- An instructional assistant
deals with the nitty gritty of the day-to-day needs of a classroom. They can help grade,
file papers, make copies, clean and organize the classroom, lead transition periods and
assist in small group instruction or assist when the teacher needs to step out.
Essentially, instructional assistant's are there so a teacher can focus their time on the
student's and their needs instead of miscellaneous tasks.
What are your strengths? Answ- I am patient with children and tedious tasks, I am
flexible in that if the lesson needs to change abruptly or a child suddenly gets sick I can
be quick on my feet to adapt, and I am organized. I have worked as a GA for the past
year organizing research documents and contacting professors for data collection.
What are your weaknesses? Answ- I really value organization, so sometimes big
messes and chaos in a classroom can stress me out, but I have learned this is
preventable through strong classroom management. Also I am a recent graduate so I
have less experience than some in the classroom, however, this will allow me to learn
the way you want this job done and build on that foundation.
If a child hits you what do you do? Answ- I have the child speak with me in private
about the behavior. It's important to see what the underlying issue may be, if there is
one. I would restate that the behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable in our
classroom. If the child has a behavior log I will log it in there and also communicate this
information to the teacher as the parents will need to be notified.
What methods of evaluation and assessment would you use for your students? Answ-
I am a big proponent of anecdotal records, kidwatching, portfolios and informal
assessment. I feel these methods are the most authentic especially in a kindergarten
classroom. It is important to have a variety of assessment methods so you can get a
holistic picture of what the student's are capable of.
What is the most difficult aspect of being an instructional assistant? Answ- Overall I
think being an IA is an enjoyable job, but likely in assessment times it can be a bit
hectic. Assisting in classroom management when the schedule is off can be tricky as
well.
