General Questions Flashcards
Why do you want to be a teacher?
To play a part in shaping young people’s lives
To deliver a first-class education to my pupils
Why do you want to teach primary pupils?
Primary education provides the building blocks that shape the foundation of their lives
An increasingly projected shortage of teachers motivates me to do my bit
Tell us about what you have observed and noted in schools.
An inclusive, caring environment
A clear ethos that ensures stability and sucess
How would you go about trying to include different methods of teaching and learning in your lessons?
Mix and match - combine approaches to reach all audiences
E.g. Maths - starter with whiteboards, explanation videos, quizzes and worksheets
Think of a poor teaching lesson you have observed - how could you have improved it?
NEA-dedicated lessons in A-Level English
I was never challenged to get the highest grade possible, and was not given any English-related work when I had finished my NEA
I would have improved the lesson through more targeted NEA feedback and provided some practice exam questions
How would you make primary teaching interesting to all pupils?
I intend to make every lesson memorable
Foster an enquiring environment in my classroom
How would you deal with an extremely disruptive pupil in one of your lessons (i.e. one that needs to be removed from the lesson)?
Remind the pupil of your expectations, allowing them a chance to correct their behaviour
Follow school policies on behaviour if they continue to disrupt
What makes a good lesson?
A clear focus - embodied by objectives and structure of lessons
If you can teach your pupils at least one new thing that interests them
What qualities do you possess which will help you to be a competent teacher?
Determination - when the going gets tough, I will put all my energy into the pupils, and making their experience at school the best it can be
Empathy - I have patience when dealing with young people, and will always look out for pupils who struggle
What can you bring to the ‘whole school’ environment as a teacher?
Bundles of enthusiasm - a can do attitude that increases morale across the school
A male role model - most primary teachers are female, coming into the whole school environment has the potential to inspire the boys and work with someone they can directly relate to
Think about a teacher who influenced you positively - what was special about them? REFER to Mrs Hunscott
Mrs Hunscott was special because she was a guiding light in my formative years
She always worked incredibly hard for us, and made sure nothing we learnt was ever boring
What worries you about teaching?
Losing control of the classroom
Fear I will not keep up with the workload
What do you think are the main differences between classrooms today and how education was when you were at school?
Technology - pupils have smart phones and learn from tablets
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on attendance and attainment
Can you pick a current educational issue and tell me a bit more about this?
Term-time holidays - parents are opting to be fined instead of waiting until the end of term
This is for financial reasons, as the fine is over £80 (which is cheaper than booking a holiday after term)
How would you ensure that you respect and include pupils from all different backgrounds?
Link to FBV (mutual respect)
Regardless of demographics, everyone will be judged on merit and behaviour to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equally
How could you use ICT in primary teaching?
Using my Office proficiency to pass down key tips and tricks to pupils
What has been the greatest challenge in your life and how did you tackle it?
A consistent challenge has been contending with ASD
While not able to ever tackle it, I’ve thrown myself into every activity I’ve ever set my mind to, and pushed on regardless of the social difficulties I’ve faced
Do you prefer KS1 or KS2, and why?
KS2:
We can get into more exciting content, as the basics have been mostly covered, and interlink subjects
How do you feel that your degree is related to primary school teaching?
Politics as “decision-making” - from teachers, to the Head, to Governors, to OFSTED
Which subjects would you most enjoy teaching?
Numeracy - love problem-solving!
History - it’s fascinating learning about the past
Which subjects would you least enjoy teaching?
Science - I don’t find it engaging
Art - not a very creative person
What other subjects would you be good at/enjoy? DO NOT mention Maths or History
ICT
Literacy
How do children learn?
Physical activities - by practicing and observing demonstrations
Mental activities - by listening attentively and being able to put their knowledge to the test
What teaching methods are most effective?
Inquiry-based learning - where children investigate and research
Games-based learning - where children learn information through games that incentivise them to succeed with rewards and fun activities (e.g. Education City)
What is a connected curriculum?
Where national curriculum content is covered with depth
This ensures that knowledge and skills can be applied across all subjects
How would you make a subject cross-curricular?
By linking relevant information in one subject with more context regarding a different subject
E.g. linking WW2 history with a book like Goodnight Mr Tom
How could you use questions to deepen understanding?
By posing questions that spark knowledge recall
By combining questions with inquiry-based learning, to allow pupils to find out information for themselves
What is a key development in the last couple of years in the way that Maths is taught?
Multiplication Tables Check
Y4 are tested to see if they can recall their multiplication up to 12 X 12
How would you make a Literacy lesson creative?
By using humorous examples of sentences to teach SPaG
By displaying words and sounds across the classroom on colourful displays
What books have you recently read for pleasure?
Currently reading The Abuse of Power by Theresa May
Before that, I was reading A Revolution Betrayed by Peter Hitchens
Who is your favourite children’s author and why?
Jeff Kinney, who writes the Wimpy Kid Diaries
He uses the perspective of a teenager, with little illustrations of sketches, to make his stories come to life and make them relatable
Which book would you recommend to a Key Stage 2 student?
Gangsta Granny by David Walliams
It has a quirky plot and reminds us of the importance of family
How in your opinion could you tell if it is a good school by walking in through the door? What would you look for?
I could identify a good school by how the pupils behave and how engaging the teachers are
I would look for two things:
Ofsted rating
School ethos
What would you think about in preparing the classroom for the first day of a new school year with a new class?
Ice-breakers - get to know everyone and get them to know each other!
Set my expectations - my own and those in line with school policies
Describe your ideal primary classroom.
Pupils are respectful and polite
The classroom is decorated with information boards and the brilliant work of my pupils
How would you go about trying to include different methods of teaching for a very uninteresting subject? TALK ABOUT TEACHING INFORMATION ON THE WORKS OF AN ARTIST
Make the Art lesson into an ICT lesson
Use the computers to get the pupils to make creative posters of an artist
A ‘high achiever’ in the class has not been working to his/her potential over the last two weeks or so. What would you do?
Ask the pupil to come and see me one-to-one, to try and find out if anything’s wrong
If there is, remind them of what support is available and offer them opportunities to catch up with the work
How do teachers deal with the wide range of abilities in their class, ensuring all children meet their potential?
Via lesson objectives - e.g. ALL will, MOST will, SOME will
By providing extra resources for both high-achievers flying through the work, but for low-achievers who need extra practice on a topic also
What is the role of the TA in the classroom? Give an example of effective use of the TA that you have seen.
The role of a TA is to be an additional layer of support to both the teacher and pupils in lessons
One effective use of a TA I remember was during a “school walk” as a Governor. A HLTA called Mrs Gair took a group of pupils to a separate room to aid with their reading, helping them with pronunciation and making the reading engaging with character voices and humour.
What are the current issues for primary schools?
The impact on attendance and attainment of pupils since COVID-19
Increased use of technology in and out of school - leading to mental health problems, eyesight problems and increased cyberbullying
What hobbies do you have that could be applied to extra-curricular activities?
Reading - can be applied to a book club
Bingo - can be applied to a Bingo evening for charity, or to raise money for something else
What interests have you got that could help the school and how?
Interest in politics - can help schools understand and implement central government policies in their frameworks
Spending time with my nephews/niece - can help me keep the school informed on the issues young people face today
