How to Prepare for a Teacher Training Interview...

The teacher training recruitment cycle has opened and applications are flooding in. It has been a great start to recruitment but there is more work to be done. We are still having some applicants not really sure about how to prepare for their interview. They passed the first challenge and received an invite to be interviewed, but some do not know how to make the most of this opportunity. Well, this is what we look for in a good candidate...

Potential...

We we are looking to see that you know some of the qualities and skills that make a good teacher. You understand the realities of the classroom and have any idea of what it takes to make a difference in the lives of the young people that we teach. In order to prepare for this, we would suggest that you do the following:

Gain school experience - get into schools, meet teachers and see the reality of the classroom. Watch how existing practitioners ensure that students make progress. Evaluate what you have seen and reflect on how it impacted on the students. What went into making that lesson successful? Think about planning, questioning, differentiation (how the teacher makes the learning accessible to all students) and anything else you notice. The ability to reflect on this is vital as this skill will be tested during interview.

Identify what you think makes a good teacher. What skills and qualities are important and why? How will these skills help you make a difference to children's lives? Be prepared to answer questions about this. We want to know what you will aspire to be and how you hope to do it.

Changes in Education - research any current issues in education, generally, but also your subject. TES and Schools Week are good places to start.

Teaching task - you will need to demonstrate your ability to work with students, engage and question as well as evaluate what is happening. Are the students making progress (learning something)? If not, stop the task (YES, I said stop the task) and try something else that could result in progress. If you do not realise the students are not making progress during the task, make sure to reflect afterwards and think of why it happened and things you could try next time. The ability to reflect is almost more important than how the task itself goes!!

Subject Knowledge - think about your own subject knowledge. Are the any gaps? If so, what have. You been doing to address these. Here are some ideas - go to events, join professional bodies, gain qualifications (coaching badges, short courses, A Levels of GCSEs, voluntary work in a relevant organisation). Research SKEs (Subject Knowledge Enhancement course), mention in your application your willingness / desire to do one. These courses are paid for by the DfE and you get paid while doing it.

Remember, this is a 2 way process. We are interviewing you, but we are also trying to show you what we are about. Try not to be nervous (I appreciate it is easy to say this) and let us see who you are. The fact that you are being interviewed means you have already shown real promise. Try to remember this and show your best self. We do realise that this is a challenging situation and will try to make you feel as comfortable as you can during an interview process.

It is unlikely that you will be told the outcome on the day. We get feedback from our Lead Subject Tutors and this may take time. We will normally let you know within 2 work days. If that doesn't happen, it does NOT mean that we have rejected you! We are all teachers and that can delay us coming back to you. If you have questions then call up and find out. Whatever the outcome, we will give you comprehensive verbal feedback on the day. If you are coming onto the course then you can use this feedback to prepare further. If we feel you are not yet ready, the feedback will tell you exactly what we suggest you do to strengthen your application.

one of the best pieces of advice, for nearly anything to do with UCAS Teacher Training applications, is contact the provider. Ask questions

what they are looking for?

how long will it take to hear back?

what will happen afterwards?

if you want anymore guidance then book to attend one of our info events at www.bookwhen.com/leicesterscitt

If you are ready to apply, the UCAS code for the Leicestershire Secondary SCITT is L33.

Our website is www.leicestershiresecondaryscitt.org

GOOD LUCK

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