More Great Tips for the Music Education Interview

As music educators interviewing for a teaching job, we have some special instances that are unlike a classroom teaching job interview. Kelly Riley has written some great Interview Tips for Music Teachers.   Miamiflute also gives great insights into the interview process with Interview Questions for Recent College Grads.  It is worth checking out these articles to get that extra edge we all need in an interview situation.

Asking Your Own Questions at the Interview

Oh, yeah, that is a picture of your brain on overload as you prepare for an interview!  There is so much to cram into your mind and we just PRAY that it all comes out coherently...interviews are truly a challenge. The education field right now in this tough economy is rougher than ever to land a job in...and that simple fact only adds more pressure to the interview situation!

So, usually at the end of the interview, the team will ask the candidate if they have any questions to ask.  This might be a time when you draw a blank or perhaps let your guard down because the end of the interview is near.  Maybe the only question floating around in your head is "When do I start??!! I've got student loans to pay, you know!!!" It is good to prepare some questions ahead of time so that you are thoughtfully prepared for this portion of the interview.

Inclusion

What are your thoughts and experiences about inclusive education?

Inclusion is a part of my work each day.  Language support, autistic support, and life skills support are all included with their typically developing peers in my schools.  This is a valuable part of their day, as in their post-graduate future, they will be spending most of their time in the mainstream.  It gives them good practice with the typical population, while enjoying a subject that they enjoy: music. 

"What's Gonna Work?" TEAMWORK!!*

*Gold star and a high-five to the first commenter who knows where that title comes from!  And apologies to everyone who now has that song stuck in their head for the next few hours...

What are your thoughts and experiences about teamwork among educators?

Teamwork is essential to the educational process.  If we are not displaying the willingness to work as a team with our fellow educators, how can we foster the ability in our students?  We must demonstrate that teamwork is an important skill for our student’s future.  Teamwork is one of many areas that we must model the behavior we want to see in our students.

More on Collaboration

What has your experience been with collaboration and what are your thoughts about your experiences?

I am a certified Elementary Education (K-6) and Music (K-12) teacher.  My current teaching assignment is vocal and general music for grades K-6 with life skills and language support inclusion.  I enjoy collaboration with my colleagues, and find it to be essential in keeping my teaching relevant to the curriculum in other core areas.  By collaborating with my colleagues, I can support the mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies curriculum through music. 

Collaboration

Recently I was asked a series of thought-provoking questions by a colleague/friend who is working on her master's program. These are worth sharing with new teachers because quite a few of them make very nice interview questions, and we all know how important it is to be on top of your game in the teaching job interview! By no means are my answers extensive, they are just a jumping off point into discussion, I hope!