Interview Questions

Its years away, but I can't help thinking about it already.  Hell, I'd be reading tons of education books (if I had time) and making rubrics if I could!

This is where I started my search of what to ask in a teaching position interview.  This is the top local college for teachers.  Next, I looked at a list of questions on Yahoo!  And then, I found this page, and I spent a lot of time reading and thinking about the sample questions that might be asked at an interview. 

Basic info about the position:
How many classes will I teach?
What is your average and maximum class size?
Do you use heterogeneous or homogeneous grouping?
If heterogeneous, can you describe the levels?
If homogeneous, what support is available for classroom teachers?  (GT advisory, aids, ESL)
What other duties will I have other than my class load?  (study hall, advisory, duties)
How long are class periods?  How do classes rotate?
What is the make up of the student body?  Particularly, ESL, "honors" and low income families. 
May I have a copy of the student handbook?
May I have a copy of the course book?
Do you use semesters or trimesters?
Do you send out mid term progress reports?
What is your administration's view on when a student should be sent to the office?
What expectations do you have for teacher-parent communication?

Questions geared to my teaching ideals:
Will I have my own classroom?
What is your support systems for teachers new to the school / district?
When is there collaborative time for teachers? 
Do teachers ever collaborate: interdisciplinary?  district wide?
How is standardized testing preparation handled?
What skills and initiatives has the staff been working on recently?
Is your report card traditional or standards based?  Is there any talk of it changing?
Do you have a literacy specialist?  What role does he / she play in the school?
How is literacy across the curriculum implemented?
Do you have a peer tutoring program?
What steps are in place for remediation?  (summer school, specific courses)
Do any of your teachers team teach?
Do any of your teachers loop their students?
What is your homework policy?



Other:
Do teachers new to your district have any additional obligations?  (such as perimeters at LAHS)
What technology will be available? (classroom use, lab, programs for students)
Do you have a venue for me to create a web site?
What training is available for me regarding technology I'm unfamiliar with?
What oppertunities are there in district for professional development?
Do you reimburse course tuition?
What are the large annual events at your school?  (Homecoming, arts festivals, etc)
When were you last accredited?  Is this or next year an accreditation year?
Do you offer AP courses?
Do you partner with any other schools to  provide additional educational opportunities? 
How are teacher observations arranged? 
How would you describe parental involvement at this school?
How do I order supplies?  Will I have funds to use during the school year? 
Does your school recycle paper?
What are the procedures for making student handouts?  (copiers, printers, etc)


Questions specific to ELA:
Is there a textbook?
Is there a prescribed reading list?
May I have a copy of available texts?
Will I have any department allocated funds for books or other materials?
How are the texts available distributed over the courses?
Do you use any common rubrics?
Do you use common assignments across the grade level?
How are research projects handled?  Is it mainly this departments job to teach research?
What work has the department been doing together over the last year?
Do you have a literary magazine?  (if yes, can I have a copy?)
Are there any mandatory assignments for the classes I would be teaching?
What is your approach to teaching grammar?
What writing courses do you offer? 
How do teachers approach writing in the grade level courses?
Do you have a drama department or does ELA cover those topics? 
What do the students leaving the middle school mastered and what do they need to most work on?
What does homework typically look like for teachers in this department?
Do you offer many electives?  Are they available for all grade levels?

Questions related to my family needs:
What is the schedule for after school meetings?
How many sick hours / days are available?
How many personal days are available?
May I have a copy of your pay scale?  Where is a copy of your pay scale available?