Expert: Debba Robinson - 2/12/2006

Question
Hello,

I am currently a Senior in college. I am now putting in my applications to various school districts. I know one of the biggest questions in an interview is "How do you teach reading?" I was wondering what kind of response are they looking for in this question. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Take Care,
Crystal  

Answer
Dear Crystal,

There are a number of things an interviewer might be looking for.  Are you a phonics person, a sight reading person, a whole language person ... in other words, from which direction do you plan to begin teaching reading?  If you are going to be teaching kindergarten or first grade, the answer you give will be very different from picking up in third, fourth, fifth grade or higher.  

If you have learned how to teach using the reading/writing processes, your approach to reading with be very different from someone who has been trained to use a basal reading system.

As a principal, I am looking for your philosophy of education as much as I am looking for your method of teaching.  Each method has its own strengths.  Depending on the experiences of children in your classroom, you may end up using one or all the methods at any given time of the year.  There is nothing wrong with saying that you have studied 'method A', have been exposed to 'methods B and C' and have an interest in exploring more in 'method D' ... letting the interviewer know that, because you have no teaching experience aside from student teaching, you are not certain what you will do until you meet your students.  

Let the interviewer know how you feel about education in general - do you believe children need to hear good literature daily?  Do you believe that kids learn reading best when they get an apportunity to write every day, therefore reading what they write?  Do you believe that children do best when they do drill and practice?  Do you believe that children should begin at the grade level you are teaching, even though they might not really be reading at that level (some may be far better and some may be far lower), or should you take each child from his/her level and build from there?

In my first year of teaching, teaching grade 5, I had a boy - he was reading on a first grade level.  When I asked for some materials at his level, my principal said, "We don't waste time on Baileys ... we just move them on!"  I was crushed and horrified!  How would you handle a situation like that?  

The important thing to remember is that your interviewer knows that you have not got a lot of experience so he/she can only ask questions that demonstrate that you have training and have some ideas on how you plan to begin - beyond that, it's your personality and enthusiasm that are going to say a lot.  

Relax and be yourself.  Talk to other teachers and watch what they do.  Make note of things you agree with and disagree with and begin to build who YOU want to be in your mind ... it'll come out when you begin working.

Best of luck to you!

Debba