Instructional Assistant Interview Questions
Being a classroom assistant requires time management, behavioural and administrative skills. The hiring agency will ask questions about your ability to handle a diverse range of the students in the classroom, your attention to detail when completing administrative work and how well you handle instructions from the teacher.
Top Classroom Assistant Interview Questions & How to Answer
Here are three top instructional assistant interview questions and tips on how to answer them:
Question No. 1: Why would you like to be a classroom assistant?
How to answer: Employers are looking to see if this is a position you would like because of your commitment to helping out in a classroom situation. Answer with comments which, for example, mention that you have worked in a classroom setting before and understand how important it is for the teacher to have help. Mention that you want to have a positive impact on children's education and that you have basic teaching skills.
Question No. 2: How would you diffuse a difficult classroom scenario?
How to answer: Occasionally, students can become unruly and disrupt a class or potentially bully another student. The hiring agency is looking for ways that you can handle conflict resolution. State that you have basic child care skills and will work with the teacher's disciplinary strategy to help calm a situation down.
Question No. 3: What do you feel is an effective lesson plan?
How to answer: This question is designed to see if you have an understanding of what a lesson plan is. Mention that a good lesson plan offers the child instructions on the topic, yet is adaptable to their learning style and comprehension rate.
Name 3 strengths and 1 weakness. How would you create a rigorous learning environment?
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3 strengths: 1. take charge attitude 2. planning implementing reward/consequence systems 3. activity planning 1 weakness: overthinking things Less
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I would create assignments where students have to critically think about what they are learning and this is through story analysis, writing assignments, challenges to work quick and efficient Less
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3 strengths: 1. take charge attitude-offer assistance when it looks like it may be needed 2. organized and detail oriented-lesson plans done early, student behavior marks written down 3. planning activities-use internet and school materials to plan activities 1 weakness: overthink things-over worry about what needs to be done but it helps me get started quick to get it done faster and correctly create rigorous environment -have activities where students are timed. For example with my TK class last year, I set the timer on 5 minutes and we saw if we could keep the ball going for 5 minutes -have assignments where students need to think-for example each short story has a writing assignment based on it, older students do story analysis sheets -for harder material-have an incentive system to encourage work-for example with one student, I told him for each reading page he does with good concentration; sitting up straight, pointing with pencil, reading loud and clear, asking for help he receives a star Less
What experience do you have working with children with special needs?
4 Answers↳
Why are you interested in this position?
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I was both an individual school nurse and Lead Nurse for the New Britain School District over the course of 15 years/ When I was in one school I had several special needs classes in my school/ During the summers I worked summer school special needs classes because they needed the consistency of the routine Less
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These children had ventilators, tube feedings, Foley catheters and multiple medications Less
If you disagree with the teacher, what would you do.
2 Answers↳
Try to understand where the teacher is coming from
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Problem solve with the teacher.
How would you handle a special needs student who was out of control?
2 Answers↳
I would follow what I was told to do by the head or lead teacher. My first instinct would be to separate the kid from the situation that’s making him react. Than I would sit down with him and ask him/her what’s going on and why they reacted in the way they did. Depending on the age I would also ask them if there was a better way they could’ve handled the situation between themselves and their classmates. When the student was calmed down I would let them join in with the classmates again. Apologize if necessary. Less
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I would follow the school's protocol for handling a situation. My first instinct would be to separate the child from the situation by having sit away from everyone else and calming them down. If need be I would hold their hands if they were trying to hit someone. I would let them draw out or write out what is upsetting them then have them tell me what's upsetting them. Next I would see if they could have handled it differently. When they're calmed down I'll let them rejoin class Less
Why do you want to work here? How would you handle a parent that asks for feedback on child?
2 Answers↳
Love kids Refer them to the teacher
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As once works with kids, once works with the whole family. The school environment is challenging, but rewarding. I would like to be a participant of success in kids. I believe that it is important to approach parents with the strengths of a child, even during challenging situations. Look at assets first and touch on what needs improvement or assistance. Less
What would you do if you had a challenging student in your class?
2 Answers↳
First I would have class rules that apply to the whole class along with a seating arrangement to balance out the noise. For more difficult students I would talk to them individually about what specifically I didn't like and work on a plan to change the behavior which for me was a reward system with stars and stickers for pages well read or rearranging reading groups Less
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once I have the students working on an activity I would pull that student aside and talk to them asking them if something is wrong so we can find a solution. Last year one girl started giving me a bad attitude during reading. I talked her after the sessions and she said she wanted to read first thing in the morning so she wouldn't miss reading later in the day. I changed the groups so that she and another girl read first thing in the morning Less
what are important protocols while supervising
1 Answers↳
Making sure I know the rules, walking around and being vigilant
Do you have any question for us ?
1 Answers↳
I said I would definately like to know your rewarding experience.