Research common situational challenges teachers experience on the job for the particular grade being interviewed. Review teacher reports that detail problems encountered to gain information that can be used for interviews. Solicit the help of experienced teachers to help design relevant interview questions based on challenges they have faced.
Organize the interview questions into categories to be sure the interview is comprehensive and covers all necessary subject matter. Questions should cover teacher experiences in curriculum, planning, communication, classroom management, and professionalism.
Review common teacher questions published in educator publications and guidelines about interviewing and teacher selection. There are hundreds of interview questions posted online that are currently being used. Determine which questions are relevant for the position in question. Consider modifying good behavioral questions to suit the grade level and school.
Decide on how many questions are required in each category to fully evaluate a teacher's credentials. Draft a preliminary interview questionnaire broken down into categories. Based on the teachers' input and relevant interview questions found from other sources, start writing the questions.
Modify the questions provided by experienced teachers and found from other sources so that they fit the behavioral based question criteria. Behavioral-based questions often begin with the phrases: ``describe for me,'' ``tell me about,'' or ``give me an example of.'' As an interviewer, the goal is to find out how teachers have performed in the past when presented with on-the-job challenges.
Meet with a small group of experienced teachers to review the first draft of the interview questions. Get feedback and modify the questions when necessary. Remember that the questions should be open-ended to encourage the teacher to talk freely. An open-ended question is one not easily answered with a brief, one or two word answer.
Conduct a mock interview with a trusted colleague to time the session and to be sure the number of questions being used fits well within the necessary time parameters allotted for interviewing. Prioritize the questions by asking the most important questions first in case time runs out in an interview.