Q. Tell me the reasons why you have chosen preschool teaching as a profession?

"Before setting my heart on becoming a preschool teacher, I considered carefully the role, what I would
need to do on a daily basis and also the commitment that is needed. After looking into the position, and
also speaking to bother preschool teachers within the profession, I knew it was the only job I wanted to
do.

I chose the job of a preschool teacher for three reasons. The first reason is I will get to have a big impact
on the children I am working with - I enjoy responsibility in my work, and I would get tremendous job
satisfaction from seeing the impact my teaching has on children's lives.

The second reason is, I want a teaching position where you have to adapt your style of teaching to get
your message and information across. All children are different in how they learn, and whilst some will
be easy to support and teach, others will require a different method - that is a challenge I will very much
enjoy.

Finally, I chose preschool teaching because I am naturally a very patient person. To be effective as a
preschool teacher, you need an abundance of patience, and this is something I possess.”

Q. How do you define success in your work as a Preschool Teacher?

“I define success as a preschool teacher in five ways. The first way is how the children react to my
teaching. If I see them reacting positively, I know I am part way to achieving my school’s goals.

The second way is by seeing them make consistent progress as the months develop. Thirdly, I define
success by the children being happy and when I can clearly see them developing good manners and
important like skills, I know am I making a positive impact.

The fourth way in which I define success is how I utilize different creative methods to achieve my
teaching goals – if a child responds positively to one of my teaching methods, again I know that I am
making progress.

Finally, I define success through the conversations I have with parents andbthe feedback I receive.
Obviously the parents are an integral part of a preschool teachers work and I always keep them
informed and updated regularly.”
Q. Tell me how you'd handle behavioral issues in the classroom?

"I would, first and foremost, always praise good behavior whilst ignoring negative behavior to a point.
This would serve to help teach the child the fact that positive/good behavior will gain my attention and
praise.

Other methods I would utilize to handle behavioral issues include using positive language whilst
communicating with the children; using a classroom reward chart for positive behavior, and also
considering the creation of a visual day schedule to focus the attention of the child on what we would be
doing throughout the day.

In my experience, negative or disruptive behavior can sometimes derive from a child not being able to
carry out activities they enjoy, so by having a visual schedule to focus on, they will be able to see that
certain, more enjoyable activities will be featuring at some time during the day's lessons.

Finally, I think it's really important to take a note of continuous, negative behavior and to also
communicate it with the parents. You have to involve the parents throughout the development process,
which will in turn encourage positive habits and behaviors."

Q. What skills and qualities are needed to be a great Preschool Teacher?

"In my opinion, you need 8 specific skills and qualities to be a great preschool teacher. These include, a
thorough UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR SUBJECT and a STYLE OF TEACHING that is applicable to the age of
children you are educating. You also need to be very PATIENT, remain calm and always BE SUPPORTIVE
as this is a very important period in a child's development. You need to be ADAPTABLE in terms of how
you teach children, as not all children learn the same way. You need to be a GREAT COMMUNICATOR,
not just in terms of how you teach the children, but also how you communicate with their parents.

Finally, you have to be a brilliant ORGANIZER and PLANNER and be able to use a CREATIVE APPROACH to
lesson plans to keep the children educated, happy and on a continuous journey of development."
Top 20 Preschool Teacher Interview Questions & Answers 2023

Written by Editorial Team in Career

Preschool Teacher Interview Questions & Answers

Preschool teachers are early childhood educators who instruct children between 2 to 5 years old. These
youngsters have a short attention span, and their worries are fairly simple. When hiring a preschool
teacher, employers look for a person passionate about teaching young children. Other than that, which
areas should you focus on when preparing for a preschool teacher interview? Here are our top 20
preschool teacher interview questions and answers.

1. Tell Me About Yourself

There are several ways of tackling this common interview opening question. You can choose to highlight
your skills, experiences, interests, and hobbies or talk about your personality. All in all, ensure that:

Tip #1: Mention your education attainment, abilities, and experience that relate to this job

Tip #2: Prove that you’re the best candidate for this job

Sample Answer

I am an experienced preschool teacher with over ten years of experience. I graduated with a Bachelors’s
in Early Childhood Education, finishing at the top of my class. I love working with young children, an
attribute that informed my career choice. I highly value my work but also have a life on the outside. I
enjoy traveling, cooking, drawing, cycling, hanging out with my friends and family, and playing with my
kids. I am interested in child psychology and will soon enroll in a course.

2. Why are You Interested in this Role?

This is a pretty straightforward question. Tell the interviewer why you want to be a preschool teacher
and particularly in this given institution. Ensure that:

Tip #1: Mention why you’re interested in this role

Sample Answer

I love working with children, especially those in the early stages of development. Being a firstborn and a
mother, I have had the chance to watch children grow and nurture some. This role will allow me to get
close to your youngest students and help them with their education. I enjoy what I do, and therefore,
you can rest assured that I will deliver. I also love this institution because of its fantastic work policies,
supportive work environment, and the excellent results it has been posting over the years. I am willing
to do everything it takes to ensure that you remain at the top of the list. Lastly, working here will allow
me to nurture some of my skills and improve my expertise. I believe that I will enjoy coming to work
every day.

3. What are the Roles of a Preschool Teacher?

This question aims to assess your familiarity with the roles of a preschool teacher.

Tip #1: Mention the roles performed by a preschool teacher

Tip #2: Demonstrate that you are familiar with your roles

Sample Answer

A preschool teacher is mainly responsible for early childhood education. This role involves creating and
delivering interactive learning programs, developing and enforcing rules of good behavior for kids in
classrooms, and demonstrating activities to kids. Other roles include offering resources and tools that
kids can use to learn and play, evaluating children’s performance, and developing teaching methods that
fit early childhood education.

4. Briefly Describe Your Preschool Teaching Experience.

The interviewer wants to assess whether you have the experience required for this job.

Tip #1: Describe your experience as a preschool teacher

Tip #2: Prove that your experience matches what the employer wants

Sample Answer
I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education five years ago. Soon after graduating, I
joined a local school as a preschool teacher. I performed my duties effectively and to the satisfaction of
learners, my employer, and my parents. In the third year of my teaching career, I joined a national
school where I have been working to date. Over these years, I have gained significant experience in
preschool teaching. I understand the ins and outs of this job. Thus, I have the experience required to
perform this role effectively.

5. Why is it Important to You to Work as a Preschool Teacher?

Here, the interviewer seeks to know why you consider it important to work as an early childhood
teacher.

Tip #1: State why your career is important to you

Tip #2: Be honest and clear with your answer

Sample Answer

When I was thinking about the career I wanted to pursue, I discovered that I enjoy being around kids.
Besides, I am an ambitious person who has a flair for ensuring the cognitive, social, and personal
development of young children. These aspects are the main forces behind my interest in working as an
early childhood teacher.

6. Isn’t Teaching Young Children Very Challenging?

The interview manager wants to hear whether you are ready to handle the challenges associated with
this role.

Tip #1: Show that you are adequately prepared to handle this job

Tip #2: Be direct and give a relevant answer

Sample Answer

Indeed, teaching kids is extremely challenging. This is because young children can be difficult to control
and take time to understand new things. Besides, they can easily forget what they have learned or been
directed to do. But since this is my passion, I am ready for the job.
 7. What Skills Make You a Great Preschool Teacher?

Here, the interviewer wants to know whether you possess the necessary skills for this role.

Tip #1: State the skills that make you a great preschool teacher

Tip #2: Show that you have the relevant skills needed to perform this role effectively

Sample Answer

I am flexible and patient. These two skills are among the core abilities that a teacher needs to succeed in
this job. Also, because I’m a trained teacher, I am skilled in developing and using age-appropriate
teaching materials, assessing learners’ performance, and offering a safe environment for learning.
Moreover, I am capable of dealing with classroom issues before they escalate.

8. What Approach Do You Use to Manage Learners When They Become Distractive?

The interviewer wants to assess how you handle challenging and stressful situations.

Tip #1: State how you manage kids when they become distractive

Tip #2: Demonstrate your ability to handle stressful and challenging moments

Sample Answer

When learners become distractive, I manage the situation by providing routine, structure, and support
to them. I make sure to have consistent rules and expectations. Through these, I establish boundaries,
and learners respond well to them.

9. What Qualities Should a Preschool Teacher Possess to be Effective?

This interview question is asked to test whether you know the qualities that can make you effective in
this role.

Tip #1: State several qualities that are essential in this role

Tip #2: Prove that you know what can make you effective

Sample Answer

Important qualities that make a preschool teacher effective include being patient, energetic, flexible, a
good communicator and listener, passionate about teaching children, and having a good and engaging
personality. Other qualities include being compassionate, confident, organized, innovative, and using a
lively and innovative teaching style.

10. What Major Challenge Did You Face During Your Last Role? How Did You Handle It?

The interviewer wants to assess your problem-solving skills and whether you can deal with a challenging
situation.

Tip #1: Describe a major challenge that you faced

Tip #2: State how you handled the situation

Sample Answer

During my last role, I had an in-class emergency. As I was teaching my pupils around noon, one child
suddenly got into an epileptic state. He was a newly admitted learner. Luckily, I had read his file and
knew the appropriate emergency procedure to undertake. I followed it, and the pupil gained
consciousness after a few minutes. Most of the other learners got shocked, but I calmed them down and
resumed teaching in the afternoon.

11. Describe Your Daily Routine as a Preschool teacher

Here, the interviewer manager wants to hear what a typical day for a preschool teacher looks like.

Tip #1: Mention what a preschool teacher does every day

Tip #2: Prove that you know your daily routine

Sample Answer

The daily routine of preschool teachers includes creating plans for daily activities, organizing snack and
nap hours for children, supervising them to make sure they are safe all the time, guiding young learners
to develop practical and artistic abilities, and maintaining clean classrooms. They also teach basic skills
through storytelling and educational plays, among other educational techniques, attend to the basic
needs of children, read stories to their pupils, and communicate with parents.

12. What is the Biggest Challenge that You Foresee in This Job?
Here, the interviewer aims to test your readiness for the challenges associated with this role.

Tip #1: Mention a huge challenge that you anticipate in this job

Tip #2: State how you intend to address it

Sample Answer

I expect that children will get easily distracted. It becomes very challenging to teach and engage them
when they don’t have an interest in a lesson. But I will use fun and interesting teaching methods to win
their attention and have them concentrate in class.

13. What is the Aim of Preparing Lesson Plans?

The interviewer wants to test whether you understand the importance of lesson plans.

Tip #1: State the objective of having lesson plans

Tip #2: Prove that you use lesson plans

Sample Answer

Lesson plans aim to organize and lead school activities that foster the academic, social, mental, and
physical development of every learner. They are based on the ability of each child to learn and cope with
different situations.

14. Is it Okay to Enrol Learners with Special Needs in a Regular Program?

Here, the interviewer wants to hear your take on having special needs students in a regular program.

Tip #1: Mention what would determine the enrolment of these learners in a regular program

Tip #2: Think fast and give a well-thought answer

Sample Answer
I see no harm in placing special needs children in a regular school program if they can learn and cope like
other kids. So the decision to enroll them in a regular program should be based on their disability and
learning ability.

15. What Do You Like Most About This Job?

The interviewer seeks to know what you love most about preschool teaching.

Tip #1: State what excites you most about teaching young kids

Tip #2: Be honest and give a complete answer

Sample Answer

Although I like many things about my career, I become greatly delighted to see my learners excited and
overjoyed after learning something new. I love to see them become very happy when they can do new
things for the first time. I become very fulfilled when my students get excited by learning new things.

16. What Kind of Strategies and Mind-Set are Required for This Role? Explain With Example

Here, the interviewer wants to assess whether you understand the strategies and outlook that can make
you successful in this role.

Tip #1: Describe strategies needed to perform this role effectively

Tip #2: Mention the mindset you need to succeed in this job

Sample Answer

Managing pre-schoolers is challenging, but certain strategies can make it easier. A key strategy is to gain
their respect by ensuring appropriate conduct without threatening them. Another important strategy is
controlling preschool classrooms while keeping things encouraging, enjoyable, and educational. A great
way to achieve this is through the excellent organization of the learning environment and activities. The
mindset needed in this role involves upholding patience and focusing on creating a supportive,
structured, and welcoming learning environment.

17. Why are the First Five Years of a Child’s Life So Important?

The interviewer wants to know whether you understand the importance of supporting children during
their early years in life.
Tip #1: State why the first five years of a child’s life are important

Tip #2: Prove that you are knowledgeable about the needs of young children

Sample Answer

The first five years of a child’s life are extremely important because they are the formative years of a kid.
It is during these years that children are provided with a foundation on which their lives are built.
Besides, children can absorb a lot during these years.

18. What are Your Strengths as a Preschool Teacher?

This question aims to assess the strengths that make you a great preschool teacher.

Tip #1: Mention some strengths that make you a good preschool instructor

Tip #2: Be truthful with your answer

Sample Answer

I can observe each child objectively and keenly to meet their individual needs best. Besides, I have
excellent organizational and planning skills and strong communication skills. Also, I am flexible, creative,
and patient.

19. How Do You Stay Motivated at Work?

The interviewer asks this question to know how you stay inspired at work.

Tip #1: State how you remain motivated at work

Tip #2: Show that you are self-motivated

Sample Answer

I observe and read about other teachers who have been very successful in the profession. I look at how
they teach, deliver lessons, and engage with learners. In doing so, I learn new approaches and get
inspired to work hard and overcome my challenges.
 20. Describe a Time You Failed in This Role and the Lesson You Learned

The interview manager wants to assess whether you learn from your mistakes.

Tip #1: Describe a failure that you experienced

Tip #2: State the lesson you learned

Sample Answer

Some time back, I failed to balance the needs of children and parents. I was so much into the children
and neglected the role of parents. However, I later learned that I needed parents’ buy-in as they play a
crucial role in education. I started involving them through newsletters, progress reports, and organizing
parent days and activities.

Conclusion

Preparing for your next preschool teacher interview was easy with these questions and answers. You
just need to study and practice them to prepare adequately for the interview. Where applicable,
customize the answers to suit your qualification, experience, and skills.