I have been collecting these questions for years and am finally ready to share over 100 interview questions with you. Many of you shared questions in my Simply Special Community Facebook group, I have written down my own questions over the years and have asked many friends and family in the field.
I have also interviewed other teachers and paras and logged the questions. I am confident that this list will get you prepared enough to be confident in a special education interview!
+ Why did you want to be a special ed teacher
+ What are your strengths and weaknesses? (always give a weakness and how you are planning to improve it)
+ What is your favorite disability category to work with?
+ What are your future plans?
+ What does your dream position look like?
+ How do you handle stress and keep a positive mind?
+ What makes your shine?
+ What do you do for self care outside of school?
+ What is your classroom management philosophy?
+ What are your top 3 values?
+ What sets you apart from other candidates?
+ What will we miss out on if we don’t employ you?
+ If we walked into your classroom, what would we see?
+ How will you set up your classroom with students in mind?
+ How will you incorporate small group instruction?
+ How do you protect confidential information?
+ How do you build classroom community?
+ How do you build relationships?
+ How will you manage problem behavior?
+ Who will you reach out to for help?
+ Do you have experience with restraint training?
+ What behavior trainings have you had?
+ Define classroom management.
+ How would you handle aggressive behavior?
+ Have you completed BIPs? FBAs?
+ Do you have experience with ABA?
+ Define structured teaching.
+ When do you take data?
+ How often do you take data?
+ How do you take different types of data? (ABC, frequency, interval, duration)
+ How do you record data?
+ Can you describe a data sheet you use?
+ Do you expect paras to take data?
+ How do you graph data?
+ How do you collaborate with general ed?
+ How do you support students in inclusion?
+ Are you open to reverse inclusion?
+ How do you differentiate on the go?
+ How will you make sure all students are involved in activities?
+ How will you ensure your students will be able to access all the opportunities provided by the school (performances, academic nights, holiday events, assemblies, etc.)?
+ What would you do if a general ed teacher refused to provide modifications?
+ What is an IEP?
+ difference between 504 and IEP
+ IEP timing + Deadlines
+ How will you manage IEPs?
+ Know Evaluation guidelines and rules
+ How do you stay organized with deadlines?
+ Are you familiar with ALT state testing?
+ What is the process from child find to IEP?
+ Describe the evaluation and referral process.
+ Have you ran meeting before?
+ How do you stay organized? (start here)
+ Describe how you handled a stressful IEP meeting.
+ How do you prepare for a meeting?
+ How do you manage your classroom when you are out for meetings?
+ How do you involve parents in the process? (see surveys here)
+ What do you consider the most important part of an IEP?
+ How do you organize paperwork?
+ How do you come up with goals?
+ How will you train paraprofessionals?
+ How will you collaborate with other teachers?
+ Will you take ideas from someone in the field longer than you?
+ How will you receive information from general ed?
+ How will you involve parents?
+ How and how often will you communicate with parents?
+ How do you handle an upset parent?
+ How do you explain why a child is no longer receiving services to a parent?
+ How have you dealt with a disagreement with a colleague?
+ How do you handle conflict with an admin?
+ What are the roles of paras in your classroom?
+ What are your thoughts on co teaching?
+ Do you utilize zone plans?
+ What do you expect from a principal?
+ How will you support a student transitioning to a new teacher?
+ How will you support a student transitioning to a new school?
+ What curriculum do you have experience with?
+ What is your dream curriculum to have?
+ Tell me how you differentiate.
+ Talk to me about your experience with assistive technology.
+ Do you know/ utilize sign language?
+ How do you incorporate technology?
+ What are your feelings on homework?
+ How have your handled an upset parent?
+ What would you do if a general ed teacher did not include a student?
+ How do you handle involving parents in IEPS?
+ What would you do if a student was exhibiting inappropriate behavior?
+ Tell us about a time you exhibited patience with a student.
+ How would you handle a student who is disruptive in inclusion?
+ What is something you are proud about in your building?
+ What has been your most memorable experience in this district?
+ Is there a school wide behavior support system?
+ How often are PD opportunities available?
+ What is your inclusion model?
+ How many students are in your school?
+ How many IEPS are in your school?
+ Do teachers have time for collaboration?
+ What curriculums are currently used?
+ What supports are in place for a first year teacher?
+ What do you like about working here?
+ What will the duties of my day look like?
+ what will the size of will my caseload be?
+ May I have a tour of the building?
+ What are the next steps in the interviewing process?
+ Always ask questions at the end, ask about next steps, and send a thank you email afterwards.
+ Be confident, make eye contact
+ Create a portfolio with sample IEP, lesson plan, and photos of a previous classroom
+ Read this post to prep for IEP questions, and even bring a prepared binder to show.
Want the full list to print and use for a mock interview?
Download 101 Special Education Interview Questions here.
Good Luck! You got this. Remember you are also interviewing the team and school. Make sure it is a good fit for you too!
P.S. If you are a new special education teacher, I host an online course every summer to help you with your dream self-contained classroom setup! Click here to learn more!!!
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