The following powerful tips will help you nail your mock lesson for teaching interview success.
You aced the first rounds of the teaching job interview process, and now it’s time to show the hiring committee what you’re really made of.
The mock lesson for your teaching interview is your time to shine.
Whether you plan to do a 5-minute, 10-minute, or 20-minute demo lesson for your mock job interview, you will find information here to help you prepare to have a successful demo lesson.
Following are tips to help you maximize your chances of landing that coveted teaching job.
Mock Lesson for Teaching Interview Tips
Here you will find valuable advice to help you get ready for your upcoming demo lesson for a teaching interview.
1. Investigate the Demo Lesson Guidelines.
Ask the hiring committee if there are any particular guidelines that you should follow.
- Is there a specific textbook they want you to use?
- Anything special about the curriculum that you need to know about?
- Regarding the students, is there anything in particular that you need to know concerning their academic and social needs?
- How long should the demo be … 5, 10, or 20 minutes? More?
Regarding instruction, some schools are much more structured and “rigid” with their teaching standards while others are more laid-back.
Take Action:
Make sure you know what’s expected of you.
If the hiring committee gives you no such guidelines, research the school in more detail to determine what programs are used.
Try to align your teaching mock lesson around one of those themes.
Doing so helps the hiring committee see that you did your research and are able to successfully implement or are willing to learn more about their current programs.
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2. Connect Your Demo Lesson to a Previous Lesson.
Plan your teaching mock lesson based on something related to what the students are already learning.
What are they currently studying?
Take Action:
If possible, communicate with the teacher whose students you’ll be teaching.
Ask what they are currently learning in whichever subject you plan to teach.
Based on that conversation, decide exactly what you’ll teach in order not to cause a disruption to their normal learning sequence.
3. Establish Classroom Management.
When doing your mock demo lesson, establish procedures and rules with the students before you get to the heart of the lesson.
Besides, the hiring committee most likely wants to see how well you handle classroom management.
Before starting your instruction, consider discussing with students your expectations such as how you would like for them to transition from one task to the next, respond to your signals, etc.
Also, review basic rules/procedures.
Take Action:
How will you call students’ attention and handle those who are off-task?
Before starting your lesson…
- Do a very brief icebreaker.
- Chat about procedures and transition signals that you’ll use during the lesson.
- Explain the teaching objective.
- Check for understanding. Do they understand your expectations?
No, you won’t have much time, but it’s important to do this step. It’ll be relatively brief, but it’s essential.
4. Create a Great Demo Lesson.
Create a demo lesson that’s student-centered and that promotes higher-order thinking skills.
Make it very engaging, hands-on if possible, grade-appropriate, relevant, and interesting.
Take Action:
Don’t reinvent the wheel too much with your mock demo lesson. Look online to see what lessons you can adapt and make your own.
There are a plethora of online resources with really wonderful content on which to base your lesson.
Plan very well and fully prepare.
And don’t assume the school knows what materials you’ll need. Kindly make a request if appropriate.
If you need materials above the basics… simply bring your own because you absolutely don’t want to be without.
5. Focus On the Students, Not the Observers.
Having a group of adults observe you teach can be intimidating.
It’s best to ignore them and focus all of your energies on teaching the best demo lesson possible.
Take Action:
Don’t let the observers during your mock lesson interview scare you … simply ignore them and focus on the students.
6. Be Yourself.
Adhere to job etiquette, but don’t lose touch with your core.
Take Action:
When teaching your demo lesson, do your best of course, but above all, be yourself.
Be energetic (whatever that is for you), and show your enthusiasm for being among the students/staff.
Let your unique personality shine.
You want to be in a teaching environment where you’re celebrated for being you.
Mock Lesson For Teaching Interview: Demo Lesson Ideas
Following are some 5, 10, and 20-minute demo lesson ideas that you can use as inspiration for your own mock interview lesson.
- Play a vocabulary game.
- Complete a fun pre-reading activity like an anticipation guide.
- Give a writing prompt.
- Conduct a science experiment.
- Present a logic puzzle and have students work in groups to solve it.
- Play the vocabulary game of Rivet.
- Play a math facts game.
- Teach a literacy skill using a hands-on activity.
Whichever demo lesson you plan to teach, be mindful to keep the lesson interactive and engaging for students.
Be clear with your instruction, model when needed, and most importantly, do your best!
Mock Lesson For Teaching Interview: Q&A
How do you prepare a teaching lesson for an interview?
To prepare a teaching lesson for an interview, research the school, choose a lesson objective, write the lesson plan, and then practice the lesson.
What is a demo lesson for teaching interviews?
A demo lesson is a mock teaching demonstration that showcases a candidate’s teaching and classroom management abilities.
It provides the interviewer with an opportunity to see the candidate’s teaching skills and style in action, as well as to assess their ability to engage students.
Do you need a lesson plan for the teaching interview?
Normally, you will not need a lesson plan for the teaching interview.
However, it is good practice to bring along a teaching portfolio to the interview which should include an example lesson plan.
If you are asked to do a mock lesson for teaching interview purposes, you will then need a lesson plan.
Final Thoughts On Mock Lesson for Teaching Interview Tips
A demo lesson is a great way for you to stand out from the competition and show what you can really bring to the classroom.
Follow these tips, and you will be on your way to landing that coveted teaching position.
If you found these mock lesson for teaching interview tips helpful, see more tips for having a successful demo lesson experience.