Principal Mock Interview
Master 27 Principal interview questions covering leadership, school culture, and strategic decision-making.
Question 17 of 27
How did you deal with lazy students?
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Example Answer
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Audra Kresinske is an educator with over 7 years experience teaching English and employment readiness skills.
Be sure to keep in mind that students are often deemed 'lazy' when really, it is something else entirely that is at play. There are several reasons students avoid tasks or distract themselves; often they are bored, craving attention, or have reached their frustration level and have shut down. Consider changing the language of this question to reveal that you are mindful of students' experiences and behavior and that you can effectively implement strategies to motivate students to perform their very best. Instead of writing a student off or immediately issuing a consequence, consider some intervention strategies you can try to re-engage the student.
Audra Kresinske is an educator with over 7 years experience teaching English and employment readiness skills.
"My experience has been that oftentimes when students appear lazy, there is really something deeper going on. It has always been my goal for students to feel a sense of belonging and to help them becoming independent learners. I also genuinely believe that all students want to learn and perform well. So, when a student appears disinterested, I immediately try to understand why. Sometimes it has to do with a deficit or a even that they are not challenged enough. When I know a student well, I can usually determine the root of the issue quickly. I do whatever I can to speak with the student and meet their needs, to the best of my ability. Some strategies I use are offering brain breaks, providing support through a peer buddy, working directly with me, providing more challenging work and allowing the student to 'teach' the class, or simply letting them vent. I typically experience success with one of these strategies."
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Anonymous Answer
Often, when I observe students seeming disinterested, I try to remember that sometimes the source of their frustration is beyond what I can immediately see. My experience has been students' unacceptable behaviors are often a cry for help. Is it a learning disorder, trouble at home, teacher-student relationship, etc. Understanding this, my approach is to pull the student aside and talk with them confidentially to try and understand the source of their misbehavior. Depending on the severity of the situation, I contact the student's parents, guidance counselor, classroom teachers, and, if necessary social worker to see if this is a pattern of behavior. I also refer the student to Response to Invention for additional support if necessary. I'm going to exhaust all options to ensure the student is successful.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent! Your response shows that you have an established approach and procedure in place for handling students who appear to be lazy. Is there a specific example you can cite of a child who didn't want to put any effort in that you were successful in helping? This would further strengthen your answer. Great job!
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