How to Answer: How do you feel when a student fails?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Private Tutor job interview.
16. How do you feel when a student fails?
How to Answer
Having a student fail is always a tough experience. If you have never had a student fail, begin by telling the interviewer that you have not had to go through this experience, but you can imagine that it would feel tough knowing a student is not succeeding.
If you have had a student fail, you know the feeling all too well. The pit in your stomach. Sadness for the student. Disappointment in yourself. Begin by describing this feeling for the interviewer. Next, share that you try to not let these situations get the best of you, and that ultimately the experience only proves to galvanize your efforts. Be sure to mention that you would invest more time with these students to make every effort possible to prepare them for the next challenge.
Written by Audra Kresinske on September 28th, 2021
Answer Example
"I always feel some disappointment in myself and begin to question what went wrong. It is never a good feeling and I do feel a sense of responsibility for the break down. However, failure is a natural part of life and I cannot let it deter me from giving my all to students. I try to learn from previous mistakes, predict students' missteps, and carry on. I want my students to adopt a similar thought process, so I have to model how to learn from mistakes and move forward with confidence."
Written by Audra Kresinske on September 28th, 2021