Have you ever had to calm a person down, what happened?

"I recently had a student lose complete control of his emotions during class. I was able to calm him down by talking very gently and creating strong eye contact. This particular student will have outbursts from time to time so I am well versed on how to manage that type of situation. After class, I was sure to document the incident in his file and report it to my supervisor."

This is a good time to give an example. Be sure to talk about the outcome as well.

"I had one student get very angry when we were going to the cafeteria to see a presentation. He refused to enter the cafeteria. So I had to figure out why he was so angry. I found out that he thought that we would be going to the auditorium, and that he was expecting to be in a dim room. So I got him a pair of little sunglasses. He watched the presentation and got along with everyone else happily."

"My brother often has Autistic meltdowns as a result of anxiety. One time, he was on the verge of having a meltdown, beginning to lose control of his emotions. I calmly talked him through it, reminding him to breathe."

What do you believe, makes you effective at teaching special needs students?

"I have always been very strong in the area of exercising patience and coming up with creative ways to work with my students who struggle the most. Just last month, I was nominated by my peers for the "

Talking highly about yourself can be difficult to do, but this is a question geared towards this. Answer to the best of your ability, also using an example of a time when you were recognized or rewarded for your good work as a special education teacher.

"My colleagues have always remarked that I'm so patient, kind, and compassionate. My professors have always said that I'm a very clear and effective educator. So, put that together, and I think that I'm especially well suited to special needs students because these kinds of students need someone who's able to teach them at their own pace and using different ways that reach them individually."

"I have a passion for what I do, and I am motivated. I care deeply about the students I work with and aim to help them achieve their goals. I feel their excitement when they master a new skill and their disappointment when they are struggling. I also have the ability to see past challenging behaviors."

To what specific area of special education are you most attracted and why?

"I am most drawn to working with students on the Autism spectrum. Finding unique ways to work with individuals with neurodevelopment disorders is an important challenge and one that I am happy to take on. One of the reasons I was so thrilled to be shortlisted for this position is because of the strong work you do with students with Autism."

Be sure to have researched the educational facility before the interview. You will want to answer this based on how your career goals, interests and abilities best align with their specific mandate.

"I am most attracted to working with students on the Autism Spectrum. I have always had a passion for working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum because they are unique and present different challenges. I have a brother diagnosed with Autism when I was in high school, which is another reason I am attracted to working with individuals on the spectrum."

Do you have experience creating and maintaining documentation on your students?

"I have a great deal of experience creating and maintaining student documentation in a variety of programs. I have mainly used the SAP based program called "

This can be answered very simply and specifically.

"I have not personally created and maintained documentation on students, but during my student teaching experience, I became familiar with documenting information for IEP's through Enrich."

What makes you stand out among other applicants?

"I believe I stand out among other applicants because I have taken additional training in managing students with behavioural disorders. My experience so far has included work with a lot of students who are severely disabled and some with multiple challenges. Also, my passion is in true alignment with your program and I feel it would be a seamless move."

When answering this question, be sure to draw on your special skills, interests and training that others may not have. What makes you unique?

"I think that I stand out through a combination of my character traits, my abilities, and my experiences. There are plenty of people who are compassionate, and plenty of people who have teaching certificates, just like I do. But not everyone has had the experience of building meaningful relationships with parents. I did that when I was working at Red Apple Education, because I genuinely care about my students, the families of my students, and the community that they live in. In fact, it got to the point where people were asking for me specifically, which made me very happy because it told me that I'm doing a really good job."

What do you know about our educational program?

"From the research I have conducted, I see that your educational program is heavily hands-on based with a strong tie to the community. Your focus has been primarily on students affected by Autism which is a large reason why I was so drawn to your program."

Be sure to have taken the time to research the educational program online, check reviews and any social media presence they may have. This is an answer that you are best to rehearse prior to the interview. "From the research I have conducted, I see that your educational program is heavily hands-on based with a strong tie to the community. Your focus has been primarily on students affected by Autism which is a large reason why I was so drawn to your program."

"I've taken a look at your program and, to my understanding, at this school, we have a 12-to-1 student ratio, and that we value community engagement and do our best to ensure that the students are still integrated with the community. That's very much why I decided to apply to this specific program. I have experience in working with the community to encourage a safe environment for the students to engage with their community."

"From student teaching and being a former student in this school district, I see that your program is heavily focused on inclusion. I understand that your district is also heavily focused on building those important relationships with students. This is the reason I am drawn to your school district."

Who is your greatest role model?

"My greatest role model has been my father. He is a therapist and, growing up, I would see how much pride he took in his work and the joy it brought him to know that he was making a difference in people's emotional lives. This always inspired me to follow a career where kindness was a valued attribute."

Take time to prepare yourself for this question. Who is your mentor? What type of role models have you had in your life? Your reply should include why or how this role model helped you direct your career to Special Education.

"My greatest role model has been my grandmother. She has always taught me to find what I'm passionate about and work towards a career in that area. She encourages me never to give up and is always there for advice when I need her."

What was your most difficult course in college?

"One of the most challenging courses for me while obtaining my degree was Statistics. Because I am more therapy and behavioural based by nature, it was difficult for me to fully embrace the factual parts of this course. I did find a tutor for that class and was able to pass it with a good grade."

This answer can be concise but it is best to give an example of a specific difficulty and what you did to overcome that difficulty.

How would you describe your passion for teaching children?

"My passion for teaching children comes from the feeling of fulfillment I had when first teaching my autistic nephew how to read. Seeing his eyes light up and knowing that I was able to make a difference by spending one on one time with him was really incredible. Now I see every student in that light. This is someone's child, brother, sister, cousin. They need to be cared for and educated by people who want to be there. That would best describe my passion. It's not only what I do - it's what I need to do."

This is a good time to talk about why you do what you do and what your favourite aspects of teaching are.

"Teaching children is my life's mission. This is not just a job to me. This is something that I need to do on a daily basis. All children are precious, but I'm particularly drawn to helping those who need it the most, and children with intellectual disabilities needs someone who cares about them and is invested in their growth and education. I don't think that most people have that capacity for patience and compassion, and I do, so I think it's my calling, a chance to do good in the world using something that I have that others don't."

"My passion for teaching came first from my brother when he was diagnosed with Autism. Seeing what he went through, I wanted to be the teacher that cared about these students. My passion for teaching also came from working at the daycare. I loved watching my student's eyes light up when they finally understood the lesson we were teaching."

How will you work cooperatively with other faculty members in educating these students?

"In my previous role I was known to be an educator with a very strong ability to work with extreme levels of Autism. One of my colleagues was really well versed in the benefits of art therapy for Autism and another, in music therapy. We worked together to ensure that all 3 of our strengths were being used in order to provide the best level of education to our students. I enjoy that type of collaborative environment because everyone wins."

Talk about a specific time when you were asked to collaborate with others in your faculty. What was the outcome, and how will you implement that collaborative mentality in this new position?

"I always listen to other people very carefully and I ask questions to get more detailed information that I need in order to serve them better. To me, these students are the top priority, and I will always ask for everyone else's advice and viewpoint on how we can serve them better."

When did you make the decision to teach autistic students?

"Working with autistic students wasn't always my area of focus. I was first exposed to it with school ABC and since then, it became my primary focus. I was passionate about it and did really well with that area of special education."

This can be answered briefly by telling the interviewer about your first exposure working as a Special Education Teacher with autistic students.

"When my younger brother was diagnosed with Autism, I became interested in learning more about what Autism was, and this sparked my interest in special education."

How can you illustrate to me your dependability?

"In my current role I have had colleagues comment quite frequently that they are happy they can rely on me to be at work, complete what I say that I will, and fill in where necessary. I am a strong team player and will absolutely cover work for a colleague if asked. I also have perfect attendance in my current position."

This is a great time to give an example of a time you have been recognized or complimented on your dependability.

"The parents of my students know that I'm always available to them between 7 AM and 7PM on weekdays. I'm very consistent. If they call me at that time with any questions or concerns, I pick up immediately if I'm not in class. If I can address them within 5 minutes, I do so. Otherwise, I ask them to send me an email if it's not urgent. No matter what, I'll get back to them within 2 days. I consider it my personal duty to make sure the parents feel that they can depend on me because it's hard enough to raise a child with disabilities, they need a teacher who's responsive and caring."

"Working at the daycare, I show up for work when needed and do my job. If someone is out that day, and the daycare is short on staff, I am always willing to fill in, if I'm not in class. Even though I switched to working only in the summer and Christmas break, my director knows she can depend on me to come back and help her out when needed."

Tell me about a stressful time in your life. How did you handle it?

This question is more geared to the personal side of your life. You will want to answer it honestly, still tie it in with your career, and not have a case of the "TMI's" (Too Much Information).

Why should we hire you?

"When I initially saw your job posting I began to research this facility. What I found was a group of people with a genuine passion for what they do. I know I would be a great compliment to your team because my interests are strongly aligned with your mission. I also bring the education, experience and background that you are looking for. Is there any reason why you feel that I would not be a fit?"

This is a great opportunity to tie in your skills and comment on the connection you feel with the program/school/facility. You can finish up by asking the interviewer if they have any concerns or objections.

"I am motivated and passionate about this field of education. I have known I wanted to teach special education since I was in high school. I also have experience in education. Assisting in resources this year, I have gained practical experience teaching and providing documentation."

Explain to me an IEP? What is the difference from an IEP and a CSE?

"From my understanding, an IEP lays out the goals and objectives the child and school staff will work to achieve at school during the school year. A CSE is the initial step in determining whether a child is eligible for special education."

This can be answered more factually but you can also let the interviewer know if you have experience with both IEP an CSE.

"An IEP lays out the goals and objectives for the student to achieve. Using information from parents and teachers, as well as testing data, it maps out student's areas of weakness and outlines goals for them to achieve to overcome these weaknesses. CSE is the initial evaluation step."

How would friends describe you?

"My circle of friends is very close and we spend a lot of time together. I believe they would say that I am thoughtful, generous and kind. I am sure to surround myself with people who will challenge me and bring out the best in me."

This question is best answered by using examples of compliments your friends have given you. You can keep it brief.

"I made a lot of close friends when I went to school for education, and they'd describe me as a very kind person with a very positive outlook. I think most of us are, the ones who are drawn to teaching."

"I feel that my friends would describe me as passionate and persevering. They know that I went through a difficult time while I was going through college. About halfway through college, in 2016, I was diagnosed with a condition called Chiari Malformation, a condition where your cerebellum sits in the hole the spinal cord runs through, causing numerous issues. As a result of this, I underwent major surgery in the summer of 2016 and had to drop out of my summer classes I was enrolled in and only take two classes in the fall and spring semesters following surgery. My friends would say that I am persevering because I did not let my challenges stop me from achieving my dream of graduating."

How do you feel about working with students, that can sometimes be difficult due to their circumstance?

"Last year I had a student come in part way through the year. In addition to being diagnosed with autism, the student was also highly OCD. I spent a lot of my spare time doing research and reading case studies so that I could best be equipped if this student had an outburst in the classroom. I do appreciate the challenge this situation brought to me because it pushed me to further understand the needs of this unique student."

You can answer this question using an example of a time when you were assigned an extraordinarily difficult classroom or specific student.

"This school year, I had a student in my preschool self-contained class that gave both the lead classroom teacher and me a difficult time. This student would exhibit violent tendencies and was fixated on violence such as zombies and shooting. It became difficult to hold circle time or work on lessons with the students because we were constantly having to calm him down or stop him from harming himself or another student. It became frustrating dealing with this situation, but as the school year progressed, I learned about his home life and how difficult he had it at home. I learned that many times at home, instead of communicating, he was yelled at or argued with when he became difficult. On top of this and his communication issues, he had no outlet for his anger or how to communicate what he was feeling. I realized this and spent one on one moments with him, forming a relationship and helping him ease his frustration."

What do you think you will most like about being a Special Educator?

"I feel that the best thing about being a Special Educator is the ability to change the lives of people who are often forgotten or brushed aside. The feeling of knowing that I have made a difference for a person and/or their family is what drives me to do what I do."

This question should be answered from the heart since the interviewer would really like to know where your passion for this job comes from.

"I think it's incredibly rewarding to see just how far my students have come at the end of the school year. Knowing that I had the privilege of being a part of their lives in such a crucial role gives me such deep personal satisfaction. Even if they don't remember me, I'll remember each and every one of them."

"I will be able to make a difference in student's lives. I want to be that person that advocates for them, that believes in them and knows they can do great things. Knowing that I can make a difference in someone's life, and use my own experiences to relate to them, motivates me."

What exposures have you had in Teaching?

"My first teaching experience was the internship with school ABC while finishing my 4th year of my Education degree. From there, I moved into a position with school XYZ as the teachers' assistant for a Grade 5 class..."

This can be answered by following along with your resume. Starting at the beginning of your career can sometimes make this easier to answer.

"I was a volunteer tutor at the Red Apple Tutoring Center for 2 years. I taught first-grade children English and math skills. In addition to that, as a part of my coursework and initial certification, I was required to participate in a program where I observed and assisted a teacher in a public school for 8 weeks. During that time, I had valuable exposure to how teachers applied the things I learned in school in a real classroom."

What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good Teacher?

"I believe that the most important qualities in being a good teacher are patience, genuine interest and attention to detail. The reason being is that if we are patient with our students and show that we are also engaged in their learning, they will be more driven to do the same."

This can be answered briefly. It is smart to also tie in qualities that you feel you possess.

"I believe that a good teacher is patient, has excellent communication skills, and has a wide range of teaching tools to draw from. I'm a very compassionate person and I do communicate well, but I do know that I have many more years to grow before I can be considered an expert. So I'm constantly learning more about pedagogical methods and reading about teaching."

"I believe the most important qualities are developing a relationship with your students. You want students to know that you care, and they are loved. Showing you care about their interests makes them feel they are important and makes them excited about school. Another quality would be advocating for students, especially in special education."

If you could do anything different in your education, what would you do?

"When I first started my career, I wasn't as focused on a speciality and ended up spending a lot of time working with students who had more low-incidence disabilities. I wish I had been introduced to more specific work, with individuals affected by Autism, sooner in my career."

Even though this question has the ability to create a somewhat negative tone, you can still answer it in a positive way.

"I would've focused on special education much earlier. When I first started my education, I only knew that I wanted to teach, but I didn't know what population was most suited to me yet. Now that I know that special education is what I enjoy the most, if I could go back, I'd specialize in that from the beginning."

What are your 2 greatest strengths?

"I feel that my 2 greatest strengths are my ability to patiently listen and my inquisitive nature. My colleagues have told me previously that they appreciate how calm and collected I can stay throughout a challenging situation. Also, my previous supervisor complimented me on my inquisitive nature because she was very impressed with my willingness to research topics new to me."

When you answer this question be sure to answer it by using examples of feedback you've received from a colleague or former supervisor.

"My colleagues have always said that I'm very compassionate and patient, and that I make a very good teacher. I think that teachers in special education need to be especially patient with their students, and it's easy for me to be this way because I care a lot about children, especially those with intellectual disabilities."

"I am great at building relationships with my students. I am very interested in getting to know my student's likes and dislikes and what motivates them. I feel that as a teacher, this is a must if you want students to feel comfortable in your class. Another strength is I am an advocate for my students. I stand up for them and defend them if needed, which is especially important as a special education teacher."

What are your 2 weakest points?

How you answer this could also determine where the interviewer would like to place you within the organization, or what areas of continued education/training they may require of you in the future. Again, even though this question has the ability to create a somewhat negative tone, you can still answer it in a positive way. Show that you are making steps towards improvement as well. Interviewers do not want to hear "I care too much." or "I work too hard." They want a genuine answer.

"I think that I could be a little more organized and that I can balance my work and my life better. I tend to get very focused on the day-to-day work, and I lose sight of the bigger picture. So now, at the end of the the work day, I write down a list of things that I accomplished and what I'll do the next day. That way I can focus on my personal life once I leave work, which refreshes me for the next workday."

How do you handle yourself under stress?

"A couple of months ago we had a situation where one student had a complete breakdown in class. I was able to remain calm by following our program's protocol and taking the appropriate steps to ensure the safety of the student and everyone in the classroom. I am generally quite good under pressure and even better when I feel well equipped to manage the situation."

This is a great time to give an example of a time when you overcame a very stressful situation.

"When I feel my heart racing and my shoulders hunching, I know that I'm stressed and I tell myself to take a deep breath. Then, the first chance I get, I stretch my arms and legs out as far out as I can and think about a small treat that I'll let myself have once I get out of work. I picture it in my mind and smile. I take another deep breath and then I get through the rest of my day with a smile, knowing that whatever happens, I'll have that treat waiting for me."

"I take a deep breath and pause for a second when I'm dealing with stress. If I can, I walk away for a few minutes to clear my head. If I can't take a break from the situation, I just remind myself to breathe and think about the overall picture and how everything will work out in the end. I had to do this many times during college."

Has their ever been an autistic or special needs child in your life that has inspired you?

"I did not know much about Autism until 7 years ago when my nephew was diagnosed. Back then, there wasn't a strong understanding of Autism and what types of programs worked best. I did a lot of reading on the disorder and collected ways to work with him, and to help his mom be better equipped. That is where my initial interest in working with special needs children came from."

Because it is a high stress / high demand career path, you will want to show the interviewer that you have a true passion for what you do. Talking about a person or life event is a great way to show that genuine passion.

"Yes, definitely! One of my clients was an individual with moderate intellectual disability. I was talking to her about what kind of jobs she wanted to do, and she had such zeal about stamping books in the library. She was so happy and excited to do that and she even said that she likes the idea of serving people. That's when I realized that everyone deserves to achieve something that gives them a strong sense of fulfillment."

"I didn't know much about Autism or special needs in general until I was in high school when my younger brother was diagnosed with Autism. I started reading about Autism, as well as other disabilities, which sparked an interest in me in Special Education."

When did you realize you wanted to be a special education teacher?

"When I was in junior high, our class had two special needs students. I would see their aids assisting them throughout their day and it was really beautiful to see how important their role was in that student's life. I had always wanted to be a teacher but this opened my eyes to the opportunity of specializing in Special Education."

This is a more personal question that is best answered using a specific life event.

"When I volunteered as a job coach helping developmentally disabled individuals, I got a lot of satisfaction teaching my clients how to do a job that they enjoyed. I realized that I wanted to do more than that and to help more individuals at once."

"When I was a Freshman in high school, my brother was diagnosed with Autism. Until this moment, I had only heard of Autism once. I began reading about Autism and special education, and this fascinated me. By the time I was a Sophomore in high school, I knew I wanted to be a special education teacher."

Special Education Teacher Interview Questions

Go Back

1. Have you ever had to calm a person down, what happened?
2. What do you believe, makes you effective at teaching special needs students?
3. To what specific area of special education are you most attracted and why?
4. Do you have experience creating and maintaining documentation on your students?
5. What makes you stand out among other applicants?
6. What do you know about our educational program?
7. Who is your greatest role model?
8. What was your most difficult course in college?
9. How would you describe your passion for teaching children?
10. How will you work cooperatively with other faculty members in educating these students?
11. When did you make the decision to teach autistic students?
12. How can you illustrate to me your dependability?
13. Tell me about a stressful time in your life. How did you handle it?
14. Why should we hire you?
15. Explain to me an IEP? What is the difference from an IEP and a CSE?
16. How would friends describe you?
17. How do you feel about working with students, that can sometimes be difficult due to their circumstance?
18. What do you think you will most like about being a Special Educator?
19. What exposures have you had in Teaching?
20. What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good Teacher?
21. If you could do anything different in your education, what would you do?
22. What are your 2 greatest strengths?
23. What are your 2 weakest points?
24. How do you handle yourself under stress?
25. Has their ever been an autistic or special needs child in your life that has inspired you?
26. When did you realize you wanted to be a special education teacher?

Special Education Teacher Interview Questions

1. Have you ever had to calm a person down, what happened?

2. What do you believe, makes you effective at teaching special needs students?

3. To what specific area of special education are you most attracted and why?

4. Do you have experience creating and maintaining documentation on your students?

5. What makes you stand out among other applicants?

6. What do you know about our educational program?

7. Who is your greatest role model?

8. What was your most difficult course in college?

9. How would you describe your passion for teaching children?

10. How will you work cooperatively with other faculty members in educating these students?

11. When did you make the decision to teach autistic students?

12. How can you illustrate to me your dependability?

13. Tell me about a stressful time in your life. How did you handle it?

14. Why should we hire you?

15. Explain to me an IEP? What is the difference from an IEP and a CSE?

16. How would friends describe you?

17. How do you feel about working with students, that can sometimes be difficult due to their circumstance?

18. What do you think you will most like about being a Special Educator?

19. What exposures have you had in Teaching?

20. What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good Teacher?

21. If you could do anything different in your education, what would you do?

22. What are your 2 greatest strengths?

23. What are your 2 weakest points?

24. How do you handle yourself under stress?

25. Has their ever been an autistic or special needs child in your life that has inspired you?

26. When did you realize you wanted to be a special education teacher?