NYC Teaching Fellows Teaching Fellow Interview Questions & Reviews

Interview Details – Initial application was submitted by the first "priority" deadline. It consisted of my resume, two essays and information about my undergraduate coursework. I also indicated preferences for content areas. After a month, I received notice I had been invited to interview.

My interview day consisted of a math test that asked us to analyze possible student responses to math problems and identify which were acceptable answers and reasoning. The math was basic but the test was timed and the questions sometimes needed to be read and reread. Overall, I finished with enough time to check over all my answers.

All interviewees had to prepare a 5 minute lesson. I had to present my lesson in front of the other 4 members of my interview group and 2 NYCTF selectors. Candidates were instructed to participate constructively but selectors asked questions that simulated normal misunderstandings that might happen in your average question.

One of my selectors was very calm and comfortable and set the group at ease but the other seemed quite nervous, ironically. She messed up while giving us instructions a few times, but was overall warm and friendly.

After our lesson presentations we had to prepare a small role play. They gave us a scenario and we had to make a presentation to the school board (or administration, can't recall) and try and gain support for our proposal. Working together to come up with the presentation was easy but our presentation way difficult because we had, I believe, only 3 or so minutes and there were five of us.

Finally, we had one-on-one interviews. I was the last in my group to go and I spoke to my selector for a few minutes after the "official" interview ended. After the interviews the selectors are required to write comments on each of us.

One month later I was notified that they were still considering my application and one month after that I was notified of my acceptance.