Infant & Toddler Specialist Interview Question:

Please explain what part of being an early childhood teacher givesyou the most satisfaction?
What part of doing this work is the most difficult for you?

Submitted by: Muhammad

This question is a good way to get to know the person behind the application. It asks them to talk about how their personality interfaces with their work. Asking them about what provides satisfaction will help you understand what motivates them to do high quality and help you determine if the applicant is likely to find that satisfaction in your program. By asking them what's difficult for them, you may learn whether or not this candidate will be happy working in your program over a long period of time. You may determine that it's unlikely you could provide those things that give them the greatest satisfaction, or prevent things that are problematic for them. This question will help you determine if it's a good match or a good fit between what it is that you do, and what they need to be a productive and happy employee. This question may require you to press a little bit further. It's not enough for them to respond that they do this work "Because I love children." They need to elaborate on this and be specific about what aspects of their work are the most exciting. It's also interesting to note how much they respond to this question by separating out the child from the family context. How do they feel about working with parents or other family members? Do they find satisfaction in working with children but frustration in working with parents? This isn't an unusual dichotomy, but it will be problematic further down the road.
Submitted by: Muhammad