Funny, every top ten list i've found for interview tips starts the same way: "Number 1: Prepare."

I used to think that preparation was something like cheating--you are who you are and that's exactly who you should present yourself to be. Recently I've realized that while an interview is about a school or program getting to know you, they only have half an hour or half a day to do it. You've got to figure out how to present all of yourself (or at least your best parts) in that short span of time. That takes preparation.

Other popular interview tips include:

• Use a firm handshake and make eye contact
• Ask questions (asking questions--have some prepared--shows interest in the position)
• Write a thank you note

Interview questions are an important part of preparation--they're incredibly tedious to sit and outline, but stating a well though-out, articulate answer can be the difference between an offer and a denial... To get your mind going:

• What made you want to become a teacher?
• How do you handle discipline in the classroom?
• What is your education philosophy?
• What are your strengths/weaknesses?
• How would you handle making a difficult phone call to a parent?

At my last teaching interview, I was asked a question similar to the last one. I was given a situation: a student is struggling with reading; at the beginning of every day, the class participates in a reading activity that would really help this student catch up, but she is late to class every day. Her mother can't walk her to school because she has to take the student's younger brother to school in the opposite direction; the girls the students walks to school with stop to buy candy--causing her to be late. You call the mother in for a meeting...
Go:
What would you say?