You’ve already done the hard work. Your preschool teacher resume and cover letter were strong enough to land you an interview, and that’s a big deal. Now it’s time to walk in the door and show them who you really are.

The interview is your chance to demonstrate your personality, your passion, and your experience in a way no document ever could. Recruiters are working hard to figure out if you’re the right fit, but they’re not trying to trick you. Prepare honest, example-based answers and you’ll be in great shape. Below are 20 questions I’ve asked and been asked over the years. Work through each one and you’ll be extremely well-placed to nail that interview.

None of these are trick questions. Answer honestly and directly. If you’re not sure whether you’ve fully addressed something, it’s perfectly fine to ask: “Does that answer your question, or would you like me to elaborate?” That kind of response shows thoughtfulness and self-awareness.

1. Could you briefly describe the relevant experience you have that equips you as a preschool teacher?
   • Practice a two-minute answer that provides a neat summary of your background, including experience and qualifications, why you teach, and why you’re looking for a new opportunity.
2. How does your programming reflect the contemporary approaches to curriculum and programming?
   • This is your chance to show that you keep up to date with the latest thinking in early childhood education and know how to plan your lesson delivery according to best practice. Come armed with practical examples of how you have done this recently.
3. What strategies do you use to guide children’s behavior?
   • This is a great behavioral question because it asks you to explain how you interact with children on a day-to-day basis. Think of two specific strategies you use, paired with successful examples, to reinforce positive behavior in children.
4. A colleague comes to you to inform you about a problem she has with another team member. What do you do?
   • This question takes you out of the education mindset and into the realm of a realistic, everyday workplace conflict between adults. There isn’t necessarily a right answer, but there are wrong ones. The assessor wants insight into how you think through problems and your communication style.
   • A good answer would mention any policies the preschool has in place (you don’t need to know the specifics, just note that you’d refer to them) and describe a mature approach to resolving the conflict without affecting the children or the harmony of the workplace.
5. Describe how you interact with children in the playroom.
   • This is a deliberately open question, which makes it both easier and harder to answer. It gives you free rein to talk about what you consider important, but you may second-guess yourself about what the interviewer wants to hear.
   • Base your answer on examples. Just as you would support a skill on your resume with a real example, use real-life situations here to demonstrate how you act in practice.
6. How do you ensure that children’s health needs are met and promoted within the center?
   • This question looks for practical examples of initiatives you’ve used to promote wellness. These could be general, like a hand-washing routine in your classroom, or specific, like organizing a healthy lunch activity. Whatever examples you choose, explain why you did it and what impact it had.
7. What is your understanding of equal employment opportunity and how does it relate to children’s education?
   • This is a personal question and I’m not going to tell you exactly how to answer it. Employers are increasingly focused on making hiring as fair and bias-free as possible.
   • A strong answer might consider the value of diversity in every context and how that diversity can enrich educational experiences for children.
8. What is meant by “duty of care”?
   • This is an increasingly prominent topic in early childhood education. The interviewer isn’t looking for a dictionary definition. They want to hear what duty of care looks like in practice, based on your own experience. How far does a teacher’s duty of care extend in the preschool environment? If you’re ever unsure about the extent of your responsibility, it’s always better to overestimate. After all, we are caring for children.
9. What is your understanding of occupational health and safety standards, and how do you apply them in the classroom?
   • In the US, workplace health and safety is governed by OSHA standards, and preschools are no exception. The interviewer isn’t just checking that you know the rules exist; they want to know how seriously you take your obligations in this area. A strong answer acknowledges that safety standards exist for good reason and demonstrates a genuine commitment to protecting yourself, your colleagues, and the children in your care. Give an example of how you’ve actively upheld or promoted safety in a previous role.
10. What records does the authorized supervisor need to keep on a daily and weekly basis?
    • This question tests your appreciation of administrative best practice and your comfort with compliance requirements. You shouldn’t have too much difficulty here, but if you have any doubt, research the rules that apply to preschools in your area or ask a colleague who knows them well to quiz you.
    • Don’t be too general. The best answers show the interviewer that you already understand what’s required, so they won’t need to invest extra time training you. It’s another way to set yourself apart.
11. Describe what you would do in an emergency evacuation (for example, a fire).
    • We hope these events never happen, but they occasionally do. That’s why we need to stay vigilant about emergency plans and ensure staff and children are drilled in what to do.
    • This question tests your knowledge of general emergency procedures as well as your ability to stay calm and effective under pressure. When things go wrong, the preschool looks to its teachers to maintain order and keep children safe. The best answers walk through a specific scenario step by step. Take one example, such as a fire, and explain exactly how you would respond. Mention any relevant training or drills you’ve completed.
12. How do you deal with an irate parent (step by step)?
    • This question gives the assessor a strong insight into your personality. What you consider “irate” may differ between candidates, and your response will reflect your own communication style. Some people are terrified of confrontation; others actively seek it out.
    • There are many right answers here, but also some wrong ones. Any action that reflects poorly on the preschool or could escalate the situation is the wrong move. Depending on the situation, it may be appropriate to speak directly with the parent, or to involve another teacher or the director. Beyond gauging your personality and ability to handle stress, this question is really looking at how you think through actions strategically. A useful line of reasoning might be: “If I respond in this way, I’d expect this kind of reaction, which could work toward the outcome of…”
    • Most teachers have real-life examples to draw on, which is ideal. If you don’t, make sure your thought process is clearly explained and well-reasoned. Consider running your answer past a colleague to check that it sounds appropriate.
13. How do you deal with staff conflict (step by step)?
    • This is a more general version of question 4 and also goes to your personality type. Any workplace has a mix of personalities, and mutual respect is essential, especially when perspectives differ. That’s really what this question is getting at.
    • The recruiter’s priority is a harmonious work environment. If you come across as potentially confrontational, you will not get the job. That doesn’t mean you can’t say you’ll speak directly with the person involved, but any answer you give should describe doing so in a constructive, respectful way without accusations or raised voices. Then think about what comes next. If the conversation goes well, great. If it doesn’t, what is the center’s policy? Who do you speak to? Preschools will always favor internal dispute resolution over external escalation because it saves time and protects the team. Come with an answer that shows you are calm, rational, and willing to engage with other perspectives. That’s the kind of colleague everyone wants.
    • If you have real-life examples of resolving workplace conflict, bring them. Just make sure they fit the profile above.
14. What is your experience with special needs?
    • Be honest here. You don’t know exactly why the recruiter is asking this question. It could be a general question or they may specifically need someone to work with children who have special needs.
    • If you overstate your competence, it could lead to a poor outcome for you and, more importantly, for the children in your care. Use real examples and be straightforward. If you don’t have much experience in this area, that’s okay. If you’re the right candidate otherwise, a good director can work around that and help you build the experience you need.
15. How do you undertake behavioral management?
    • This question aims to get to the heart of how you act when in charge of a group of preschoolers. It’s your opportunity to show your understanding of current best practice and the approaches used at that particular preschool.
    • The best answers show not only that you are up to date with your professional development, but that you are respectful and kind to children at all times, no matter how challenging the situation. Support your answer with real examples. Explain how the situation arose, what management techniques you used, how effective they were, and whether they helped prevent a recurrence.
16. How would you handle the departure of a parent when leaving an upset child?
    • Experienced teachers have a bag full of tricks for settling a child who is feeling anxious or homesick at drop-off time.
    • The recruiter wants to understand how you manage the class as a whole while also settling that individual child, and what specific techniques you use. Stories work best here because they give the interviewer context for why you made certain choices and show how you adapt your approach to each child’s needs.
17. What is meant by “cultural diversity”?
    • This question helps the interviewer understand how you approach cultural diversity both with your colleagues and in the classroom.
    • We live in an incredibly diverse country and that richness adds real value to our communities. Your answer should reflect a genuine desire to work alongside people of different backgrounds and to appreciate those differences. In the classroom, the strongest answers show not only appreciation for all cultures but a real track record of weaving cultural education into lesson planning and sharing that perspective with children.
18. What does confidentiality mean to you and how is it important?
    • As teachers, we are trusted with a great deal of personal information about children and their families. Sometimes that information is shared because it has to be, such as medical details. Sometimes it’s shared because families see us as trusted members of their community.
    • This question is your chance to show that you take that responsibility seriously. We’re not required to take an oath of silence, but information shared with us in the course of our work cannot become fodder for personal conversations. The professional and personal have to remain separate, and it’s important to express your clear understanding of why that boundary matters.
19. What special talents or passions can you bring to the job?
    • This open question is your opportunity to wow the interviewer with anything you haven’t already covered. It’s a chance to express your energy and desire to make a difference, but everyone will say some version of that. Try to be specific and give them something to remember you by.
    • Do you coach a sport? Are you a Scout leader? Do you play a musical instrument? These kinds of details can make you stand out as someone who has something unique to contribute. Let the interviewer picture you with a guitar or leading a group activity and they won’t forget you.
20. How do you involve parents in your day-to-day programming?
    • A lot of teachers do this without fully realizing it. They struggle to think of a first example and then, as they keep talking, remember another and another.
    • Those answers are hard to follow. You’ll be much better off coming prepared with a brief overview of your general approach and a short list of your strongest examples. Think about times you got parents directly involved in your teaching, your approach to planning excursions, or how you have adjusted lesson planning for individual children to accommodate special needs or interests. There could be strong examples in any of these areas.

There are 20 questions here to study and prepare answers to. I’d expect you’ll be asked several of them in your next interview. These won’t cover every possible question, but if you’re fully prepared to respond to all 20, you will be in a very strong position to adapt your answers and bring your best examples to any question that comes your way.

Every question ultimately asks the same thing: are you right for this job? If you have well-reasoned answers and a real example to back up every claim you make, you are well on your way to acing that interview. Good luck.

Bonus: the STAR method

Throughout this guide I’ve talked about using real-life examples to give potential employers strong insights into how you work. Here is a framework that makes it easy to explain those examples clearly and confidently.

The STAR method is a way to structure any behavioral answer so your recruiter can follow your thinking without getting lost. Keep this acronym in mind and you’ll be able to explain every example in a clear, methodical way.

S: Situation. Provide an overview of the context, including the relevant people involved.

T: Task. What were you specifically trying to do, and how did it relate to the situation?

A: Action. How did you approach completing the task, step by step?

R: Result. How did your steps lead to a positive outcome, and what did that outcome look like exactly?

If you explain each example using this format, you can’t go wrong.

Here’s an example. Say I wanted to describe organizing a fundraising BBQ for Breast Cancer Awareness. I might break it down like this:

S: Situation. The children and I decided we would like to do something meaningful for International Women’s Day, so we decided to hold a BBQ and raise money for charity.

T: Task. I led the logistics and planning for the event, including getting support from a local butcher and baker who supplied food for free, recruiting parents who donated their time and their BBQs, and handling the advertising by placing posters around the local community.

A: Action. I created a project plan that outlined exactly when each task needed to be completed and who was responsible. I coordinated volunteers and directed them to specific roles. As a classroom project, I worked with the children to design a flyer for the event that we printed and sent home to parents to display in their neighborhood.

R: Result. The local community got behind the initiative and we raised over $500 for Breast Cancer research, while also building goodwill for the preschool in the community and strengthening links with families by getting parents involved in the activity.

This isn’t a real example, but you can see how the framework forces you to think clearly about how your actions led to a specific outcome. It gives your recruiter a clear roadmap to follow. Next time you’re not sure how to explain yourself, just think STAR and it will guide you to a great answer.