I just returned from a workshop that taught school administrators how to use behavior-based interview (BBI) question to hire quality teachers. The basic idea behind BBI is that the candidate’s past behavior will be the best indicator for future behavior. BBI has been around for years, but used primarily in business.
A BBI question may start something like:
- Tell me about a time…
- Describe your experience with…
- How have you…
- What has been your approach to…
Does BBI sound intimidating? It doesn’t have to be. There are two great ways to frame each BBI question you are asked.
PAR – Problem, Action, and Result
STAR – Situation/Task, Action, and Result
For every question asked, first describe the problem (e.g. keeping 6th graders on-task) or situation/task (e.g. organizing curriculum). Then, explain what action you took. Finally, describe the end result, trying to always tie into improving student learning. Just remember PAR or STAR when answering BBI questions and you should do just fine!
Check the Teacher Interview Questions page at for sample BBI questions.
For additional information on BBI, visit http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/interviews/a/behavioral.htm
