So, you got an interview for a Gifted position? Congratulations! You’re probably thinking to yourself, “now what do I do?!” especially if you are interviewing for your very first Gifted teaching position. Well, check out these 5 tips below to nail your interview! You got this!
1. Express Your Passion – Share Your “Why”
I wanted to start with this tip because I think it is the most important one of them all. Most Gifted educators have a true passion and drive for serving this special population. By expressing this passion, and sharing your “why”, with your prospective school, they will gain an understanding as to why you would be a good fit for their Gifted students.
Take some time to think about this and formulate some talking points before going into your interview. Think about these questions:
- When did you realize your passion for Gifted students?
- Do you have a personal connection to Gifted students? (You were identified in school, you have a Gifted child, etc.)
- Why is Gifted education essential?
- What do you enjoy most about the Gifted population as a whole?
2. Learn About How They Serve the Gifted Students at Their School
This tip will lead into the next one about developing a portfolio. Gifted students are served in many different ways, and it usually varies by district. Take some time to explore district or school websites to gain an understanding of how Gifted students are served at the school you are interviewing at. That way, you’ll be prepared to discuss how and why you would be a good fit for their school.
If you are unable to find any information on how the Gifted students are served, I encourage you to ask about it during your interview. For my current job, I found some information prior, but didn’t fully grasp what the program looked like. By inquiring about the format of the GT program at my school, it showed that I was really interested in seeing if it was the right fit for me. It also gave me the information to determine if it was something I wanted to pursue.
3. Develop a Portfolio
If you are already a teacher of the Gifted: Showcase ways that you’ve met the needs of your Gifted students. Align the content of your portfolio to how they serve at the school you are interviewing at – if possible. But, don’t worry if it doesn’t align. I created a portfolio showing all my enrichment and research activities from my pull-out enrichment position, and ended up getting a job at a school with an advanced content model rather than pull-out enrichment. My portfolio didn’t showcase exactly what I’d be doing at my new school, but it did show that I had the passion, creativity, and expertise needed to be successful.
If you are a regular or gen-ed classroom teacher looking at getting into Gifted education: Showcase the ways that you’ve met the social-emotional and academic needs of the Gifted students within your classroom. Talk about the differentiation and supports you’ve provided for them and showcase these things in your portfolio. We ALL serve Gifted students, not just the GT teacher or specialist. We ALL have Gifted students in our classroom. Tap into this experience.
Check out a few pages from my portfolio!
4. Addressing Social-Emotional Needs
It’s important to understand the unique social-emotional needs of Gifted students in order to best serve them. A school interviewing for this position should be looking for someone that has the passion, academic expertise, and the understanding of social-emotional aspects of Gifted students.
Some unique characteristics and needs of Gifted students may include:
- Perfectionism
- Lack of motivation or effort when faced with something that doesn’t align with their strengths or interests
- Anxiety
- Sometimes difficulty developing relationships with non-Gifted peers
During your interview, show that you know about these needs and share specific examples of how you’ve met them, or how you plan to meet them if given the position.
5. Ensure This is Right for You
I would be remiss if I didn’t suggest you really look closely at what it means to be a Gifted teacher to ensure that it truly is the right path for you.
Think about how you will build relationships with families. Parents of Gifted students vary, but there are always a few that are very involved and have high expectations of both you and their child. Decide if you are ready to take on that challenge of building strong, positive, and trusting partnerships with families.
Think about if you are up for the challenge of advocating for these students. You are the only one on the campus who is there to support and advocate for these students. You may face pushback from classroom teachers, or even administrators, related to Gifted education. You need to be ready to stand your ground and ensure that your students are getting the services and the time that they need with you – the services and time that they deserve and are entitled to.
Being a Gifted educator means that you fight for your students, that you serve them in all the ways they need, and that you are up for the challenge of challenging and engaging them in order for them to reach their fullest potential.
If this sounds like you, then I highly encourage you to interview for Gifted positions. Because there are so few available positions, it is sometimes difficult to get one. But if this is your true passion, don’t give up until you get what you want.
I’d love to chat with you more about this! If you have a Gifted interview coming up and want some tips, or you just got your first Gifted position, reach out to me so I can support you and celebrate with you! Click here to head over to my Instagram @InsidetheGiftedClassroom and send me a message!
