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Uni interview
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Hey just wanted to ask a few things about an interview i have next week at sheffield hallam, ill be grateful for any advice or replies! 
Basically have an interview there next week for early primary education and i was just wondering if anyone else has had an interview there or has had an interview elsewhere for the same coures or one similar.
I have a group discussion first (which i am most dreading as i am really shy:() so was just wondering if anyone knows what type of things they ask or what we will have to do. Then theres a written task...again any ideas of what i might have to do? Then got the individual interview which actually seems the least scary bit!
Basically just wondering if anyone had had a smiliar interview so had ideas on what might be asked or how best to prepare. Or of anyone just has any general advice for interviews!
Im already really nervous!
Basically have an interview there next week for early primary education and i was just wondering if anyone else has had an interview there or has had an interview elsewhere for the same coures or one similar.
I have a group discussion first (which i am most dreading as i am really shy:() so was just wondering if anyone knows what type of things they ask or what we will have to do. Then theres a written task...again any ideas of what i might have to do? Then got the individual interview which actually seems the least scary bit!
Basically just wondering if anyone had had a smiliar interview so had ideas on what might be asked or how best to prepare. Or of anyone just has any general advice for interviews!
Im already really nervous!
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Individual interview - very simple, nothing to be nervous about, just treat it like a job interview and give all your good points, and being truthful. It is possible though that they might give an example of a situation and ask you what you would do if you were the teacher.
Group interview - this is the part that very almost failed me as I am really shy as well! Just wondering are you doing this straight from college/6th form? Thats what I did and found that some of the people in the group interview were actually adults that had been working in a school and had a lot of experience, and that really threw me off. In our group interview we had to discuss our experiences (if youve done a work experience in a school thats great), and we also had an exercise where we had a piece of card with a picture on under the chair we was sitting on, and we were asked to pick it up, look at the picture and explain things we could do with it or lessons. For example, I had a pair of scissors, so I said they could do cut outs for posters and displays, cutting and sticking things in exercise books for various activities, giving a lesson on safety, etc. But please please speak up because if you don't it will look bad and think you are not capable in teaching.
We didn't have a written test, ours was just a general test, such as doing basic maths, spellings, knowing the definitions for words like verb etc. It was just a basic english, maths and science test (I can't actually remember the science part that well)
Good luck with the interview, sure you will do fine
Also if you think it might help go onto the TES website and read the latest articles as we got told before hand that they are more impressed if you know what is in the news
I visit a school every week so should have a lot to talk about i guess...but i always struggle to think on the spot which is why im trying to prepare myself lol My problem is speaking up in groups though, im not even any good when its a class of people i know, never mind when its people i dont!
I shall have a look on that site too, especially as i dont watch the news so alwasys struggle with current events and stuff like that!
Thank you!
Group Discussion: There were about 7 of us applicants in a group and we had to read up on a case study. There were proposals we had to discuss for the company in the case study. Here they looked more at contribution to the group and how well you can listen to others and communicate with others rather than the actual work itself. If your group size is like mine, there is likely to be at least one person (usually the one who talks first) who will be talking too much, make sure you are NOT the one. Everyone is going to feel awkward, but as long as you're prepared you should be ok.
Interview: If its anything like mine went, they will want to know you personally. They already have your academic background, so focus less on that, but show that you have a passion for this course and it will make your career. They will probs ask why that particular uni. They may also ask you abt recent developments in the primary education field so make sure you know at least one development. Another thing is to read your personal statement and be prepared for them to ask you questions on it. And the main thing is to BE YOURSELF, I've seen far too many people fail interviews because they have been too arrogant/pushy/aggressive/talkative/nervous.
Hope that helps, Good luck on getting in.
Good Luck!
One of the main parts of the interview, was a group interview session, with approx 20-30 people. You have to make sure you speak up and say something, preferably two or three times. I made sure I did this and there were many people in the session who said nothing and I guarantee if you're one of them, you won't get an offer. I too am shy, especially in groups of people I don't know, but I forced myself to get involved in the discussion and it seemed to work.
Another tip - if you can't think of something to say yourself, try and build on something someone else has said!!
Good luck!!
Thank you...looks like im gonna have to try and not be shy for the day lol ohhhh i am dreading it so much!
Just found out today also got another interview for teaching in january at northumbria...this is even worse an all day thing, we have to do a two minute presentation too :eek: I am gonna die! Also 3 maths tests and an english one omg kill me now :eek::eek: And northumbria is my fave...this isnt good news!
It seems the interviews are harder than the course itself!
Ooh, good luck with your interview! I'm a Primary School Teacher and I remember how nerve wracking the interview was!
I have a list of interview questions here somewhere which I will try and find. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk about any of it
Thanks...expect a load of panicking PMs monday night lol
Also, group interviews are fine again so long as you speak up and act confident (not cocky though
Thanks, these comments are really lovely and theyre making me worry a little less
One thing though...i will see one of the other interviwees again coz shes my best mate, we got the same interview but we both would rather we wernt together lol We expected them to be seperate as im early primary and shes primary but it looks like we could be together, may be slightly awkward...
It may be worth asking on the student room, there is a sticky thread about interviews.
Good luck with your interview,
Aw well at least you'll have some moral support! You'll be entering different courses, yes? If you are, no need to worry and you can both support each other on the day
I had an group interview a long time ago (10 years ago) for a PGCE at Cambridge- I was really scared before it because I used to be quite nervous about presenting.
There were about 10 people in the interview. Basically we had to talk to the person next to us and then introduce them to the rest of the group. This was ok- I made sure I spoke up loudly and confidently and threw a few 'jokes' in!! Then I vaguely remember that we had to talk about education issues in the news and I think it veered towards specials needs. I probably made about 2 comments. That was it!
The 2 minute presentation was ok. I had to talk about a learning experience in school which I had memorized and then they asked me a few other questions about my work experience.
That was it. It was quite fun despite all my worrying and I got in!!! :-)
Thanks ill need it!
I remembered what you all had said and however much i didnt want to i said a number of things in the group discussion...St luke saint i did what you said, used what others said and built onto it lol! But i did manage to bring up something about how they are thinking of changing the curriculum more mixed subjects. There was only 6 of us but the first question she asked when we first got there we all just looked at each other in silence as if 'omg what do we say' and she sat there like someone say something, it was so awkward! But once someone started off we manged to get into it more! Oh and nightwish thank for telling me to go out TES, i did the night before and read about the curriculum chanegs so glad i did now!
The written task was the hardest...i didnt even get the question! We had to say how we would prepare a year 2 class to learn about the local area or something i was like what?! I found that hard but there wasnt much i could do to prepare for it!
The individual one was the best...it didnt even last 5 minutes! She was so chatty and just asked what subjects i do, what i have done at my placement and why i think i will be good a good teacher! She was like ok thats it i was like already lol?! I did a practise one at school with my head of year that was loads harder and lasted like 20 minutes!
So overall it wasnt too bad...and i got chatting to some others applying which as great! Dreading my next one in januray tho at northumbria, its an all day thing compared to less than an hour at sheffiield and we have to give a 2 minute presentation! :eek:
And thanks again for the comments!