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PE Teacher Interview Questions

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top PE Teacher interview questions and answers.

  1. Why are you interested in becoming a PE Teacher? See answer
  2. What would you say are the major goals of physical education? See answer
  3. How can you collaborate with other teachers to ensure you understand your students fully? See answer
  4. How would you react if a parent complained about something that happened in your class? See answer
  5. What do you find most challenging when dealing with students? See answer
  6. What do you do if students fight during your PE class? See answer
  7. What strategies do you use to keep students actively involved in your PE class? See answer
  8. How can you help a student who has difficulty learning a specific skill or sport?
  9. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned so far as a PE teacher?
  10. How would you handle a student or a group of students who are constantly disrupting your class?
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

10 PE Teacher Interview Questions and Answers

Why are you interested in becoming a PE Teacher?

A PE Teacher has to be passionate about health and education. The purpose of this question is to help you gauge the attitude of the potential candidate. They should want the position because they are passionate about it and not just because of their educational background. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Passion for fitness and health
  • The right attitude towards the job
  • Genuine love for working with children

Example:

"I've always loved working and helping children learn new things. At the same time, I love to exercise and stay fit. Being a PE Teacher allows me to work on both of my passions, which are education and health."

How can you help a student who has difficulty learning a particular skill or sport?

Learning a new skill or sport can be challenging for some students. It's best to hire a PE Teacher who is patient and persistent with students. They should be willing to go the extra mile to make sure children feel appreciated and motivated to participate in sports. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Patience with children
  • Persistence 
  • Willingness to go an extra mile

Example:

"If a student has difficulty learning a certain sport, I'm persistent and go out of my way to train them and ensure they're not left behind. If I try everything and the student still has no interest, I try introducing them to a different game."

What would you say are the major goals of physical education?

This question helps you gauge the candidate's understanding of physical education and how they plan to ensure children understand its importance. A strong candidate should have a plan to encourage students' appreciation and understanding of physical education. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of physical education
  • Whether the candidate knows the position's expectations
  • Ability to motivate students

Example:

"Physical education has various goals, the main one being fitness and health. It gives children a chance to learn about collaboration and working in teams. I want my students to understand the importance of taking care of their bodies and the importance of working together as compared to competing."

How can you collaborate with other teachers to ensure you understand your students fully?

Students have different needs and interests. A strong candidate is willing to collaborate with other teachers to understand their students. Some teachers, especially the class teachers, are better positioned to understand student needs. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Willingness to work with other teachers
  • Empathy and understanding
  • Interpersonal skills

Example:

"The best way to understand students is to talk with other teachers who interact with them daily. I especially talk with the class teachers to understand what their students are interested in. If a student has leadership skills, I can cultivate that by giving them leadership roles in my class."

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned so far as a PE Teacher?

The question gives you a chance to hear about the candidate's experiences as they apply to the role. It helps you gauge their ability to learn from their past experiences. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Willingness to share their experiences
  • Communication skills
  • Creative vision for their role

Example:

"In my previous school, I had the chance to work with one student who was very reluctant to engage in any sport. I later learned that they had self-esteem issues, and they never thought they could be good at anything. I talked to the student and constantly motivated them to appreciate themselves and try new things. 

With time, they became one of the best football players in the school. Through that, I learned that it's good to get personal with students and go an extra mile before giving up on them."

How would you handle a student or a group of students who are constantly disruptive in class?

Sometimes, a PE Teacher will have to handle dealing with challenging students. The question helps you gauge if the candidate can discipline children and handle difficult situations. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to solve conflicts
  • Communication skills
  • Ability to handle difficult situations

Example:

"If a group of students constantly disrupts the class, I would address them as per the schools' disciplinary guidelines. I would then separate them to ensure they sit or stay on different sides."

How would you react if a parent complained about something that happened in your class?

Once in a while, teachers may encounter parents with a concern about something that happened to their child in school. A strong PE Teacher candidate can handle criticism without taking it personally. They are willing to listen to everyone's feedback, whether from a parent, fellow teacher or student. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to handle critics
  • Conflict resolution skills
  • Willingness to accept correction when wrong

Example:

"I understand and recognise that I can make mistakes just like any other person. If a parent complains about something that happened in school, I listen to their complaints and try to address the situation. Whether it's my mistake or not, I make sure that I understand the student's and parent's point of view and take steps to do better the next time."

What do you find most challenging when dealing with students?

The question seeks to identify the candidate's weaknesses and how they plan on improving. A strong candidate likely knows their weakness and has a plan in place to deal with it to ensure it doesn't affect their job. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Self-awareness
  • Willingness to work on their weaknesses
  • Creativity

Example:

"In my experience, getting the attention of students can be quite challenging. Many things can distract a student, and I have learnt that I have to be creative to get their attention. I try to engage them in fun things to help them remain focused."

What do you do if students fight during your PE class?

Like any other teacher, it's the responsibility of a PE Teacher to maintain peace in their class. This question can help you see how your candidate may react in such a situation. An ideal candidate is willing to listen to the students' point of view before disciplining them. 

What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to solve conflicts
  • Willingness to listen and understand
  • Promptness to act in difficult moments

Example:

"If I find a group of students fighting, I immediately stop and separate them. I then talk to each student to understand why they engaged in the fight. I make sure they understand that fighting is not the solution to resolving problems and help them reconcile with each other."

What strategies do you use to keep students actively involved in your PE class?

It's essential to create a positive environment that has all students involved in the class activities. The goal is to get an idea of what methods the candidate uses to make a class lively while maintaining an educational focus.

What to look for in an answer:

  • Team building strategies
  • Creativity
  • Ability to engage students

Example:

"Students easily get disrupted, especially if the class is less than engaging. I use fun and innovative activities to keep them involved. I also engage them in teamwork to help them stay focused and learn from each other. Most importantly, I use fun activities to create rapport with students who need extra attention."

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