Principals want to hire teachers who see educating as a passion instead of a job, according to Education World, an online resource for teachers. And teachers who have the ability to connect real-world situations to what is being taught in the classroom are typically sought by principals. During an interview, questions that correlate with what a principal is looking for in a teacher are asked, and it's important for a potential secondary teacher to research and be aware of possible interview questions.

Personal Explanations
One of the first questions in an interview between a principal and a future teacher is the "tell me more" question, according to Education World. This question gives the interviewee the opportunity to candidly discuss important things that relate to his life and experiences. Although this question seems easy and it's a relatively relaxed time of the interview, the future teacher should strive to be insightful and straightforward. The interviewee should focus on discussing what he values about himself.

Goals
Principals are interested in a future secondary teacher's short-term and long-term goals, according to the National Middle School Association. An interviewee should articulately explain these goals and the strategy she anticipates using to achieve them. A future teacher could also describe how she's accomplished previous career and teaching goals.

Lesson Planning
Because writing a lesson plan and carrying out the written plan is a large part of a teacher's job, interviewees will likely be asked questions regarding lesson planning, according to Education World. For example, a typical question is "Explain a lesson that you felt went well. What made the activity successful?" Principals prefer future teachers to answer this question quickly, while being confident, passionate and knowledgeable. If the candidate does not have classroom experience, he should comment on what lesson he would implement and how the lesson would be facilitated. Interviewees should also be prepared to teach a lesson to children while being observed by the principal. Seeing hiring candidates in action allows administrators to determine if the future teachers are suitable for the job.

Teaching Methods
Aside from lecturing, principals are generally interested in a candidate's various teaching methods and how they are carried out. Interviewees should be prepared to discuss their preferred way of teaching, from implementing hands-on lessons to taking field trips to assigning group projects. Additionally, principals are looking for teachers who have the ability to work through a lesson that isn't working.