Teaching jobs require more than education and experience, and an interview is an opportunity to gauge a candidate's personality, enthusiasm and dedication. During an interview, you can measure how applicants respond to stress and unexpected situations to see how they will handle the stress of working in a classroom.

Education
Because most teaching jobs require a specific level of education, you should ask about a candidate's degrees immediately, particularly if you have not yet received a resume. Ask about the university she attended, and the concentration or minor. If the candidate has postgraduate education, talk about her thesis topic or research work. Talk about the certifications the potential teacher has earned, particularly if your state or school district requires more than a teaching certificate and licensure.

Experience
Some of of the most important questions to ask during a teaching interview are about the candidate's experience. For veteran teachers, ask questions about the last few positions they have held and the progression within a school. When you are interviewing younger teachers who have little or no professional experience, ask about volunteer work with children, camp counseling work, tutoring, student teaching, or workshops. Ask candidates to tell you what they learned in each position and how their teaching methods changed or what results they achieved in the classroom.

Philosophy and Style
To ascertain whether a teacher will fit with your school's policies and character, ask about his teaching philosophy. Choose questions that deal with his motivations for teaching, the way he approaches learning, and his style in front of a classroom. If your school has specific policies or traditions about dress, methodology, or style--or, more importantly, parental expectations about any of those issues--prepare interview questions that are designed to monitor the applicant's views. Find out what motivates the candidate to come into work every day, and ask about future goals as a teacher or administrator.

Difficult Situations
One of the most important responsibilities for teachers is to deal with problems that arise in the classroom. During an interview, ask candidates how they handle difficult situations; give specific examples and request that the applicant tell you her strategy for diffusing the problem, doling out discipline, and preventing future trouble. Ask candidates to give you an example of a problem they encountered in a past position and how they solved it.