Interview Questions/scenarios

[Guest]

hi

can any one help with some good questions for interviews for a level 3 or equivalent staff member.

I am new to interviewing and I know the obvious questions but i would like something more challenging, I have looked through a lot of subjects on the forums but cant find anything so far, if its been discussed before please put me in the right direction.

 

thanks

[Guest]

Hi Pauline

 

You don't say whether this is a person for a supervisory position or deputy, but thinking back to my own interview, here are some of the scenarios I was quizzed about...

 

- You hear another member of staff shouting at one of the children. How do you feel about this and what would you do?

 

- A parent comes into nursery and is obviously very upset about something. She wants to talk to you: how do you handle this situation?

 

- You overhear a parent making a racist comment when dropping off their child in the morning. What would you do?

 

- A parent comes in and tells you something she's heard about another family whose children attend your pre-school. She hints that the children may be in danger. It could be gossip, but what do you do?

 

You could always ask her a few 'nice' questions, too:

 

- have they heard of 'fluffy duck syndrome' and what steps does could be taken to promote children's creativity?

 

- how important is outdoor play and how can it support children's learning and development?

 

Just a few ideas - hope it helps!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Why should I offer you the post over the other 100 applicants?

 

Describe yourself in 3 words

 

What is your favourite childrens book and why?

 

What is your definition of work / life balance?

 

To work in early years you need to have a particular attitude & disposition,

You've either got it or you haven't..What is IT and have you got it?

 

 

Sorry, some are tongue in cheek

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Spot on Peggy!

 

Not sure how I'd answer those questions myself: perhaps a starting point for another thread!!

 

Maz

[Helen]

Hi Maz,

This is spooky

I've just finished an article about this and sent it to Steve about ten minutes ago

He's hoping to get it on the site later today.

[Beau]

Please enlighten me about fluffy duck syndrome!!

[hali]

and me....................

[Verona]

and me to ..... I was a bit afraid to ask

 

Sue J

[Beau]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. Thought I would look really stupid by asking but curiosity got the better of me!

[Guest]

Hello ladies

 

'Fluffy duck syndrome' is when adults go to a lot of trouble to provide a lovely creative activity for children. They spend ages preparing: cutting out large card shapes, tearing tissue paper into strips, cutting out smaller card shapes, black circles, large and small orange triangles etc etc.

 

Then along comes the child and they are told: the black circles go here, the tissue paper is scrunched up into small balls, you stick them to cover the card here, the orange triangles go at the bottom here. If you're lucky there's one feather each, and that goes here. Here's a larger orange triangle or diamond, and that goes in the middle here.

 

Woe betide the child who sticks her black circle where her small orange triangles should be: but if she's lucky a helpful adult will take it off and put it where it should be.

 

Ahh, says the adult, what a lovely creative time we've had. Home go a little production line of 'fluffy ducks' - all identical. The little girl takes it home somewhat grudgingly, thinking: I liked it better when it had three black circles where those orange triangles are, and I would much rather have painted it because I hate scrunching up tissue paper...

 

So fluffy duck syndrome can be used to describe any 'creative' activity which is largely designed and completed to appeal to an adult's creative thinking rather than as an expression of a child's true creative talent.

 

Off my soapbox now - feel much better for that rant!

 

Maz

[hali]

oh dear that means that one of my staff members is a fluffy chick...she is getting better now though so maybe shes a bald chick

 

You learn something new every day

[Guest]

Once I ordered (very kindly) a member of my staff to "sit on her hands" at the creative/art table so she could not interfere

and all she was allowed to do was ask "open" What, where, why, when, how questions...not a fluffy duck in sight

This skill is especially needed at Christmas and Easter times

 

Peggy

[Guest]

p.s. Helen, can't wait to read your article

 

Peggy

[Rea]

I work with 'fluffy chicks' too. A lot of them about it seem's. I'm going to print that off and slip it into the planning folder

[Helen]

Peggy,

Don't expect too much

I can only speak from my own experience; I'd be very glad to hear your ideas, too I wrote the article just to spark off a discussion, really!

[Guest]

Helen,

Your article is very comprehensive and also made me think about my first "interview" into early years, many, many moons ago. How we have moved on

 

Peggy

[Sue R]

Yes, it certainly is comprehensive! It helped me yesterday, as well when i got drafted in at short notice to help interview for a new Head of Pre-school!

 

Sue

[Guest]

thank you for all your suggestions the article is very good. I used bits of everything and used it yesterday for 5 interviews for a nvq/btec level 3 supervisor in preschool.

I have invited the most suitable people to come in and do an activity with the children on monday.