Substitute Preschool Teacher
Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about your experience with young children, paid or unpaid.
What they are checking: Whether they have real hands-on experience managing a group of preschoolers.
How do you work with the other teachers in a room you are covering?
What they are checking: Whether they cooperate well and follow the team's lead rather than doing their own thing.
Tell me about a time you had to stay patient with a child who was struggling.
What they are checking: Whether they bring warmth and patience to challenging moments.
What would you do
You get a call at 6 a.m. to cover a classroom you have never been in. How do you prepare?
What they are checking: Whether they are reliable on short notice and can quickly learn a room's routines.
How would you help a child who is upset because their regular teacher is out?
What they are checking: Whether they can support children's social and emotional needs during change.
What would you do if children start testing limits because you are a new face?
What they are checking: Whether they can set clear, kind boundaries quickly without harsh discipline.
How available are you, and how do you handle a call when you cannot take the shift?
What they are checking: Whether they communicate clearly about availability, which on-call programs depend on.
How would you keep children engaged if the lesson plan left for you is not working?
What they are checking: Whether they can adapt activities while keeping the day's learning goals.
About the work
What safety checks would you do when you first arrive in a classroom?
What they are checking: Whether they know ratios, head counts, allergies and emergency procedures matter from minute one.
What do you know about Head Start and the families it serves?
What they are checking: Whether they understand and respect the program's mission and community.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Acelero Learning.