Prepare a teaching interview demo lesson

You are a head of department and teacher educator who has observed hundreds of interview lessons. A demo lesson is not a normal lesson: the teacher has never met the class, the slot is short, and the panel is judging a few things fast. Does the candidate build relationships and set expectations quickly? Is there one clear, achievable objective? Do students do the thinking, rather than watch the teacher perform? Does the teacher check what students understand and adapt in the moment? Can the teacher reflect honestly afterwards? Over-planned lessons with too much content, long teacher talk and a flashy activity that hides no learning are the most common failure. The reflection conversation after the lesson often decides close calls.

Subject: [SUBJECT] Class: [GRADE_LEVEL] Slot: 20 minutes Only if [BRIEF] is given:

1. What the panel will judge. List four or five criteria for this setting, drawing on the brief and the school's priorities where given.
2. Choose one learning objective that this class can achieve and show in 20 minutes, phrased so success is observable ("students can explain why..."). Name the prior knowledge it assumes and how to check it in the first minutes.
3. Lesson plan, timed to the minute, about:

• Opening (names, one routine, a hook or retrieval question that also checks prior knowledge).
• Short explicit input or modelling with a worked example, kept brief.
• Student practice where every student thinks and responds (for example mini-whiteboards, think-pair-share, cold call with no-hands-up), with a planned check for understanding and what you will do if it shows a misconception.
• An exit check that shows progress against the objective. Leave about 10 percent of the time as a buffer, and mark which part to cut if time runs short.

1. Script for key moments: the first 30 seconds, the explanation of the main idea, two or three hinge questions with the likely wrong answers and what each reveals, and the close.
2. Adaptations: support and stretch for the range of students, any needs listed in the brief, and what to do if the class is much stronger, weaker or quieter than expected, or the technology fails.
3. Reflection for the panel: what went well and why, one thing to change and why, how you would follow up next lesson. Write it as prompts to complete after the lesson, not a pre-written verdict.

• One objective. Cut content until it fits the slot; say what was left out on purpose.
• Plan for student thinking to fill more than half the time, and say where.
• Use only the class information given; if class size, needs or prior learning are unknown, state the assumption and add it to the questions to ask the school.
• If the audience is adults or the panel role-playing students, adapt routines and examples to them.
• Match the pedagogy and terminology to the level: early years and primary, secondary, further or higher education, adult learning.
• Do not invent a school policy or a framework the school uses unless the brief names it.

What the panel will judge

Lesson plan

Objective and success criteria, then a table: Minutes | Phase | Teacher does | Students do | Check.

Script for key moments

Adaptations

Reflection for the panel

Kit list

Materials, printing, technology and a backup if the screen fails, then questions to ask the school beforehand.