20 NWEA Interview Questions and Answers

NWEA is a not-for-profit organization that provides assessment, research, and professional development services to education organizations worldwide. NWEA’s assessments are used by more than 7 million students in over 40,000 schools, making it one of the most widely used assessment tools in the world.

If you’re interviewing for a job at NWEA, you can expect to be asked a variety of questions about your experience, skills, and knowledge of the education industry. To help you prepare, we’ve gathered a list of sample NWEA interview questions and answers.

NWEA Interview Process

The interview process at NWEA can vary depending on the position you are applying for. However, most positions will require at least one phone screen with an HR representative and one or more in-person interviews. For some positions, you may also be asked to complete a code sample or other assessment. Overall, the interview process is relatively standard, but can be time-consuming, especially if you are interviewing for a higher-level position.

1. What do you think is the most important part of a project?

This question is a great way to see how you prioritize your work. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention the most important part of a project and then explain why that element is so crucial.

Example: “I think the most important part of any project is the timeline. If I don’t have an idea of when something needs to be completed by, it’s hard for me to know what steps need to happen before that deadline. For example, if I’m working on a research paper, I’ll need to start collecting sources and conducting my research well in advance of the due date.”

2. Do you have experience writing code for educational software?

This question can help the interviewer determine your level of experience with NWEA. If you have no experience writing code, explain what other software you’ve used to create educational content and how it helped students learn.

Example: “I haven’t had any formal training in coding for educational software, but I do have some experience using a variety of programs that support student learning. In my last role as an educator, I used Edmodo to create digital lessons and activities for my students. The platform allowed me to share resources with my students and collaborate with other educators on projects. It also provided a way for parents to access their child’s assignments and grades.”

3. How would you approach creating an assessment that was going to be used by students across multiple states?

Interviewers may ask this question to see how you would apply your knowledge of NWEA to a larger scale. Use examples from past experience or explain what steps you would take to create an assessment that could be used by multiple states.

Example: “In my last role, I was tasked with creating assessments for students across the state. To do so, I first created a rubric and then developed questions based on the rubric. This allowed me to ensure that all students were being assessed fairly and consistently. If I were hired for this position, I would follow similar steps to make sure that all students are receiving fair assessments.”

4. Tell me about your experience working with HTML, CSS and Javascript.

This question is a great way to see how much experience you have with coding languages. If the interviewer asks this, they are likely looking for someone who has some experience working with these languages and can use them in their daily work.

Example: “I’ve been using HTML, CSS and Javascript since I was in high school. My first job out of college was as an IT specialist at a local company that worked with web development. There, I learned more about how to apply these languages to my everyday work. I also took several online courses on Udemy where I learned even more about how to use these languages.”

5. How do you keep up with the latest trends in education?

This question can help the interviewer determine your passion for education and how you stay current with new developments. Your answer should show that you are eager to learn about new teaching methods, educational technology or other ways to improve student learning.

Example: “I am a member of several online forums where teachers discuss their classroom challenges and successes. I also subscribe to several blogs and newsletters that provide tips on improving student engagement and achievement. In my last position, I started an after-school club for students who wanted to learn more about coding and computer science. This led me to discover Khan Academy, which has become one of my favorite resources for introducing new concepts to students.”

6. Why are you interested in working at NWEA?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand why you are a good fit for their organization. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention specific aspects of NWEA that interest you or how your skills and experience align with the job description.

Example: “I am interested in working at NWEA because I believe in the importance of education and want to work for an organization that is dedicated to helping students succeed. In my previous role as a teacher, I saw firsthand how much NWEA’s assessment tools helped teachers improve student learning. I would love to continue supporting educators by using these assessments to identify areas where students need more support.”

7. Tell us about a time when you had to work on a team project that did not go well, what happened and how did you handle it?

This question is a great way to see how you handle conflict and work with others. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention what you learned from the experience and how you would do things differently in the future.

Example: “In my previous role as an elementary school teacher, I had to work on a project with another teacher who was new to the district. We were both responsible for different parts of the project, but he did not complete his part of the assignment. I tried to reach out to him several times, but he never responded. In the end, I completed his portion of the project myself so that we could still turn it in on time.”

8. Can you tell me about a time where you were able to help someone learn something new?

This question is a great way to show your interpersonal skills and how you can help others succeed. When answering this question, it’s important to highlight the steps you took to help someone learn something new and what they learned from that experience.

Example: “In my previous role as an educator, I had a student who was struggling with math concepts. We worked together on his homework every night for two weeks until he understood the material. He ended up passing the class and even got an A in the next quarter.”

9. How much experience do you have managing teams?

This question can help the interviewer determine your leadership skills. If you have experience managing teams, describe what you did to motivate and inspire them. If you don’t have any management experience, talk about how you’ve helped others succeed in their goals or projects.

Example: “I’ve been leading my own classroom for five years now, so I’m quite comfortable with delegating tasks and helping students learn new concepts. In fact, I find it rewarding when I see a student grasp a concept they were struggling with. When I first started teaching, however, I had no idea what I was doing. My mentor gave me advice on how to manage my time and plan lessons effectively. She also taught me how to use technology to make lesson planning easier.”

10. Give me an example of a time you had to give feedback to one of your employees.

This question can help interviewers understand how you handle giving constructive criticism. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a specific situation and what steps you took to ensure the employee understood your feedback and was able to improve their performance.

Example: “When I first started as an assistant principal, one of my teachers had a hard time keeping students engaged during class. After observing her teaching style for several weeks, I scheduled a meeting with her to discuss my observations. During our meeting, I explained that while she is an excellent teacher, there are some techniques she could use to keep students more engaged in class. She thanked me for my feedback and said she would try out some of the strategies I suggested.”

11. Describe a time when you worked independently to solve a problem.

This question can help an interviewer determine your problem-solving skills and how you work independently. Use examples from previous jobs to describe a time when you used critical thinking skills to solve a problem or challenge.

Example: “In my last position, I noticed that the students in one of our classrooms were having trouble with their math facts. The teacher was already working on this by giving extra practice sheets for them to complete at home. However, I decided to take it a step further and create a game where they could practice their math facts while playing. They loved the idea and started asking if they could play the game during class. This helped them learn their math facts more efficiently.”

12. If hired, what would your strategy be for creating content for our assessments?

Interviewers may ask this question to see how you plan and execute tasks. They want to know that you can work independently, but also collaborate with others when necessary. In your answer, explain what steps you would take to create content for the assessments. Explain any skills or experience you have in creating content.

Example: “I would first research the standards of the state and compare them to those of NWEA. I would then determine which standards are most important to assess. Next, I would develop a rubric for each assessment based on the standards. Finally, I would create questions for each assessment based on the rubrics.”

13. Are you comfortable interacting with children?

This question is a way for the interviewer to assess your interpersonal skills. They want to know if you can work with children who may be shy or have special needs. Your answer should show that you are empathetic and compassionate, as well as confident in your ability to interact with all types of students.

Example: “I am very comfortable interacting with children. I find it easy to make them feel at ease and help them learn new things. In my previous role, I worked with a student who was quite shy. I would ask him questions about his favorite subjects and activities so he could get used to talking to me. Eventually, he became more outgoing and started asking me questions about school.”

14. We value teamwork here at NWEA, can you describe a time when you worked on a successful team project?

Teamwork is an important skill to have in the workplace, and it’s one that NWEA values. When answering this question, you can describe a time when you worked on a team project and how your skills helped contribute to its success.

Example: “In my previous position as a math teacher, I was part of a small group of teachers who met weekly to discuss our students’ progress. We used these meetings to help each other with any questions we had about teaching strategies or student behavior. These meetings were helpful because they allowed us to collaborate and support each other.”

15. What is your philosophy on teaching and learning?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to get an idea of your teaching style and how you plan lessons. Your answer should include what you believe about learning, how students learn best and how teachers can help their students succeed.

Example: “I believe that every student has the ability to be successful in school. I also think that it’s important to teach my students skills they will use throughout their lives. For example, when I taught math, I focused on helping my students understand concepts rather than just memorizing facts. This helped them develop problem-solving skills that they could use later in life.”

16. Do you consider yourself more of a leader or a follower?

This question is designed to determine your leadership style. Employers want to know that you can lead a team of teachers and help them achieve their goals. When answering this question, it’s important to show that you are comfortable with both roles.

Example: “I consider myself more of a leader than a follower. I am always looking for ways to improve my teaching methods and the learning experience for my students. However, I also understand that sometimes following others’ advice can be beneficial. For example, when I first started teaching, I followed all of my mentor teacher’s advice. She helped me develop many of my own techniques.”

17. Have you ever been involved in a large scale product launch?

Interviewers may ask this question to see if you have experience with a large-scale project. They want to know how you handled the pressure of working on a deadline and whether or not you were able to meet your goals. If you haven’t been involved in a large scale product launch, you can talk about another time when you worked under pressure to complete a task by a certain date.

Example: “In my current role as an educator, I’ve had to work on several projects that required me to create lesson plans for multiple subjects. For example, last year we started teaching fractions, so I created lessons for math, science and social studies. This was a big project because it took a lot of planning and prep work to get everything ready for the school year.”

18. What is your experience with designing web based applications?

This question is a great way to gauge your experience with NWEA and how you might use it in the future. If you have no experience, consider talking about other web-based applications you’ve used or even some of the features that you like most about them.

Example: “I’ve worked with several different web-based applications throughout my career, but I find that NWEA is one of the best because of its ability to integrate so many different types of assessments into one platform. It’s also very easy to navigate and provides detailed reports on student progress.”

19. What is your experience with developing mobile applications?

This question is a great way to see if you have experience with the latest technology. If your school uses NWEA, it’s likely that they also use mobile applications for testing and assessment. Your answer should show that you understand how these apps work and what their benefits are.

Example: “I’ve worked on several projects where we developed our own mobile app. The first was when I worked at a software company. We were tasked with creating an app that would allow teachers to track student progress in real time. This allowed them to monitor students’ performance during class and adjust instruction as needed. Another project I worked on was for my previous employer. They wanted to create an app that would help parents keep track of their child’s grades and attendance.”

20. Our company values innovation, how would you contribute to that culture if hired?

This question is an opportunity to show your creativity and willingness to take on new challenges. You can demonstrate your ability to think outside the box by providing examples of how you’ve contributed to innovation in the past.

Example: “In my last role, I was tasked with creating a new assessment for our math curriculum. I started by researching other assessments that were similar to ours and found ways we could improve them. After presenting my ideas to my team, they decided to implement one of my suggestions as a pilot program before deciding if it should be used district-wide. The feedback from teachers was overwhelmingly positive, so we implemented it across all grade levels.”