20 TNTP Interview Questions and Answers

TNTP is a national nonprofit dedicated to improving student learning in urban public schools. Our mission is to end educational inequality by providing excellent teachers to the students who need them most.

We are looking for talented, committed individuals who share our sense of urgency about the need to improve education in this country. If you are interested in joining our team, please review the following information to learn more about our interview process.

TNTP Interview Process

The interview process at TNTP can be long and difficult, with some candidates reporting that it took over two months to hear a final decision. The process typically includes a phone screening, performance task, and multiple interviews. Some candidates have also reported feeling like they were judged during the process, particularly around issues of diversity and inclusion.

1. What makes you a good fit for this position?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your qualifications and how you feel they align with this role. When answering, it can be helpful to highlight specific skills or experiences that relate to the job description.

Example: “I am passionate about education reform and believe in the power of technology to help students succeed. I have worked as an instructional designer for five years now, and my experience has taught me how important it is to create engaging learning environments that are tailored to each student’s unique needs. My previous work also helped me develop strong communication and collaboration skills, which I think will make me a valuable asset to TNTP.”

2. How would you handle a situation where there was a conflict between your team and another department?

As a program director, you may need to resolve conflicts between your team and other departments. Your answer should show the interviewer that you can work with others to find solutions to problems.

Example: “I would first try to understand why there was conflict between the two teams. I would then meet with both parties separately to discuss their concerns. After hearing each side’s perspective, I would help them come up with a solution together. This helps me avoid making decisions for my team or department without knowing all of the facts.”

3. Do you have experience working in an urban school setting?

TNTP works with schools in urban areas, so the interviewer may ask you this question to see if you have experience working in these settings. If you do, share your experiences and how they helped you develop as a teacher. If you don’t have experience working in an urban school setting, you can talk about your willingness to learn new things and adapt to different environments.

Example: “I’ve worked in an urban school setting for the past five years. I started out teaching at a charter school where we had a lot of freedom to create our own curriculum and implement innovative teaching methods. After two years there, I moved to a public school where I learned more about traditional education models. Both of these experiences taught me valuable lessons that I use every day when I’m teaching.”

4. Describe a time when you had to make a decision with limited information, how did you approach it?

This question can help an interviewer understand how you make decisions and the thought process behind them. It can also show your ability to think critically, which is a skill that’s important for this role.

Example: “In my previous position as a teacher, I had to make many decisions with limited information. For example, when students would come into class late or leave early, I would have to decide whether to mark it as an absence or tardy without knowing why they were there. In these situations, I always tried to be fair and consistent in my decision-making.”

5. Why are you interested in TNTP’s mission?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand why you’re passionate about working for this nonprofit. It’s important to show that you care about helping students succeed in school, so be sure to mention a specific example of how you’ve helped someone or something in your past job.

Example: “I’m interested in TNTP’s mission because I believe education is one of the most important things we can give our children. In my last position as an English teacher, I had a student who was struggling with reading comprehension. I worked with her after class every day until she mastered the material. She ended up getting an A on her final exam.”

6. Tell me about a time when you were managing multiple projects at once, how did you prioritize them?

This question can help the interviewer understand how you manage your time and attention, which are important skills for this role. Use examples from previous work experience to show that you have strong time management skills.

Example: “In my last position as a program director at an after-school tutoring center, I was responsible for managing multiple projects at once. One of my main priorities was making sure all students were receiving quality instruction during their tutoring sessions. To do this, I would check in with each tutor every day to make sure they had everything they needed to provide effective lessons to our students. Another priority was ensuring that we met our budget goals by monitoring spending and tracking student progress.”

7. What is your philosophy on professional development?

Professional development is an important part of working in education. Teachers need to keep up with the latest teaching methods and technology, as well as learn how to work with students who have special needs. A good answer will show that you are committed to continuing your own learning and growth.

Example: “I believe that professional development should be ongoing. I am always looking for new ways to teach my students and help them learn. For example, when I first started teaching, I would use a lot of visuals and demonstrations to explain concepts. Now, I find that more often than not, I can get my point across using only words. This has helped me save time during class so I can focus on other things like group projects or presentations.”

8. What do you think the biggest challenge will be for teachers over the next 5 years?

This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of the education system and how it’s changing. It also gives you a chance to talk about what you would do to help teachers meet those challenges.

Example: “I think that one of the biggest challenges for teachers in the next 5 years will be finding ways to engage students who are used to getting information from their phones. I believe that technology can be a great tool for learning, but we need to find ways to use it effectively so kids don’t get distracted by their devices. In my last position, I developed a curriculum that incorporated apps and other digital tools into lessons. This helped students learn while using their phones as educational tools.”

9. If hired, what type of goals would you set for yourself in the first year? 10 years?

Interviewers may ask this question to learn more about your career goals and how you plan to achieve them. When answering, it can be helpful to think of a few specific goals that you would like to accomplish in the first year and then expand on those goals over time.

Example: “In my first year as an education specialist for TNTP, I would like to work with teachers to develop lesson plans that are engaging and relevant to students’ lives. In 10 years, I hope to see schools using these lessons to improve student performance and increase graduation rates.”

10. What is your experience with project management?

This question can help the interviewer understand your experience with managing projects and how you might apply that to working for TNTP. Use examples from past experiences to highlight your skills in planning, organizing and executing a project.

Example: “In my last position as an education consultant, I was responsible for overseeing multiple projects at once. One of my primary responsibilities was creating a plan for each project based on the client’s needs. Then, I delegated tasks among my team members so we could complete our work efficiently. Throughout the process, I monitored our progress and made adjustments when necessary to ensure we met all deadlines.”

11. What do you see as the most important part of being a leader?

This question is a great way to see how you view leadership and what skills you think are important for leaders. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention specific qualities that you have or things you do as a leader.

Example: “I believe the most important part of being a leader is having empathy. I’ve seen many teachers who don’t understand their students’ situations and they make assumptions about them. This leads to ineffective teaching methods because they aren’t understanding why their students act the way they do. Having empathy allows me to better understand my students and create more effective lessons.”

12. What is the best way to provide feedback to employees?

This question can help the interviewer determine your leadership style and how you would interact with other employees. Provide examples of how you provide feedback to others, including what methods you use to give constructive criticism or praise.

Example: “I believe that providing regular feedback is one of the best ways to improve employee performance. I hold monthly meetings where I discuss my expectations for each team member and ask them about their goals for the month. At the end of each month, I meet with each employee again to review their progress and offer suggestions on how they can improve. This helps me ensure that all employees are meeting my expectations while also allowing them to receive individual attention.”

13. What would you say is the most important thing that schools should focus on?

This question is a great way to see how you prioritize your work. It also shows the interviewer what you value in education and how you would implement it into your role at TNTP. When answering this question, think about what you believe is most important for students’ success.

Example: “I believe that schools should focus on developing their students’ critical thinking skills. I’ve seen firsthand how much of an impact this can have on a student’s future. If they’re able to learn how to analyze information and solve problems, then they’ll be more prepared for college or the workforce. This will help them achieve greater success later in life.”

14. What do you think the role of technology is in education?

This question is an opportunity to show your passion for education and how you can apply technology to improve the learning experience. Your answer should include a brief overview of what you think about the role of technology in education, as well as specific examples of how you have used technology to enhance student learning.

Example: “Technology has the power to transform education by providing students with new ways to learn and teachers with new tools to teach. I believe that every child deserves access to quality education, which is why I am passionate about using technology to create innovative solutions that help educators reach more students. In my last position, I developed a mobile app that helped teachers deliver lessons to their students remotely. This allowed me to work with teachers who were not able to attend school due to illness or other circumstances.”

15. Have you ever been in a leadership role before?

This question can help the interviewer determine your leadership skills and how you might fit into their organization. If you have never been in a leadership role, you can talk about a time when you helped someone else or led a group project.

Example: “I’ve always had a passion for education, so I started my own tutoring business after college. This was my first experience as a leader, but it also taught me that I enjoy working with others to achieve a common goal. In this position, I learned how to delegate tasks and motivate my team members.”

16. Provide an example of a time when you had to work closely with someone who has a very different personality than yours. How did you handle it?

The interviewer may ask this question to assess your ability to work with others and collaborate on projects. Use examples from past experiences where you had to work with someone who was different than you, but still managed to get along well enough to complete the project or task at hand.

Example: “In my last position as a teacher, I worked closely with a colleague who had very different teaching methods than me. While we both wanted what was best for our students, we often disagreed on how to achieve that goal. However, we were able to compromise by finding a middle ground between our two approaches. This allowed us to provide more opportunities for our students while also maintaining their safety.”

17. What kind of experience do you have leading teams?

This question can help the interviewer understand your leadership style and how you interact with others. Your answer should include a few examples of how you’ve led teams in the past, including what kind of results you achieved and any challenges you faced along the way.

Example: “In my last role as an education consultant for a nonprofit organization, I was responsible for leading a team of five other consultants who were all focused on helping teachers improve their classroom instruction. We met once a week to discuss our progress and share ideas we had for new ways to reach students. As a result of our work together, we helped more than 100 schools implement strategies that improved student performance by 10%.”

18. What are some examples of ways that you have worked collaboratively with other departments or organizations?

Collaboration is an important skill for anyone working in education. Collaborating with other departments or organizations can help you develop new ideas and improve existing programs. Your answer should show the interviewer that you are willing to work with others to achieve your goals.

Example: “In my current role, I collaborate with many different departments and organizations. For example, I regularly meet with representatives from local businesses to discuss ways we can partner together. These partnerships allow us to provide students with real-world experiences while also giving our teachers additional resources. Another example of collaboration is when I worked with a group of teachers to create a new curriculum. We met weekly to discuss what we wanted to include in the program and how it could be implemented.”

19. What are your thoughts on charter schools?

This question is a great way to gauge your thoughts on education reform and the charter school movement. It’s also an opportunity for you to show that you’re passionate about education and how it can help students succeed.

Example: “Charter schools are one of my favorite ways to improve public education. I believe they give teachers more freedom to teach in innovative ways, which leads to better student outcomes. However, I think there needs to be more accountability when it comes to charter schools. There have been some instances where charter schools haven’t lived up to their promises, so I would like to see more oversight from state governments.”

20. Do you feel comfortable working independently?

This question is an opportunity to show your interviewer that you are a self-starter and can work independently. You should answer this question honestly, but also highlight how you collaborate with others when needed.

Example: “I feel comfortable working independently because I am used to managing my own time and projects. However, I have found that collaboration is the best way to get things done. When I first started as a teacher, I was nervous about collaborating with other teachers or administrators. Now, I find it helpful to ask for help when I need it and offer help to others when I can.”