If you are asked to teach a demo class
I’m telling you this because it is painful when the principal asks to borrow my students, and I stand by and watch some unsuspecting teacher come in and tank. Don’t let that be you.
1. Know that this happens and may happen to you. The principal of the school may not tell you this in advance and you might end up in this awkward situation of getting thrown in front of a bunch of students and asked to teach them something.
2. You might not be asked to demo at all. I’ve never been asked to do one, but my school does ask potential teachers to do it often.
3. There may or may not be actual children there. Many people I know have been asked to teach a demo class in front of a group of managers.
4. Prepare just in case. You’ll probably be able to reuse the lesson later on, so don’t think of it as a waste of time.
For the actual class.. The person observing you wants to see, among other things:
You are able to control the class. If the students are young, I would think of a way to get their attention and incorporate teaching it into your lesson. For example, in my music classes I sing, “Who’s sitting, who’s sitting nicely?” and they sing back, “I’m sitting, I’m sitting nicely.” They do not want to see you having to raise your voice to regain control. They are looking to see if you can remain calm and together if the class gets a little noisy.
The students can understand you. You should be talking in a manner that is appropriate for the age and level of the students that you’re teaching. Facial expressions and body language are important, as is the speed and tone of your voice, how many pauses you take, etc.
Your teaching style is energetic and exciting. I don’t always sound like a cartoon character when I teach, but the more energy I put into teaching, the more focus and attention I have from the students.
That said, I’ve seen people tank the demo and still end up with the job. In that case, the worst thing is being slightly embarrassed in front of one of your potential coworkers. Either way, save yourself the stress and be ready for anything.