Mock Interview Night Leads to Real Interviews for Seton Hill Student Teachers
On a spring evening in Saint Joseph Hall, senior education students made their way from room to room for their meetings with local school district administrators.
Seven administrators representing five different school districts from around the area came to campus to meet with the students, offer them feedback and share more about the opportunities available in their districts.
While the evening was set up as a mock interview night, the students dressed as they would if they were participating in a job interview at the school district and came prepared with cover letters, resumes, portfolios and business cards linking to digital versions of their materials.
The 37 student teachers who will be graduating in May had the opportunity to spend about 30 minutes with at least two different administrators asking questions, learning about the different districts and what they were looking for, and getting feedback on their materials. Kara Ratai, Assistant Professor of Education and Director of Field Placement for the education department heard from the administrators about the professionalism, enthusiasm and preparedness that the students demonstrated in their conversations.
“The mock interview night was a huge success thanks to the administrators, but also the students,” said Ratai. “The students displayed exceptional professionalism and really took the time to reflect beyond their interviews. A few students even got official interviews because of their efforts in the mock interviews!”
While Seton Hill has been educating teachers since its founding, how students are preparing to take on their own classrooms has evolved over the decades.
In an increasingly competitive environment, Seton Hill’s education department is adding additional opportunities such as the mock interview night to not only prepare teachers, but help them build the connections they need to develop relationships with the school districts where they hope to work.
Students have been required to substitute for two days in 300 level courses, but in the 2025-26 academic year a new requirement was introduced in the Pre-Student Teaching Clinical Lab course that required students to substitute teach for a minimum of six days per semester. This experience permits the students to familiarize themselves with different school districts, classrooms and grade levels, and many have chosen to substitute for additional days beyond the requirement.
“Substituting is such a valuable experience for pre-service teachers because it gives them a real feel for what it’s like to be in charge of a classroom. It pushes them to think on their feet, manage routines, and build confidence in a way that’s hard to replicate in a typical field placement,” Ratai said. “On top of that, it’s a great way to apply what they’re learning in their courses, build connections in schools, and feel more prepared heading into student teaching and eventually their own classroom.”
Seven administrators representing five different school districts from around the area came to campus to meet with the students, offer them feedback and share more about the opportunities available in their districts.
While the evening was set up as a mock interview night, the students dressed as they would if they were participating in a job interview at the school district and came prepared with cover letters, resumes, portfolios and business cards linking to digital versions of their materials.
The 37 student teachers who will be graduating in May had the opportunity to spend about 30 minutes with at least two different administrators asking questions, learning about the different districts and what they were looking for, and getting feedback on their materials. Kara Ratai, Assistant Professor of Education and Director of Field Placement for the education department heard from the administrators about the professionalism, enthusiasm and preparedness that the students demonstrated in their conversations.
“The mock interview night was a huge success thanks to the administrators, but also the students,” said Ratai. “The students displayed exceptional professionalism and really took the time to reflect beyond their interviews. A few students even got official interviews because of their efforts in the mock interviews!”
While Seton Hill has been educating teachers since its founding, how students are preparing to take on their own classrooms has evolved over the decades.
In an increasingly competitive environment, Seton Hill’s education department is adding additional opportunities such as the mock interview night to not only prepare teachers, but help them build the connections they need to develop relationships with the school districts where they hope to work.
Students have been required to substitute for two days in 300 level courses, but in the 2025-26 academic year a new requirement was introduced in the Pre-Student Teaching Clinical Lab course that required students to substitute teach for a minimum of six days per semester. This experience permits the students to familiarize themselves with different school districts, classrooms and grade levels, and many have chosen to substitute for additional days beyond the requirement.
“Substituting is such a valuable experience for pre-service teachers because it gives them a real feel for what it’s like to be in charge of a classroom. It pushes them to think on their feet, manage routines, and build confidence in a way that’s hard to replicate in a typical field placement,” Ratai said. “On top of that, it’s a great way to apply what they’re learning in their courses, build connections in schools, and feel more prepared heading into student teaching and eventually their own classroom.”